Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals

The Latinx Theatre Commons Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals is headed to San Diego in August 2026, produced in partnership with UC San Diego Department of Theatre & Dance, La Jolla Playhouse and Tuyo Theatre. Join us for the pachanga! The Carnaval features concert readings of four new musicals that are free for everyone to attend at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater. Readings are free, but RSVPs are requested. Carnaval will be an exuberant celebration of Latinx experiences, music and storytelling, uplifting musical theatre writers, composers, lyricists, directors, and music directors. It will bring together theatremakers and theatre decision makers from across the nation to amplify, illuminate, and forward Latinx musical theatre. What does Latinx mean? Latinx is a gender neutral term in place of identifiers such as Latino, Latina or Latin@. The term seeks to reject gender binaries and move towards inclusion that recognizes the intersecting identities of Latin American descendants. SCHEDULE Friday, August 28 6:30 – 9pm Sueños: Our American Musical Saturday, August 29 1:30 – 3pm Ybor City 7 – 9pm (Fruit)ion Sunday, August 30 1:30 – 4pm DayDreamer THE MUSICALS Sueños: Our American Musical Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jesse Sanchez Additional Music and Orchestrations by Jeff Chambers Directed by Lisa Portes In the summer of 1999, the Viramontes family leaves behind their life in Los Angeles for the agricultural town of Watsonville, California, chasing a dream of new beginnings. At the heart of the story is Ali Viramontes, a gifted young violinist and composer whose sights are set on Juilliard. But as the family struggles with financial hardship and personal tensions, Ali finds himself in a town with no orchestra and a dream that seems more distant than ever. Approximate run time: 2 hours and 20 minutes including an intermission Ybor City Book by Anita Gonzalez Composer/Lyrics by Dan Furman Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez Set in 1918 Tampa Florida, Ybor City tells the story of two immigrant communities who work side by side and yet do not see each other. Music and dance drive this historical exploration into racial divisions. Song, dance and solidarity become the characters path to survival. Approximate run time: 1 hour and 40 minutes (Fruit)ion Book by Krystal Ortiz Composer/Lyrics/Looping by Satya Chavez Directed by Juliette Carrillo Fruition is a new live-looping musical that examines the inheritance of queerness – both celebrated and suppressed – through the intimate, tangled lives of two young queer women and their “straight” mothers. Approximate run time: 1 hour and 45 minutes DayDreamer Libretto/Lyrics by Mario Vega Composer/Lyrics by Eliza Vedar Directed by James Vasquez When the Sun is stolen from the sky by an ancient evil, two sisters set out on a dangerous journey to save the morning. Approximate run time: 2 hours and 15 minutes including an intermission