Jacinto Valdés, the popular guaracha singer cried “Viva Céspedes” ("Long Live Carlos Manuel de Céspedes") from the Vilanueva theater stage, surprising the Spaniards, in January 21st, 1869. The following night the theater was full of flags, and women were adorned with ribbons having the colours of the Cuban flag. When the play El Perro huevero was on stage a character cried out: "Long live the sugar producing land". The audience shouted "Long Live Cuba", and the Spanish regime´s rage immediately bursted out: the voluntarios (Spanish irregular troops) on duty near the theatre, ruthless shooted, first to it, later to the people running away, provoking a real massacre known in Cuban history as "The Villanueva Theatre events". As a tribute, the Day of Cuban Theatre is conmemorated ever January 22nd.