Creative Exchange Fund: LatinX Theatre Project Performance

LatinX Theatre Project plans to fully produce their newest play, Autobús, alongside guest artists from outside its project including directors, actors, designers, and production staff.

Autobús, takes place on a bus trip around the celebration of Dia de los Muertos. Each of the characters, strangers to each other, are represented as characters who have the urgent need to purge their life experiences, family trauma, and regrets before they arrive at the holiday celebration in Mexico.

There is music and singing, and typical Dia De Los Muertos festivities in the theater during the performance. The play incorporates English and Spanish languages in the dialogue and story. The characters are costumed with traditional Dia de los Muertos makeup and representational of their characters’ “occupation” – “season-in-life”, and “archetype” in the story. We aim to incorporate timeless and cross-cultural references that are familiar to a variety of audiences to make the experience inclusive and entertaining.

There is an interactive component attached to the play that allows for community participation. Pre and post show events and presentations will take place surrounding the production of the play to further engage the audiences alongside sharing community resources. In addition, audiences will be invited to memorialize their own loved ones and family members while the production is taking place.

We want the activation to be all encompassing and have multiple ways to access the themes and takeaways of the pieces. A primary example of this is the “memory wall” and community ofrenda space open to the public and accessible throughout the duration of the event.

There are deeper, multi-generational ways to access, celebrate, and observe Dia De Los Muertos. The holiday can be a way for a community to experience and observe together. We hope to do this through this performance and event, immersing the community in order to further the authentic meaning and celebration of an important holiday in Latinx culture. We look forward to coordinating with area organizations interested in observing and celebrating Dia de los Muertos.

Come join us for a spectacular performance from LXTP. We look forward to seeing you there!