Photos: Acclaimed Spanish Play LIBERTO Makes New York Premiere At Theater For The New City

Theater for the New City is presenting the New York premiere of LIBERTO, written by Gemma Brió, now running through March 1, 2026. See new photos of the production.

Inspired by Brió’s lived experience, LIBERTO recounts the fifteen days her newborn son lived following complications at birth. The play transforms personal grief into a theatrical work marked by honesty, tenderness, and moments of unexpected humor.

Performed by two actors and a musician portraying dozens of characters, the production blends storytelling, live music, and theatrical design to create an intimate experience that moves between vulnerability and absurdity. Rather than focusing on sentimentality, the work examines love, dignity, and endurance.

Internationally, LIBERTO has received two Premios Butaca awards, the Serra d’Or Critics’ Prize, and multiple Premios Max nominations.

“Liberto is not a play about death, but about the radical intensity of love,” said García-Bustelo. “By sharing something profoundly personal, Gemma Brió creates a space where grief becomes collective and where compassion and humor coexist.”

The cast features Christy Escobar*, Gabriela García*, and Mireia Clua. Creative design is by Evan Frank (set and costumes), Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger (projections), and Bruce A! Kraemer (lighting).

LIBERTO is a production of AENY – Spanish Artists in New York, presented by Theater for the New City. Funding support includes the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York State Council on the Arts, LMCC, and the Consulate General of Spain in New York.

Gabriela García and Christy Escobar appear with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.

Photo Credit: Michael Palma Mir