LAS HIJAS DE LA SANTA MUERTE To Receive AEA Industry Reading In New York

Lobsters International will present an AEA 29-Hour Industry Reading of LAS HIJAS DE LA SANTA MUERTE on Monday, February 9, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. The reading will take place at Ripley-Grier Studios, Studio 10D, located at 520 8th Avenue in Manhattan. Attendance is industry-only, and RSVP is required.

Written by Pablo Ceja, LAS HIJAS DE LA SANTA MUERTE examines the rapidly growing folk-saint devotion centered on Santa Muerte, a skeletal figure venerated by millions across Mexico, the United States, and Central America. Often described by scholars as the fastest-growing new religious movement in the Americas, Santa Muerte devotion is marked by its radical inclusivity, welcoming communities frequently excluded by church and state.

The play places this devotion in direct tension with institutional authority. Set in a neon-lit border town, the story follows Father Rodrigo, a young cleric tasked by the Vatican with investigating the movement, whose assignment unravels after meeting Niña, a transgender worker whose faith in Santa Muerte is deeply personal and unwavering. The work blends thriller elements and dark comedy, drawing on field research, border-region memory, and cinematic influences.

The cast for the industry reading includes Anthony Capuano, Alexa Saint Von, Blanca Del Loco, Danny Bolero, David Edwards, Iury Hepp, Caco, Kathleen Mary Carthy, and Leo Delgado, with several actors doubling across multiple roles.

Lobsters International develops new work through workshops and Equity readings, with recent AEA industry presentations including Robert Moses, or what’s the matter with new york? and I HAVE FRIENDS! Ceja, a native of the U.S.–Mexico border region, is a 2024–25 PlayPenn Playwrights Cohort member and an associate member of the Dramatists Guild of America, with film credits that have screened internationally.

Industry professionals may RSVP by emailing annie@lobstersinternational.com.