ESPERANZA RISING Comes to First Stage in May

First Stage will invite audiences to witness the world premiere of ESPERANZA RISING, a poetic tale of a young girl's triumph over adversity based on the popular book by Pam Muñoz Ryan.  ESPERANZA RISING runs May 2 through 18, 2025, at the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Todd Wehr Theater.

Set in the turbulent 1930s, two young storytellers, with the help of an ensemble of actors, take the stage and begin to weave the tale of Esperanza — a wealthy Mexican girl whose privileged existence is shattered when tragedy strikes, and she and her mother must flee to California. Forced to work in a migrant labor camp, Esperanza must learn to rise above her difficult circumstances and discover what she's truly made of.

“Our Todd Wehr season concludes with an exhilarating world premiere from our First Stage's Amplify Reading Series,” said Jeff Frank, First Stage artistic director. “Playwright-in-residence Alvaro Saar Rios has crafted a nimble version of the story with two storytellers welcoming us into the world of the modern classic novel by Pam Muñoz Ryan magically lifted by the music of composer Dinorah Marquez. The importance of hope and the power of family resonate deeply as the storytellers guide us through Esperanza's loss of her home and her journey to make a new life.” 

ESPERANZA RISING is sponsored by REV Group, Inc. and is supported in part by a grant from the Milwaukee Arts Board and the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin.

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1. SISTER ACT (Skylight Music Theatre)

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2. HAIRSPRAY (Lakeside Players Inc/Rhode Center for the Arts)

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3. ANASTASIA (Lakeside Players)

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