Chicago's Visión Latino Theatre Company Makes Destinos Debut With Y TU ABUELA, WHERE IS SHE?

Chicago's Visión Latino Theatre Company (VLTC) makes its Destinos Festival debut with the world premiere of Y Tu Abuela, Where is She? Part 1: Cuando me Muera, October 8-24, 2021 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago's Wicker Park community.

Previews are October 8 through 10. Opening night is Monday, October 11 at 7:30 p.m. Performances run through October 24: Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $30-$60. For tickets and information, visit thedentheatre.com.

Y Tu Abuela, Where is She?, written by New York-based playwright, Nelson Diaz-Marcano, and directed by VLTC Artistic Director, Xavier M. Custodio, is a contemporary play celebrating the language, culture, and music of Puerto Rico. It tells the story of Adalina and Xavier, an interracial Puerto Rican couple who have been accepted into a program that allows them to modify the genes of their unborn child. Excitement over their child's prospective life helps them forget the issues plaguing their relationship, until they get stuck on a question: what color skin should their child have? As they navigate the answer, larger problems are exposed, and divine intervention may be needed for the whole family to survive.

"This story is the culmination of a multi-year collaboration with Diaz-Marcano, who has Puerto Rican roots himself, and it's the first play he has written since the passing of his mother," said Custodio, director and VLTC Artistic Director. "Tackling racism, history, and identity from a very personal place, his play offers a deeper look at the meeting point of cultures. It also features the supernatural, which helps audiences see the depths of seemingly simple questions as Adalina and Xavier navigate their future together."

VLTC, a company that celebrates Latinx stories and artists, has assembled an all-Latin and Afro-Latin cast and production team for the company's Destinos debut.

Y Tu Abuela, Where is She? stars (from left) Wanda Baez, Gabriela Castillo, Adriel Irizarry, Gino Marconi, Angela Townsend, and Xavier Marrero.

The cast features Adriel Irizarry as Xavier, Angela Townsend as Xamaris, Gabriela Castillo as Adalina, Gino Marconi as Carlos, Wanda Baez as The Figure, and Xavier Marrero as El Primo.

The creative team is led by Nelson Diaz-Marcano (Playwright), Xavier M. Custodio (Director), with a mostly Latina design team, Diamantina Sanchez (Scenic Design), Yajaira Custodio (Costume Design), Liz Gomez (Lighting Design), Yariana Baralt Torres (Choreography), Arik Vega (Fight Choreography), with Andres DeLeon (Assistant Stage Manager), and Amy Delgado-Swanson (Production Stage Manager).

Note: This production is recommended for ages 14 and up due to themes of racism and substance abuse.

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