Teatro Vista Returns with SOMEWHERE OER THE BORDER, Brian Quijada's New Musical

Teatro Vista, Chicago's leading Latine theater company, will return to the live stage this spring with Emmy-nominated artist Brian Quijada's world premiere musical, Somewhere Over the Border, directed by Denise Yvette Serna.

Performances are May 12-June 12, 2022 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Road in Chicago. Press opening is Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, $15-$49.50, are on sale now at teatrovista.org. Fees not included.

Inspired by his mother's real-life border crossing from El Salvador to the U.S., mashed up with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Somewhere Over the Border is an uplifting new work of musical theater that embraces fact and fantasy to depict one young girl's pursuit of the American dream.

As Reina Quijada travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind. Set in the 1970s and propelled by an original score including cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock and hip hop, Somewhere Over the Border is both fable and family history - a testament to the determination born of love.

Brian Quijada (book, lyrics and music), who created, starred and won two Jeff Award winner for Teatro Vista's 2016 hit world premiere hip hop show, Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, is back to narrate his newest work.

"I've been waiting to see a brown, Central-American Dorothy," said Quijada, "and now, the American theater is being introduced to her."

"When I was 18, I left my hometown on a Greyhound bus with two duffel bags, in search of a far away future I hoped existed for someone like me. It was one of the scariest times of my life, with ripple effects and traumas that follow me to this day," said director Denise Yvette Serna.

"With Somewhere Over the Border, we have the privilege to come together in a theater again, to laugh, cry, dance, and celebrate those who leave their homes willingly, those who are displaced, the parents who did their best, and all the dreamers who take each day step-by-step."

Somewhere Over the Border is the first production under new co-artistic directors, Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo. "Brian's new musical is the most ambitious production Teatro Vista has endeavored to produce to date," confirmed Diaz. "It brings us back to live theater and houses us in a large new space at Windy City Playhouse where anything is possible."

"Large scale productions like this one don't usually happen on a budget like ours, but we met the challenge to give the community a way to see themselves reflected in stories like these," added Mateo. "We committed to employing mostly femme and people of color in key positions, led by an all Latine cast and Mexican-American femme-director. For our first production out of the pandemic gates, we mean to be true to our word, to be a model for inclusive and equitable practices in Chicago theater."
The cast features Gina Cornejo (Julia), Andrés Enriquez (Silvano/Don Napo), Amanda Raquel Martinez (Antonia/Leona), Gabriela Moscoso (Reina), Brian Quijada (Narrator) and Teatro Vista ensemble member Tommy Rivera-Vega (Cruz/Adan). Covers are Ulysses Espinoza, Laura Quiñones and Karla Serrato. Thee Ricky Harris is music director. Choreography is by Kasey Alfonso. Yendrys Cespedes (co-orchestrator) will lead a full Latine band.

The production team includes Teatro Vista ensemble member Ayssette Muñoz (associate director), Yvonne Miranda (scenic design), Sarah Albrecht (costumes), Stefanie Senior (sound), Diane Fairchild (lights), Liviu Pasare (projections), Lonnae Hickson (props), Grace Needlman (puppets), Kristin Leahey (dramaturg), Adelina Feldman-Schultz (casting), Jennifer Aparicio (production manager), Johnnie Schleyer (technical director), Kyle Jensen (sound design assistant), Isaac Mandel (audio supervisor/sound engineer), Julián Mesri (co-orchestrator), Sara Pool Wilhelm (music copyist). Stage manager is Madeline Scott. Assistant stage managers are Maurilio Rodriguez and Olivia Sullam.

Somewhere Over the Border premieres May 12-June 12, 2022 at Windy City Playhouse, 3014 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago. Press opening is Thursday, May 19 at 7:30 p.m. Show times are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 Teatro For All/$35 previews/$49.50 regular performances. Teatro For All is a new initiative to make theater accessible to everyone - students, artists, seniors, or folks on a tight budget. Ten $15 tickets are available for every performance on a first-come, first-served basis.

For tickets and information, visit teatrovista.org.