Florencia Cuenca (Real Women Have Curves) will direct and star in an invitation-only industry reading of new musical Desaparecidas, featuring a book by Georgina Escobar, music by Jaime Lozano, and lyrics by Lozano and Cuenca. The presentation will be held October 1 at Pearl Studios in NYC.
Set at a Palenque (a Mexican state fair), the work "explores the strategic erasure of female voices in the fight to end gender-based violence and Borderlands disappearance of women and girls," according to press notes. The musical is based on a concept by Lozano, Cuenca, and Rachel M. Stevens.
Along with Cuenca, the upcoming reading cast will include Mayelah Barrera (Much Ado About Nothing), Sara Ornelas (Comedy of Errors), Shelby Acosta (Real Women Have Curves), and Shadia Fairuz (Real Women Have Curves).
The work has previously been performed in concert at Joe's Pub and JACK Space, and held a developmental reading in 2024.
The New Group is producing the project in association with Chema Verduzco, and Jaime Lozano & The Familia LLC.
