Aguijón Theater of Chicago in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood has kicked off its 21st season with its first stage production since halting operations due to the pandemic 18 months ago.
“La Gran Tirana (descarga dramática)” explores the idea of immigrant identity as it follows the journey of Ana Morgana, an immigrant who transcends her own reality by imagining herself to be the Cuban diva Lupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, better known as La Lupe. Aguijón Theater co-artistic director and managing director Marcela Muñoz says the show is “a love letter to the rhythms and sounds of the Caribbean…it’s a theatrical concert and it’s really fun to watch.”
The two-person show stars Ana Santos as Ana Morgana and Sándor Menéndez, who also directs the show.
“They just really play off of each other,” Marcela Munoz. “Because they have developed it for quite a few years now and have worked together before, I think it has come to fruition in a beautiful, powerful way that…you just can’t take your eyes off.”
Muñoz says the show explores themes beyond La Lupe’s life story.
“What we have … is the idea of exploring not just [La Lupe’s] life and all of these amazing stories of her biography, but the artist as an immigrant and how artists and in general immigrants and really all of us find our ourselves in our art and in that history.”
The show, which is presented in Spanish with English supertitles, runs through Nov. 21 at Aguijón Theater, located at 2707 N. Laramie Avenue in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood.
Tickets are $35 general admission (or 2 for $60), with discounts for students and seniors ($20) and only $12 for Belmont-Cragin residents with ID showing ZIP codes 60634, 60635, 60639, or 60641.
There are also two remaining free attendance Sundays, Nov. 14 and Nov. 21, supported by the ComEd Powering the Arts Program.
Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is required for all guests over 12. Patrons must wear face coverings at all times while inside Aguijón Theater.
