Alvaro Saar Rios has been commissioned by Milwaukee’s First Stage to create a new adaptation of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s iconic novel Esperanza Rising. Composer Dinorah Márquez will create original music for the adaptation. Alvaro and Dinorah previously developed the award-winning On the Wings of a Mariposa. This is Alvaro’s 22nd play commission.
One Night Only! See LUCHADORA! for free!!!! Thursday, June 9 @ 6:30pm CST
For one night only, Dallas’ Cara Mia Theatre, the largest Latinx theatre company in Texas, is going to stream for FREE their production of Luchadora! on Thursday, June 9 at 6:30pm Central Time
To register and to see a trailer of the production, here is a link: https://www.caramiatheatre.org/luchadora-2
Update: April/May 2022
Alvaro’s short play collection is now in print!
Recommended for universities, high schools and professional theatre companies.
This collection contains the following short plays:
The History of Mexicans in 10 Minutes
Juliana
Brown Only
Menudo Pops
Where Are You?
The Wanna Be’s
The Play About 2 Mothers
Psycho Gringa
You can purchase a digital or print copy by clicking on the image above.
Update: April 2022
Carmela Full of Wishes. Chicago Children’s Theatre. Spring 2022
Alvaro is currently in rehearsals for the premiere of Carmela Full of Wishes at Chicago Children’s Theater. The above image is the set model by scenic designer Regina García. The play opens April 23.
For more info: https://chicagochildrenstheatre.org/event/carmela/
UPDATE: March 2022
Cara Mía Theatre, Dallas’ legendary Latinx theatre company, is streaming a recording of their production of Luchadora! for classrooms nationwide. For more info, click on image above.
UPDATE: February 2022
Alvaro appeared as a guest on the popular national podcast Hey Playwright, hosted by Tori Rice and Mabelle Reynoso. For those interested in the world of playwriting, this podcast if for you. They have interviewed today’s important playwrights, including Idris Goodwin, Diane Burbano, Herbert Sigüenza and Krisoffer Diaz. You can find the Hey Playwright podcast wherever you find podcasts.
During his interview, Alvaro talks about his playwriting journey from the Army to present, involvement with Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say, adaptation techniques, and how being in a death metal band shaped his storytelling experiences.
To listen to the episode, click on image above. Alvaro’s interview starts at 11:50.
UPDATE: January 2022
Alvaro’s stage adaptation of Carmela Full of Wishes premieres at the historic Rose Theater in Omaha, Nebraska. Jan 28-Feb 13. For more info, click on the image above.
PUBLICATION/COMMISSION NEWS:
Alvaro signed a contract with TRW(Theatrical Rights Worldwide) to publish & license a collection of his short works that includes his popular plays The History of Mexicans in 10 Minutes and Brown Only.
Alvaro was commissioned to create an audio drama for Lunii, a France-based company focused on developing audio stories for young children. Subject: Alebrijes!
UPDATE: December 2021
The first Texican Chisme E-letter was recently sent out with updates on Alvaro’s newest projects and other things he forgets to post about. He’s not sure when #2 will come out but you don’t want to miss it. To sign up for the Texican Chisme E-letter, go here: http://eepurl.com/hKLScn
PUBLISHING ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Alvaro recently signed a contract for On The Wings of a Mariposa to be licensed by Broadway Licensing/Playscripts. To learn more about the play, click on the image above. Print edition coming soon!
Alvaro and his son co-wrote a short play for Dramatic Publishing’s I Have a Story: Plays from an Extraordinary Year. The play Pandemic Kickball is an amusing tale about a fifth-grader’s experience playing kickball (with a mask on!) during recess.
AATE's Leaders of Color Institute Keynote Speaker
Alvaro will be a Keynote at AATE's Leaders of Color Institute. For more information or to register for the event: www.aate.com/loci-2021
COMING SOON: The Texican Chisme E-Letter
Alvaro is putting out an e-newsletter that provides updates, info on upcoming projects, news about classes and other stuff he forgets to post about on his website. If you would like to add your email to the list, here is the link: http://eepurl.com/hKLScn He promises not to share your email with any person or organization.
UPDATE: October 2021
Alvaro’s short play Where Are You? has been selected for inclusion in “Drama In the Time of CoVid,” an anthology of dramatic works inspired by experiences during the pandemic. To be published in 2022 by FlowerSong Press.
UPDATE: September 2021
Alvaro appeared on the Arts Calling podcast with Jaime Alejandro. Please excuse Alvaro’s terrible audio. He realizes he needs to get a microphone if he plans on appearing on anymore podcasts. Enjoy!
Here is the link: https://artscalling.com/2021/09/09/ep-4-alvaro-saar-rios-inspired-stage-adaptations-and-writing-wisdom-with-playwright/
UPDATE: Summer 2021
Alvaro is continuing to develop the following:
A novel adaptation of Luchadora! He really hopes to be done with it before summer ends.
Piggsville, a quasi-adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy Hamlet
A one-act version of The Day the Music Came Back, a dystopian play about a group of teens who risk their lives to attend secret meetings.
In other awesome news…
Alvaro’s adaptation of Matt de la Peña’s Carmela Full of Wishes is scheduled to premiere at Omaha’s The Rose Theater in January 2022. Click here for more information.
Unmuted, a virtual musical written by Alvaro with music & lyrics by composer Deborah Wicks La Puma, was selected for publication by Dramatic Publishing Inc. Click here for more information.
The Day the Music Came Back, a 10-minute dystopian play, has been published by YouthPLAYS. Click here for script & licensing.
More news about Luchadora! and Carmela Full of Wishes coming soon!
Piggsville Reading
Michigan’s The Purple Rose Theatre Company will be doing a live Zoom reading of Alvaro’s Piggsville.
WHEN: Saturday, May 15 at 9:30am Central (10:30am Eastern)
The event is free but you have to register. For info: https://thesuntimesnews.com/g/chelsea-mi/n/29257/purple-rose-live-read-newest-play
UPDATE: May 2021
UNMUTED is a virtual musical set in a virtual gym class in middle school. When a substitute teacher gets kicked off of Zoom, the students refuse to let him back in the virtual room and decide to play a game of secrets and dares. Created by Alvaro Saar Rios & Deborah Wicks La Puma. Directed by Anna Skidis Vargas. Streaming free until May 30.
To watch UNMUTED, click the link: https://youtu.be/-DYfik09iTw
UPDATE: April 2021
UW-Milwaukee presents a virtual workshop production of the one-act version ofThe Day The Music Came Back for Theatre Fest ‘21. Written by Alvaro Saar Rios. Directed by Katie Avila Loughmiller.
Inspired by the 10-minute play of the same name, The Day the Music Came Back is a dystopian play about a group of teens who risk their lives to talk about something that was banned before they were born—Music.
Streaming April 7-13 & May 13-19. For more details, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE: March 2021
Alvaro recently created two short plays.
Where Are You. A commissioned 10-minute play for Michigan’s Purple Rose Theatre.
Juliana. A comedic 10-minute play about a woke Latina actress who refuses to perform the final act in Romeo and Juliet.
He is also currently developing the following projects:
Unmuted. A virtual musical in collaboration with composer Deborah Wicks La Puma. Commissioned by Milwaukee’s First Stage. Scheduled for streaming in April 2021. For more information, CLICK HERE.
Carmela Full of Wishes. A stage adaptation of Matt de la Peña’s Carmela Full of Wishes. Commissioned by Chicago Children’s Theatre & The Rose Theater(Omaha, NE). Production dates to be announced soon.
A novel adaptation of Luchadora!
QuetzalCast Interview
Demian Chavez of Teatro Quezal interviews Alvaro Saar Rios for the QuetzalCast podcast. In the interview, Alvaro discusses the creation of Luchadora! as a play( and as a forthcoming novel), his other works and what it means to be “Texican.”