Coming in 2026 to Brooklyn, NYC!
Join three generations of the legendary Guerrero family as they gather for a special family reunion. In the kitchen, Kati and Ellie are digging up old feuds. On the patio, you can get high (on life) with the cousins, and in the living room, Maestra will tell you about the generations of musicians that came before, while you sit next to her sipping your drink.
As the evening unfolds, secrets are unearthed, old rivalries are revived, and the family is forced to decide who will carry on their musical legacy. Inspired by the seminal Linda Ronstadt album Canciones de mi Padre, Canciones is a site-specific party, an acoustic Mariachi jam, and a family reunion all rolled into an immersive, interactive experience. Come for the tamales—stay for the chisme!
A co-production between Radical Evolution, Latinx Playwrights Circle, The Sol Project and Boundless Theatre Company. Coming May 2026
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In 1987, Linda Ronstadt released Canciones de mi Padre, a pivotal album for the Mexican American community. The collection of traditional ranchera and classic mariachi songs immediately became a Grammy-winning, global smash hit, and with 2.5 million US sales, remains one of the best-selling, non-English language albums in the history of the US music industry. Even more importantly, for a generation of Chincano/a/es, this was one of the most impactful collections of music ever produced in the United States.
Using this album as an inspiration, Canciones combines music, dance, personal narrative, broad international, histories, exploring our current political moment, and Mexican Americans’ unique place in the history of this country — from a place of joy, love, and laughter, especially when it is hardest to do so.
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Development History
We're grateful to our many partners and artistic collaborators who have contributed their labor toward the development of Canciones!Spring 2024. Staging Worskhop. Radical Evolution, hosted by PRTT. New York, NY
The Team: Rebecca Martínez, Julián Mesri, Beto O'Byrne, Sara Ornelas, Meropi Peponides, Ruth Aguilar, Carlo Albán, Mayela Barrera, Kai An Chee, Alan Mendez, Marlene Montes, Celina Revollar, Cambria Martin, Naomie SainiWinter 2024. Staging Workshop. Radical Evolution. Brooklyn, NY
The Team: Rebecca Martínez, Julián Mesri, Beto O'Byrne, Sara Ornelas, Meropi Peponides, Carlo Albán, Jen Anaya, Valeria Ceballos, Tauren Hagans, Alan Mendez, Desiree RodriguezSpring 2023. Script Reading. Latinx Playwrights Circle. New York, NY.
The Team: Galia Backal, Julián Mesri, Beto O'Byrne, Sara Ornelas, Meropi Peponides, Carlo Albán, Christin Eve Cato, Maribel Martinez, Brenda Orellana, Britney Quiroz, Jaymes Sanchez, Daniela ThomeFall 2022. The LAB @ LWT. New York, NY and Online.
The Team: Galia Backal, Julián Mesri, Beto O'Byrne, Sara Ornelas, Meropi Peponides, Xiaoqing ZhangSummer 2021. Workshop. Sol Project. Brooklyn, NY.
Fall 2020. “Sol Listening Party.” Online.
Fall 2019. Workshop. Sol Project. New York, NY.
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We are thrilled to be partnering with Latinx Playwrights Circle, The Sol Project, and Boundless Theatre Company to produce the world premiere of Canciones in May 2026.
CANCIONES is made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation”
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
CANCIONES is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
This project was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.