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 Untold stories of Mexico’s underground railroad are revealed in a new historical sci-fi drama by Miranda González.
From the Underground Railroad to the barrios of Mexico and Chicago, the fight for freedom continues. In the fourth company commission of Latino Theater Company’s 2025 season, Circle of Imaginistas playwright Miranda González embraces her Mexican and African American roots to explore the untold stories of Mexico’s Underground Railroad. Jose Luis Valenzuela directs the world premiere of Mascogos, opening October 11 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center. Performances will continue through November 9, with six low-priced previews taking place October 2 through October 10.
“Mascogos” (Mahs-KO-gohs) are descendants of Black Seminoles who escaped slavery in Florida and Georgia to settle in northern Mexico, predominantly in Coahuila. There, the Mexican government granted them land in exchange for military service: they helped defend the northern frontier from raids. In 1852, the Mascogos established Nacimiento de los Negros, a village that still exists today. They lived alongside Kickapoo, Seminole and Mexican neighbors, developing a unique Afro-Indigenous-Mexican culture. They retained English and Gullah-influenced songs, dances, and oral traditions, while also adopting Spanish and Catholic practices.
In Gonzalez’s bold, historical sci-fi drama, 18-year-old Jamari is fighting an unknown illness that takes him through worlds he’s never seen before, time-traveling from 1864 Mexico to today’s West Side of Chicago. Unsure of where he belongs, trapped in a historical cycle, Jamari and his loved ones— his 15-year-old cousin Gechu, Mama Luz and Padre Jose—seek answers as they try to break free from the shackles of time.
“I started thinking about the ways in which history repeats itself, about how the present so often mirrors the past… it’s almost like a parallel universe,” says Gonzalez, who identifies as “Blaxican.” “I was inspired by the fact that many of the runaway slaves settled in the town of Múzquiz, where my grandmother was born. They arrived searching for freedom, but found themselves trapped in other ways. I was born and raised in Chicago, and I see how people living here on the West Side may be ‘free,’ but remain trapped by societal barriers that prohibit them from moving forward or realizing success.”
“This play brings up all kinds of interesting questions,” suggests Valenzuela. “What is freedom? The characters fled to Mexico, but they can’t escape poverty or the military. Immigrants always want to move on to a place where they can find greater success… but how do you feel free in a city filled with bars and concrete, where an inescapable consumerist culture often leaves immigrants struggling?”
Mascogos opens on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m., with performances thereafter on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through November 9. Six preview performances take place October 2 through October 10 on the same schedule. Tickets range from $10–$48, except opening night which is $75 and includes a post-performance reception.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Parking is available for $8 with box office validation at Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking structure, 545 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 (between 5th and 6th Streets, just behind the theater).
For more information and to purchase tickets, call (213) 489-0994 or go to latinotheaterco.org.
Presenter / Producer: Latino Theater Company
Listed Categories
Theater > Drama
Event Phone: 213-489-0994
Venue
Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles CA 90013
Regions:
LA - Central / Downtown
Performance Dates: 10/11/2025 - 11/8/2025
Saturday, 10/11/2025
Sunday, 10/12/2025
Thursday, 10/16/2025
Friday, 10/17/2025
Saturday, 10/18/2025
Sunday, 10/19/2025
Thursday, 10/23/2025
Friday, 10/24/2025
Saturday, 10/25/2025
Sunday, 10/26/2025
Thursday, 10/30/2025
Friday, 10/31/2025
Saturday, 11/01/2025
Sunday, 11/02/2025
Thursday, 11/06/2025
Friday, 11/07/2025
Saturday, 11/08/2025
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Performance Times
• Thursdays at 8 p.m.
• Fridays at 8 p.m.
• Saturdays at 8 p.m.
• Sundays at 4 p.m.
Ticket Information:
$22-$48
Websites:
Event Information
Social Media or other Links:
https://www.instagram.com/latinotheaterco/?hl=en
www.facebook.com/LatinoTheaterCo
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