Following a record-setting run at Arizona’s Phoenix Theater Company in 2020, ¡Americano!—the new musical based on the life of DREAMer Tony Valdovinos—will play a limited run at Off-Broadway's New World Stages March 31-June 19. Opening night is April 21.
¡Americano! features a score by singer-songwriter Carrie Rodriguez, a book by Michael Barnard, Jonathan Rosenberg, and Fernanda Santos, and additional lyrics by Barnard and Rosenberg. Barnard also directs.
Casting will be announced in the coming weeks.
The new musical explores the life of Valdovinos, who was brought to America by his parents when he was two. Inspired by 9/11, on his 18th birthday Valdovinos walked into a Marine Corps recruitment office to enlist, only to discover his parents hadn’t told him he was an undocumented immigrant.
Developed in association with Amas Musical Theatre, ¡Americano! features choreography by Sergio Mejia, orchestrations and arrangements by Sergio Mendoza, music direction and vocal arrangements by Jonathan Ivie, scenic design by Robert Andrew Kovach, costume design by Adriana Diaz, lighting design by Jamie Roderick, sound design by Kevin Heard, and hair and make-up design by Krystal Balleza. Tony winner Ken Davenport is the executive consultant.
Producer Jason Rose says, “Tony Valdovinos may not yet be an American citizen, but he is a true American hero. Tony’s passion to make a better America inspires at a moment when tribalism continues to dominate the headlines. Our incredible creative team has seen to it that Tony’s story sings, dances, and inspires with an optimism that reflects Tony’s spirit.”
The musical is co-produced by Sayu Bhojwani, David Tedesco, Lynn Londen, George Weisz, and Keith Mishkin. Ryan Duncan-Ayala, Donna Trinkoff, Amas Musical Theatre, and Sarah Bentley serve as associate producers with general management by Visceral Entertainment and advertising and marketing by The Pekoe Group. Casting is by Michael Cassara.
¡Americano! was conceived and is presented by Rose's Quixote Productions in association with Chicanos Por La Causa.