Why is it American Mariachi? Because the play takes place in the U.S. and there is a difference between Americans of Mexican descent and Mexicans from Mexico where the Mariachi music tradition began. Therefore it is American Mariachi directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela and presented by the Latino Theater Company at The Los Angeles Theater Center. It is a story of many revelations. 

American Mariachi, written by Jose Cruz Gonzalez takes place in 1970’s, a little over 30 years ago, when a woman mariachi group was unheard of, here in the U.S., and certainly in Mexico.  It was an age where women were just beginning to ask why? They could not get a credit card on their own, why not? They could get fired for getting pregnant. Why? They were protesting wearing bras…why not? And a group of young Mexican-American girls were wondering why they couldn’t be in a Mariachi group.  At least they do in Gonzalez’s play American Mariachi.

“The play is about a group of women who adopt mariachi during a time when that wasn’t permitted,” explains González. “Mariachi was always male-dominated; for women to enter that world was a challenge on many fronts. The characters in the play come together because of their love of the music.”

Family looms large in American Mariachi, however, in this case the family is a bit fractured.  While the patriarch (Sal Lopez) is out earning money for the family as a mariachi musician, Lucha (Elia Saldaña), his daughter watches over her mother who has onset dementia.  When Lucha discovers her mother’s reaction to one particular song, she sets out to figure out why, and a way to play that song for her. She decides to form her own mariachi band and to learn how to play the song and sing it.  But she must do this stealthy as her father would not approve. 

Lucha enlists her cousin’s help, played by Esperanza América. Both go on a mission to find the right ladies for their all-girl Mariachi. They struggle to get them on board, but ultimately they find the repressed Isabel (Alicia Coca), who suffers under the thumb of her macho husband, the exceedingly shy Gabby played by Vaneza Mari Calderón (who is in fact is a real-life mariachi musician), and the much older sexpot, hairstylist Soyla played by Crissy Guerrero. Fidel Gómez, plays a total of four characters, all distinctly different and delightful.

Geoffrey Rivas plays the family friend who for some reason has been on the outs with Lucha’s father for years.  Lucha secretly enlisted him to teach the wanna-be Mariachi band how to play the instruments and sing in the mariachi style. 

American Mariachi had its world premiere in 2018 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and has been produced across the U.S., including at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago; Alley Theatre in Houston; The Herberger Theater in Phoenix, AZ, and the Old Globe, South Coast Repertory and PCPA in Southern California. 

An early staged reading at Denver Center’s Colorado New Play Summit featured América, Saldaña, Guerrero and López in the roles they now inhabit six years later in Latino Theater Company production.

Ruth Livier who powerfully and effectively plays Amalia Morales, the dementia afflicted mom, takes center stage in this production. She literally plays almost all her scenes as Amalia, center stage, becoming a focal point in this production of American Mariachi.  This is accentuated by a sort of “alter ego” played by mariachi, model, drag and theater performer Yalitza “Yaya” Vasquez-Lopez who plays Lucha’s Tia Carmen.  Vasquez-Lopez opens the play dressed in all black, singing a haunting rendition of  “La Llorona” (the weeping woman).  Livier also completely transforms into Doña Lola for a quick scene and before you realize it is the same actress, the scene is masterfully delivered. 

At the end of the play, Livier appears center stage as Amalia, all dressed in white, she elevated to the highest level shining above all on stage.  Both the end of the play and the opening bookend the production with the most beautiful tableaus in the play.  Another stand out moment also comes towards end, when Lopez belts out in song accompanied by the Mariachi, which pays tribute to his wife. 

The heartbeat of the mariachi music is provided by the on-stage mariachi band with original arrangements by music director Cynthia Reifler Flores.  “American Mariachi speaks loudly to Latino Theater Company’s core audience, but also to women everywhere,” says Valenzuela. “The live music and comedy guarantee that American Mariachi remains highly entertaining — but there’s a tough story underneath the surface.”

American Mariachi opened on May 11 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center in downtown Los Angeles and continues through June 9.  

The American Mariachi creative team includes scenic designer Maureen E. Weiss; lighting designer Pablo Santiago; sound designer John Zalewski; and costume designer Maria Catarina Copelli. The production stage manager is Alexa Wolfe, who is assisted by Martha Espinoza..

The Latino Theater Company runs The Los Angeles Theatre Center, a landmark building in Downtown’s Historic Core, since 2006. Earlier this month, the company was honored with six Stage Raw awards for four different plays produced in 2023.

American Mariachi runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through June 9. Tickets range from $10–$48.

The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Parking is available for $8 with box office validation at Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking structure, 545 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 (between 5th and 6th Streets, just behind the theater).

For more information and to purchase tickets, call (213) 489-0994 or go to www.latinotheaterco.org.

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Get your tickets and go to South Coast Repertory Theatre in Orange County California to see American Mariachi. It’s a heartfelt, uplifting and enjoyable evening of original musical theatre. 

In American Mariachi, Lucha, a young woman hopes to restore her ailing mother’s failing memory with music. She hits on the idea of putting together a then unheard of concept of an all girl Mariachi group with the reluctant help of her cousin Hortensia. Overcoming many obstacles, not the least of which is, neither of them have any formal musical training, the women proceed on their chosen mission. Among the various recruited mariachi group members, a bond of friendship and female empowerment takes place. They confront tradition, family secrets, prejudice and gender bias in their journey to form a mariachi band. 

The English language play transcends ethnicity and is really about the traditional values of an American family in changing times. Along the way, you laugh and cry to the accompaniment of numerous classic mariachi tunes and new original compositions. The cast of familiar characters come to life with this wonderful female dominated ensemble cast powered by Diana Burbano, who largely with voice and body movement and virtually no dialogue, elicits empathy as the ailing mother Amalia.  Gabriela Carrillo is the faithful daughter Lucha who rediscovers her dreams, Satya Jnani Chavez is tough talking cousin Hortensia, Alicia Coca possesses an incredible singing voice and portrays Isabel, who finds herself independence, Marlene Montes portrays the earthy, hairdresser Soyla and Luzma Ortiz is a Rock and Roll holy roller. Mauricio Mendoza is a standout as the stern but loving mariachi father Federico who harbors a family secret.

Sol Castillo emanates a quiet strength and delivers an understated performance as the thoughtful compadre Mino who at first rejects the idea of an all girl band and then comes to their aid by mentoring them. Castillo also has a comic turn in a tiny bit as a priest who admonishes the cousins for trying to recruit one of his church choir. Andrew Joseph Perez assumes multiple characterizations. 

The wonderful music score offers a sampling of many of the best-known traditional mariachi tunes that will have you humming as you leave the theatre. The set design by Efren Delgadillo jr. evokes a Southwest style red tile roof house and living room that also encompasses a beauty salon and suggests other locales.

The playwright José Cruz González has guided the show’s development in various productions in regional theatres over several years. Direction is by Christopher Acebo.  Effective lighting design is by Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz and Cynthia Reifler Flores is the music director.The musical drama could not have been done without the live on stage musical contributions of the actual background performing mariachi include Esteban Montoya Dagnino, Sayra Michelle Haro, Antonio A. Pro. Ali Pizarro and Adam Ramirez.   

According to the program notes, although women have been performing mariachi since its origination, the field is historically and traditionally been male dominated. It wasn’t until the women’s liberation and Chicano civil rights movements in the late 1960s’ that women’s participation in mariachi became more widespread, especially in the United States.

American Mariachi is a family friendly show that is sure to please and the somewhat simplistic musical drama is a throwback to the classic Broadway musicals and has an easy to follow storyline that is easily understood, so language is not a barrier to the non-English speaking audience or any audience for that matter. 

Bring your entire family, abuela’s and cousins to this most enjoyable show with positive Latino leading characters. A perfect way to celebrate Hispanic heritage month.

American Mariachi is now playing through October 5, 2019. For more information and ticket reservations call South Coast Repertory at (714) 708-5555. South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA.

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