—Winner of the 2018 UnFringed Festival Best of the Festival Prize—

 —A thought-provoking glimpse into the Latino experience—

This spring from Friday, April 28th – Sunday, May 7th, Queens Theatre is highlighting the voices of immigrants with its presentation of Eight Tales of Pedro, a play with music by Woodside, Queens-based playwright Mark-Eugene Garcia (ENCORE!, ABC) and music by Luis D’Elias. The original play with music is set both in 17th-century Mexico, as Pedro and his companions travel from a small Oaxacan port town into the fabled Veracruz, and in present day Mexico, as a van full of immigrants crosses the border. In this adventurous tale, the two storytellers risk everything, as their lives and plots intertwine!

Eight Tales of Pedro is directed by Rodrigo Ernesto Bolaños and features an all-Latine cast including Laura Aguinaga (Shades of Blue, ABC), Richard E. Calvache, María Renée Lavalle, Federico Mallet, Andy Price, and Stephen Santana. The six actors retell eight classic Spanish folktales exploring what it means to be Latine today while also depicting the timelessness of Spanish and Latin American culture. 

“The recent socio-political climate in the country played a significant role in the show’s success,” said playwright Mark-Eugene Garcia. “Pedro is a hero. I believe a hero appears when you need him. We are in a time when pride in our heritage is more important than ever. I believe we need a hero to remind us that in heritage there is honor, family, and hope.”

Published and licensed through Theatrical Rights Worldwide, Eight Tales of Pedro is the winner of two New York Innovative Theatre Awards and the 2018 UnFringed Festival Best of the Festival Prize. Eight Tales of Pedro has been featured at the Secret Theatre (2018) and was part of Queens Theatre’s play developmental series, New American Voices (NAV) in 2022. 

“Eight Tales is a powerful story about the power of storytelling, brought to life by a vibrant and passionate artistic team and cast,” said Queens Theatre Executive Director, Taryn Sacramone.  “The reading we presented through our NAV reading series was magical – the energy in the room was incredible, and we’ve been looking forward to bringing it back as a full production with a multi-week run.” 

Tickets for Eight Tales of Pedro are $20 or 4 for $75 with code 4FOR75. The April 30th performance will have Open Captioning in English, the May 5th performance will have Open Captioning in Spanish, and the May 7th performance will be Audio Described.For more information and show times visit:: https://queenstheatre.org/event/eight-tales-of-pedro/. 

Eight Tales of Pedro is funded, in part, by Howard Gilman Foundation, the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, The Shubert Foundation, Jerome Robbins Foundation, Dramatists Guild Foundation, and by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Accessibility

Queens Theatre is dedicated to ensuring that our programming is accessible. Queens Theatre’s entrance, all three of Queens Theatre’s performance spaces, and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Parking is located directly next to Queens Theatre’s building, and Access-A-Ride drops off and picks up patrons at the front entrance. ASL Interpretation, Audio Description and Open Captioning is frequently offered at performances – information is on our website. 

For more details or questions, email:Access@QueensTheatre.org.

Stay in Touch

Follow Queens Theatre on Facebook at (www.facebook.com/queenstheatrenyc), Twitter (@QueensTheatre), and Instagram (@QueensTheatre). Digital performances can be accessed at Queens Theatre’s YouTube channel. Click HERE to subscribe. 

About Queens Theatre

Queens Theatre (QT) is a producing theater and performing arts center located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY. QT’s mission is to provide high quality performances and programs that are accessible to the 2.4 million residents of Queens, the most ethnically diverse county in the nation. To foster greater cultural awareness and appreciation, the Theatre produces and presents live programs that reflect this diversity by featuring international, national and local artists.QT annually offers artistically excellent performances and events with its Theatre Series, Dance Series, and Family Series; special events; new play development, community events and initiatives and provides a range of education programs onsite, in schools and in senior centers. In 2016, QT launched, and has since expanded, Theatre For All (TFA), a ground-breaking initiative to advance the inclusion of disabled people in the performing arts. Since COVID-19, QT has produced a range of digital programming, as well as outdoor performances in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and at Corona Plaza. During the 2021-2022 Season, Queens Theatre reopened its doors to the public, and resumed presenting and producing a range of performances.