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Period: 1500 to
16th Century
Earliest Origins in the U.S. Spanish Colonies -
Jun 24, 1567
Spanish Friars Perform a Pastoral Play Near Present Day Miami, FL
Performances in the era of Spanish colonization of present day Florida and the Southwest were typically religious in nature. To celebrate the Feast of San Juan Bautista, Spanish Friars invite local Natives to their Mission near Miami to join the celebration. The Friars perform a pastoral play depicting the Christian way of life. (Englekirk cited by Alvarado). Text link -
Earliest Known Plays in Present Day Southwest
In 1598 Conquistador Don Juan Ornate led an expedition to claim land in present day New Mexico. Along the way they camped near El Paso. The soldiers did an improvised play for the local Natives, then went on to present day Santa Fe to dedicate the founding of the first pueblo. At the celebration they enacted Moros Y Cristianos, about the Spanish struggles between the Christians and the Moors. This play remained a Spanish tradition in the Southwest. (Englekirk, cited by Alvarado) -
Period: to
First Half of 20th Century
Latino Theatre Takes Root in Tampa, San Antonio, Los Angeles, New York -
Centro Austuriano Founded in Ybor City, Tampa
Centro Austuriano was founded in Ybor City, Tampa by Cuban immigrants who came to work in the cigar factories. It was a mutual aid society established to provide healthcare, a cemetary, a social club, and theatrical entertainment. The Zarzuela, a Spanish musical theatre, "attracted so many stars the Spanish publication El Arte de Teatro sent a full-time writer to Ybor City to cover productions." ("History", Centro Austuriano).
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Teatro Zaragoza Opened in San Antonio
One of a group of Hispanic Theatres opened in San Antonio in 1912. San Antonio residents maintained appreciation of Mexican culture because of the availability of performances from Mexico. Mexican teatros contributed to the bi-cultural community of San Antonio. Salvatore Lucchese bought the Teatro Zaragoza in 1912, making it the earliest Spanish-language theater in the city. (Romo).
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Teatro Hidalgo Opened in Los Angeles
Teatro Hidalgo opened on Sept. 11, 1911 in Los Angeles with a production of El Puñao de Rosas, a Spanish musical comedy called a Zarzuela. It was one of the most important Spanish-language theatres in the U.S. (Brockett, "This Month"). Link text -
El Teatro Hispano in New York
In the early years Latino theatre in New York did not have a permanent home. Performances were staged at a variety of theatres across the city. Starting in 1931 a few Spanish-only theatres emerged, but in 1937 El Teatro Hispano became "the most important and longest lived in the history of the Hispanic stage in New York." To cater to the diverse working class Hispanic community shows alternated between Puerto Rican, Afro-Carribean, Venezuelan, Mexican, and Cuban performances. (Kanellos). -
Period: to
Second Half 20th Century
Key Events Pave the Way -
The Oxcart (La Carreta) is First Staged In New York City
The Oxcart by Puerto Rican playwright René Marqués was first staged in 1954 by director Roberto Rodríguez. It's a cautionary tale of a desolate family who leaves the slums of San Juan and moves to the Bronx in search of a better life only to find disillusionment. Its success led Rodríguez and Miriam Colon to form "El Círculo Dramatico", the first permanent Puerto Rican theatre. It closed after six years, but they later formed PRTT and did a revival of the play in 1966. ("Rene Marques"; Gussow). -
Maria Irene Fornes Enters the Scene
Cuban born Irene Fornes' first play There! You Died was produced in 1963. Fornes had tremendous influence on theatre over decades, yet has been called "America's greatest unknown playwright". Early in her career she was considered a renegade, drawing from Theatre of the Absurd of the 1960s. She helped define Off Off Broadway and was the winner of 9 Obies and a Pulitzer runner up. “Nobody has had the influence on American playwriting as a teacher that Irene has.” (Ryan; Weber; Chow; Reagan). -
El Teatro Campesino Founded in Southern California
Luis Valdez formed Teatro Campesino on the picket lines of the Delano Grape Strike led by labor leader Cesar Chavez. Chavez was exposing the plight of migrant workers. The actors did improvisational skits called actos on flatbed trucks and in union halls. This theatre developed into one of the most important Latin theatres in history. Teatro Campesino received an Obie Award in 1969 for “demonstrating the politics of survival”. ("Our History"; Huerta) Text link -
Miriam Colon Founds the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre Company (PRTT)
PRTT was formed in 1967 by Miriam Colon as a rebirth of the defunct El Nueavo Circulo Dramatic. It was one of the first in the U.S. to do bi-lingual performances. It is credited with revitalizing the Latino/Puerto Rican theatre scene in NY after the 40s and 50s. In 1967 the troupe performed a revival of The Oxcart, and again in 1983. Their mission is to promote a Puerto Rican theatre legacy of original plays and musicals. ("About PRTT"; Gussow). Link text -
Miguel Pinero First Puerto Rican Playwright Produced on Broadway
Miguel Pinero's play Short Eyes was the first by a Puerto Rican playwright to be produced on Broadway. Pinero wrote the play while in prison at Sing Sing for armed robbery. His themes revolved around life on the mean streets, mimicking his own life. Short Eyes won an Obie Award and the New York Critics Circle award as Best American Play. He was also a co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. Pinero's success opened the door for other Puerto Rican playwrights to break through. (Bennetts; Shewy). -
Luis Valdez' Zoot Suit is First Chicano play on Broadway
Luis Valdez wrote Zoot Suit about injustices against Mexican-Americans during World War II. It's based on the Sleepy Lagoon Murder and Zoot Suit riots of 1943. It was the first Chicano play on Broadway. Later a film was made. "Occasionally a work of art emerges that defines a cultural moment and points to its future." Valdez himself calls Zoot Suit the “great-grandfather” of Latino theatre and credits it with “creating potential for success of Latino artists.” (Center Theatre Group; Lavine). -
Period: to
Contemporary Latino Playwrights
In the first two decades of the 21st century contemporary Latino playwrights break through, winning top honors. -
Nilo Cruz is First Latino to Win Pulitzer for Drama
Nilo Cruz is the first Latino to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Drama with his play Anna in the Tropics. The Cuban-American said in an interview with Philip Rucker, “I’m delighted, certainly, and I hope that this award makes room for more Latino theater in this country.” This romantic drama set in 1929 Ybor City, Tampa follows a family of cigar makers during the Depression. Cruz' fresh talent came to the attention of Maria Irene Fornes when he directed her play Mud in Miami. (Rucker; Hodges). -
Octavio Solis' play Lydia debuts in Denver
Lydia is a semi-autobiographical play by Octavio Solis, considered one of the best contemporary Latino playwrights today. Because of its popularity it has been staged all over the country with rave reviews. It is classified as a "magical realist drama" and tackles themes of family, illegal immigration, sexual desires, and the American Dream of a Mexican-American family. "Critics have compared Solis's play to modern classics by Arthur Miller and Eugene O'Neill". (Brocket; Ulaby). -
In the Heights opens on Broadway
As a sophomore at Wesleyan in 1999 unknown Lin-Manuel Miranda, an American of Puerto Rican descent, started writing the musical In The Heights about the Washington Heights Latino neighborhood in north Manhattan. Nine years later the play opened on Broadway. It was nominated for 13 Tony's, winning 4 including Best Musical. Miranda became the youngest ever winner for original score at age 28, a finalist for the Pulitzer for Drama, and a Grammy winner for Best Musical Score. (Grady; Grein) -
Hamilton Opens On Broadway
Lin-Manuel Miranda builds on his success of In The Heights with the blockbuster musical Hamilton. It tells the story of the founding father Alexander Hamilton in rap, hip-hop and traditional style show tunes with period costumes. Hamilton brings a multicultural dimension with a diverse cast and is one of the most popular musicals of all time. Hamilton won 9 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and a Pulitzer and McArthur Genius Award for Miranda. The musical was later filmed on Disney. (Scott). -
Matthew Lopez Wins Tony Award for Best Play
Matthew Lopez is the first Latino to win the Tony for Best Play. "The Inheritance" looks at the lives of three generations of gay men a decade after the AIDS epidemic. First produced in London winning several awards, it opened on Broadway to mixed reviews. Critic Dominic Cavendish called it "perhaps the most important play of the century." (Cavendish). López, an American of Puerto Rican parents credited Miguel Pinero in accepting the award. (Jacobs). Text link