Opening Doors / Giving Hope
A weekend celebration of voices, culture, and theatrical innovation — from bold new works to timeless classics, from monologues to Mini-Teatro.
Program A — Opening Night Performance
Friday, June 5 | 7:00 PM
MICTLÁN
(Spanish - Mexican Mystical Play)
Written/Directed by Martin Arreola
Neli awakens in Mictlán (the Aztec underworld), where Mictlantecuhtli (God of Mictlán) forbids her from speaking of “flowers and song,” of poetry. A poet by nature, she defies the rules of the underworld and attracts the attention of Quetzalcóatl (God of the Living), who sees in her the hope of restoring humanity. When the Lord of Death tries to prevent her birth, Tezcatlipoca (God of the Wind) compels her to choose: to die with complete certainty, with a heart that will eventually wither, or to be born with absolute uncertainty, with the sole promise that her songs will be heard..
Program B — Monologue
Saturday, June 6th | 11:00 -12:00 PM
ISABEL DESTERRADA EN ISABEL
(Spanish - Drama/Comedia)
By Juan Radrigán
Isabel follows a woman wandering the city streets, carrying deep loneliness and fragile memories while clinging to hope that her life can improve. Through Isabel’s delicate mix of innocence and madness, the story critiques an increasingly individualistic society that overlooks the struggles of others.
WHO WE ARE
(Bilingual – Experimental)
By Christopher Amador
The play is a poetic, rhythmic manifesto celebrating Latino migrant pride and resilience. Through Lupe and Jose, it rejects narratives of inferiority and asserts the dignity, power, and permanence of Latino youth navigating the immigration process.
El HOMIESEXUAL (El Homie)
(English – Drama, Comedy, Other: Queer)
Written & Directed by Hadrian Shawn Miguel
Ten years after a summer of love, two estranged Chicanos navigate the vibrant backdrop of San Francisco's Mission district, rekindling their romance and rediscovering the poetic beauty within themselves and their community.
EMPTY EGGSHELLS
(English – Comedy/Drama - Monologue)
By Andrea Ramirez-Martinez
A millennial Latina entrepreneur nearing the end of her fertility window faces a collapsing marriage and must decide between staying with her abusive but financially stable husband, pursuing her dream coffee business, or becoming a mother through IVF. When she discovers her husband’s infidelity and plans to leave, she chooses to reclaim her power, end the marriage, and pursue motherhood on her own while rebuilding her self-worth.
RETURNS & ERRORS: PETS
(Bilingual – Drama, Experimental)
Written & Directed by Donna Bonilla Wheeler
An ailing Latina makes a trip to the fantastical DMV of Deceased Pet Returns to negotiate more time with her recently lost pet.
ANIMA INTERVENTION / THE MIRACULOUS UNDOING OF POLA TORRES
(English – Comedy)
By Edie Pilar Monroy
Pola Torres, an American-born Colombian rebranding consultant, survives elite spaces by erasing parts of herself, never feeling fully Colombian or American. Stranded in Bogotá’s airport, confrontations with her Abuela, a kind concierge, and the rebellious goddess Huitaca force her to drop the performance and begin reclaiming who she truly is.
Program C — Mini-Teatro English Series
Saturday, June 6th | 12:00 PM
Program D — Monologue
Saturday, June 6th | 2:00 PM -3:00 PM
BRICK BY BRICK
(English - Drama)
By Nina Rancel
An immigrant actress builds the road to her dreams and tries to walk it, facing all kinds of dangerous blocks, monsters and obstacles on the way.
Program E — Stage Reading #1
Saturday, June 6th | 4:00 - 5:30 PM
TWO DREAMERS GO ON A WALK
(Bilingual - Comedy/Drama)
Written by Sol Lagos and Directed by Nate Rios
Two older undocumented Dreamers, Sal and Dulce, walk through Los Angeles in 2025 to attend an immigration court hearing, but an accident transports them back to the Central American civil wars they once fled. As past and present collide, they confront the possibility of changing their mother’s fate and question whether their future is destined to repeat cycles of violence or can be rewritten.
Program F — Saturday Night Performance
Saturday, June 6th | 7:00 PM
ECO
(Spanish - Drama)
Written/Directed by Jorge Duran
ECO follows Mateo and Paulo, whose private love is strained by societal expectations as they struggle between authenticity and public acceptance. The play explores identity, secrecy, and the emotional cost of living—and loving—only halfway.
Program G — Stage Reading #2
Sunday, June 7th | 11:00 - 1:00 PM
EL ANIMAL DE HUNGRIA DE LOPE DE VEGA
(Spanish - Comedy)
Writer: José Ramon Enriquez
Director: Sergio Serdio. Teatro del Barrio.
After being betrayed by her sister and condemned by the king, Queen Teodosia is abandoned in the jungle but miraculously survives with the protection of wild beasts, becoming a feared mythic figure. Years later, love and rebellion lead to her return, where she reveals herself as the rightful queen and forces the king to confront his betrayal and restore justice.
Program H — Sunday Matinee: Mini-Teatro Spanish Series
Sunday, June 7th | 1:00 PM
TODOS SOMOS LUIS
(Spanish – Contemporary Closn, tragicomedy)
Written By: Geo Rodriguez
Directed by: Geo y Emma Rodriguez
Todos Somos Luis is a clown-style comedy where four men gather to mock and judge their friend Luis for quitting his life to “find himself.” As jokes about masculinity turn into self-reflection, they realize their frustration isn’t about his departure—but about the courage they wish they had.
María López, a Mexican actress, is about to perform in the play ¡Ay C acabó el amor! when she receives a notification from immigration police saying they are coming for her. Now the actress has to convince the police to let her go or else she could spend a long time in jail.
EL HECHIZO COLECTIVO
(Spanish – Comedy/Drama - Monologue)
By Yazmín de la Torre
A stage production that explores human, social, and symbolic dimensions through a profound and contemporary acting language. This work represents a synthesis of my artistic trajectory and stage research, integrating theater, reflection, and a solid dramatic structure.
DECISIONES
(Spanish – Drama, Comedy)
Written & Directed by Alberto Ocampo
An angel and a demon fight over the soul of a wicked man. The angel tries to save him, while the demon tries to corrupt the angel's essence.
CARTA DE RENUNCIA
(Spanish – Comedy-Monologue)
By Autor Original: Peter Albeiro
Adaptación: Rodrigo Cuevas
A disillusioned angel decides to resign from heaven and become human, jokingly revealing absurd “secrets” about God, marriage, and biblical history while waiting for his request to be accepted. When he finally arrives on Earth believing humanity must have evolved past hatred and violence, the moment becomes a satirical reflection on whether the world has truly changed.
Program I — Sunday Closing Performance
Sunday, June 7th | 5:00 PM
NOCHE DE BODAS
(Spanish - Dramedy)
Directed by Angel Adan Diaz
Duration: 120 min with Intermission
A romantic drama in two acts that explores the complexities of love and relationships from the present, past and future of a newlywed couple in a hotel room in Los Angeles, California.