World Premiere of Conchi León's LA TIA MARIELA Canceled at Chicago International Latino Theater Festival Due to Immigration Issues

The U.S. Department of Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS), under the current administration, has officially denied granting touring visas for the cast and crew of Mexico's Once Once Producciones, which was set to bring its production of La Tía Mariela to Chicago later this week to perform as part of Destinos, 3rd Chicago International Latino Theater Festival.

"Despite months of international liaison, the early submission of more than 100 pages of documents testifying to the cultural uniqueness of these internationally acclaimed theater artists from Mexico, the unstinting efforts of our immigration attorney, CLATA board members and staff, along with emergency efforts last week by more than a dozen top staff members at the very highest levels of U.S. Senator Richard Durbin's office, the current administration delayed and ultimately denied visas for nine Mexican theater artists to enter the country," confirmed Myrna Salazar, Executive Director, Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA).

"What a terrible disappointment and sad loss for Chicago, Chicago's cultural and Latino community, and I dare say, the United States of America," Salazar added.

La Tía Mariela is a poignant, humorous work for the stage about the lives, pain and joy of Maya women from Mexico's Yucatan region, told through live traditional Maya mythology and performed by an all-female cast of six. Performances were originally slated Thursday through Sunday, September 26-29 at the National Museum of Mexican Art.

CLATA is issuing refunds and regrets the inconvenience, but encourages Chicagoans to show their support for the Latino community, and attend any of the remaining nine, Latino-themed theater productions still on tap over the next six weeks, playing at theaters large and small throughout the city through October 27.

Visit clata.org for tickets and information about these productions and the full schedule of performances.