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**Leguizamo’s “The Other Americans” Tackles American Dream, Hate, and Family in New Play**
NEW YORK CITY – John Leguizamo, known for his high-energy one-man shows, is taking a dramatic turn with his new play, “The Other Americans,” now running at The Public Theater through October 19. The play, directed by Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson, features an all-Latino cast including Rosa Evangelina Arredondo and Luna Lauren Velez.
Leguizamo’s work centers on Nelson Castro (Leguizamo), a father struggling to keep his family’s laundromat afloat while dealing with the aftermath of a hate crime against his son. Castro’s frustrations with a system that seems stacked against Latinos form the core of the play.
Leguizamo states that it is his experience that the “system’s rigged against us. That’s why”.
Drawing inspiration from his own family’s immigrant experience and a past hate crime incident, Leguizamo says he wrote the play to explore the complexities of the American Dream for Latinos, toxic masculinity, and mental health. While acknowledging the play’s tragic elements, he promises moments of humor rooted in the Latino zest for life.
“The Other Americans” delves into a family dynamic, a stark departure from stereotypical portrayals of Latinos in media. The all-Latino cast emphasizes the play’s universal themes of family, love, and loss, but with a distinctly Latino flavor.
“People can expect to see a play about a family and a story that is completely universal, said Velez. “But it has its own components that make it specific to a Latino family.”
Leguizamo hopes “The Other Americans” will contribute to the American theatrical canon, giving voice to the Latino experience in a way that resonates with a broad audience, mirroring the impact of playwrights like Lorraine Hansberry and August Wilson.
First Piper 