Video: First Look at NATIVE GARDENS at Hartford Stage

Hartford Stage has released first look footage of NATIVE GARDENS, Karen Zacarías' contemporary comedy now playing through May 10, 2026.

Directed by Nicole A. Watson, the play follows Pablo and Tania, a young couple new to the neighborhood, and their longtime neighbors Virginia and Frank, whose shared plan to remove the chain link fence between their yards takes an unexpected turn when the truth about that old fence comes to light. What begins as a warm welcome quickly devolves into a backyard battle over landscaping, native plants, and much more, with race, class, age, and gender all coming into play.

The cast features Judith Lightfoot Clarke as Virginia Butley, Alina Collins Maldonado as Tania del Valle, Bradley Tejeda as Pablo del Valle, and Greg Wood as Frank Butley, with Carla Astudillo-Fisher, Mia Lozada, and Aidan Ramirez in the ensemble.

The creative team includes Lawrence E. Moten III (scenic design), Ivania Stack (costumes), Carolina Ortiz Herrera (lighting), and Joyce Ciesil (sound), with Jodi Stone serving as wig and makeup designer. Gracie Carleton serves as production stage manager.

NATIVE GARDENS runs approximately 90 minutes with no intermission. Special events include post-show conversations on April 26, May 5, and May 6, and Music in the Lobby featuring Mad Agnes on April 30 and May 1. An open-captioned performance is scheduled for May 3 at 2 p.m. and an audio-described performance on May 9 at 2 p.m.