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Leadership at The District Theatre considers “American Mariachi,” a play focused on women who want to enter the male-dominated art form of mariachi in the 1970s, an important step toward incubating a Latino theater company.
The District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., last year ushered the Indianapolis Black Theater Company into existence with financial support from the Central Indiana Community Foundation and Lilly Endowment Inc.
Pauline Moffat, The District Theatre’s managing director, said there’s no projected launch date for a Latino theater company. Moffat said her nonprofit will follow a path similar to the one that developed the Indianapolis Black Theater Company, but “it will take a lot longer to actually get funding and build that ecosystem, because it doesn’t exist right now.”
The District Theatre isn’t starting from scratch. Moffat pointed to a 2022 production of “Qaddafi’s Cook,” a play based on the true story of a Mexican chef who worked for Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, as a landmark example of attracting Latino audiences to The District Theatre.
The District Theatre organized a Latino talent show in 2022, and a three-show series titled Latino Comedy Fest—featuring touring stand-up comedians Jon “Polar Bear” Gonzalez, Nacho Redondo and Richard Villa—followed in 2023.
Since 2022, 5% of The District Theatre’s overall audience has identified as Latino, Moffat said. A future theater company, she said, would increase awareness of Latino arts and culture in Indianapolis.
“Every theater tries to embrace all of our communities,” said Moffat, who moved from Australia to Indiana 21 years ago and served as CEO of IndyFringe from 2005 to 2020. “We all want everyone to have a voice and to have a stage to be able to put their shows on.”
Fonseca Theatre Company, founded by late Indianapolis arts icon Bryan Fonseca, has presented Latino-focused shows since opening in 2018 in the Haughville neighborhood.
Today, the Indianapolis Black Theatre Company has its own board and operates independently of the District Theatre. Moffat said a future Latino company would have a similar format.
For “American Mariachi,” scheduled for two weekends in October, Glick Philanthropies gave financial support for the production as well as for special events in which mariachi bands will perform in a paved pedestrian walkway west of The District Theatre that connects Massachusetts and Park avenues.
Written by José Cruz González, “American Mariachi” premiered at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre in 2018. The play with musical elements focuses on Lucha, the daughter of a mother who had her own mariachi dreams years earlier.
“This show really set a tone for a family musical production that people could relate to,” Moffat said.
At press time, The District Theatre was assembling the cast and crew for the show. In-person auditions were planned, and several actors submitted auditions via video.
“Some were from Indiana, but the rest were from New York, Chicago and all around,” Moffat said. “There aren’t many opportunities or roles available. Clearly, everybody has their eyes open for opportunities.”•
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