Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
Experience Theatre Project to Present Carmen Rivera's LA GRINGA in November
Directed by Mia Torres, the production features Valentina Pelaez as María Elena and runs at Experience Theatre Project in Aloha.
By: A.A. Cristi
Experience Theatre Project will present Carmen Rivera’s La Gringa, November 13–22, 2026. Marking the 30th anniversary of the play’s debut, this celebrated work explores the complexities of cultural identity, family, and the search for belonging.
At the heart of La Gringa is María Elena, a young Puerto Rican-American woman from New York who travels to Puerto Rico hoping to connect with her cultural roots. Expecting to find a place where she naturally belongs, she instead encounters the complicated realities of navigating two cultures and questions what it truly means to call a place home.
With warmth, humor, and emotional honesty, Rivera’s play examines the expectations we place on heritage and the assumptions we make about identity. Through María Elena’s journey, audiences are invited to consider how culture shapes us and how belonging can be more complicated than geography or ancestry alone.
Presented in Spanish with English supertitles, La Gringa offers audiences an opportunity to experience Rivera’s story in its original language while remaining accessible to English-speaking theatergoers.
First presented in 1996, La Gringa has resonated with audiences through its exploration of the immigrant experience, intergenerational relationships, and the search for a meaningful connection to one’s roots. Three decades later, its questions about identity and belonging continue to speak to contemporary audiences.
Experience Theatre Project is known for creating intimate theatrical experiences that bring audiences closer to the stories unfolding onstage. With La Gringa, the company continues its commitment to presenting work that encourages connection, conversation, and a deeper understanding of the experiences that shape us.
La Gringa by Carmen Rivera
- Director: Mia Torres
- Presented by: Experience Theatre Project
- Dates: November 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21 and 22, 2026, at 7:30pm with Saturday Matinees at 2pm, and Sundays at 1pm
- Location: Experience Theatre Project, 18850 SW Alexander St., Aloha, Oregon
- Tickets and more information: www.experiencetheatreproject.org
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