GALA Hispanic Theatre Celebrates 50th Anniversary with 2025–2026 'Golden Season'

GALA Hispanic Theatre has announced its 2025–2026 season, marking the company’s 50th anniversary. Titled The Golden Season, the lineup reflects themes of purpose, resilience, and community, with new works, classic plays, and cross-disciplinary performances from local and International Artists.

“This season celebrates not only our history, but also the enduring power of the arts to uplift us in difficult times,” said Artistic Director Gustavo Ott. “While we reflect on our origins, we also look ahead—to tell stories that challenge injustice and inspire hope.”

Main Stage Season

El Beso de la Mujer Araña (Kiss of the Spider Woman)

By Manuel Puig (Argentina) | Directed by José Luis Arellano
September 4–28, 2025 | In Spanish with English surtitles
Set in an Argentine prison, two inmates—Valentin, a Marxist revolutionary, and Molina, a queer romantic—form an unlikely bond. Their conversations blur the line between reality and fantasy in this poignant and unsettling drama.

La Casa de Bernarda Alba (The House of Bernarda Alba)

By Federico García Lorca (Spain) | Directed by José Zayas
February 5–March 1, 2026 | In Spanish with English surtitles
Lorca’s classic portrays a matriarch’s oppressive control over her daughters, revealing simmering tensions beneath a façade of tradition, honor, and obedience.

Aguardiente: Soul of the Caribbean (World Premiere)

By Luis Salgado (Puerto Rico) | Book, Direction & Choreography by the author
April 30–May 31, 2026 | Bilingual with surtitles in English and Spanish
A new musical following two immigrant writers from Colombia and Puerto Rico as they rediscover their Caribbean roots through memory, music, and dance. The work incorporates traditional rhythms including cumbia, bomba, and currulao.

Dance, Film & Performance

Fuego Flamenco XXI

November 6–22, 2025
This year’s expanded three-week festival features U.S. and international flamenco artists.

Featured performances include:

• Crónica de un Suceso (DC Premiere)
  Created and performed by Rafael Ramírez
  November 6–9, 2025
  A tribute to Antonio Gades, a defining figure in modern flamenco.

• Flamenco Aparicio Dance Co. (World Premiere)
  Choreographed by Edwin Aparicio and Aleksey Kulikov
  November 14–16, 2025
  A new flamenco work featuring local and international dancers.

• TBD Artist & Title
  November 21–22, 2025

GALA Film Fest: Latin American Innovation

December 3–7, 2025
The festival features six contemporary films by emerging directors and one classic from Mexico’s Golden Age, accompanied by talkbacks and post-screening receptions.

The Other Side Story (DC Premiere)

Created & Performed by Ángel Vázquez (Puerto Rico)
December 12–14, 2025
A satirical solo performance inspired by West Side Story.

Me Llaman La Lupe (They Call Me La Lupe) (DC Premiere)

By Luis Caballero (Puerto Rico)
June 26–28, 2026
A musical revue capturing the final chapter in the life of La Lupe, the iconic Cuban singer known for her passionate, unpredictable performances.

GALita – Programs for Young Audiences

Héctor, el Niño Eléctrico (Héctor, the Electric Kid) (World Premiere)

By Cornelia Cody (El Salvador/USA) | Directed by Mauricio Pita
October 18–November 1, 2025
A shy 10-year-old discovers mysterious powers after an encounter with a wizard in his mother’s auto shop.

Flamenco en Familia

November 15, 2025
A family-friendly flamenco introduction with Sara Jerez, Richard Marlow, and guest dancers. Free and open to all ages.

La Fiesta de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day)

January 3, 2026
Annual community celebration with performances, a parade, and gifts for children. Free to the public.

Ratón de Biblioteca (The Library Mouse)

By Jorge Díaz (Chile) | Directed by Elena Velasco
March 14–28, 2026
An intellectual library mouse clashes with a gang of streetwise rodents in a story about empathy and the joy of reading.

Paso Nuevo Youth Program

Led by artist Chris Ríos, GALA’s free after-school program offers bilingual training in performance and technical theatre to students aged 14–19. Students create and perform original works in seasonal showcases:

• Summer Showcase: Thursday, July 31, 2025

• Fall/Winter Showcase: Wednesday, December 17, 2025

• Spring Showcase: Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Paso Nuevo is a past recipient of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award.

General Information