Queens Theatre To Present The Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta This Spring

This spring, Queens Theatre will present its annual Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta - three days of dynamic performances to celebrate Latin culture through song, dance, comedy, and fantastic music. The event features performances by renowned artists: La Toquilla, Nélida Tirado, Horacio Laguna, and a family-friendly performance of ​​TheaterWorksUSA's El Otro Oz, a salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by "The Wizard of Oz".

The Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta starts on Friday, March 31st and runs through Sunday, April 2nd, with ticket prices ranging from $15 to $40, and discounts for senior citizens and students. You can purchase tickets and reserve your spot at https://queenstheatre.org/lcdf23/.

In addition to presenting performances by various Latin artists throughout the year, Queens Theatre has been presenting Latin Cultural Fiestas in different formats since 1997.The present-day festival was revived in its current format in 2022 as the Theatre began welcoming audiences back following COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.

The festival is curated by Queens Theatre's longtime Front of House Manager and a musician, Willy Mosquera. "As we are in the most diverse borough in New York City, Queens Theatre has always felt a commitment to represent the richness of the community. We want all New Yorkers to see themselves in the programming we present and feel welcomed," said Mosquera.

La Toquilla

Friday, March 31, 8:00 PM in Claire Shulman Theater
Tickets $30 or 4 for $100

The popular Ecuadorian singer La Toquilla, guitarist/producer Agni Durden, and "Requinto de Oro" Mario Gutierrez perform an inventive fusion of modern and traditional Ecuadorian and Latin-American music. With a vibrant mix of loops and electronic elements such as guitars, blended with Pasillo, Yaravi, San Juanito, the ancient requinto, and other Latin American rhythms - La Toquilla brings her unique sound and captivating voice to Queens Theatre to delight in this innovative concert!

El Trovador by Horacio Laguna - A Musical, Theatrical Show

Saturday, April 1st, 8:00 PM in Queens Theatre's Cabaret

Tickets $15

Don't miss this original and intimate thought-provoking one-man performance by Horacio Laguna. Based on the storytelling tradition of troubadours, Laguna uses the classical guitar and combines music, theater, and poetry to tell his tales with humor and wonder.

Nélida Tirado's Dime Quién Soy

Saturday April 1, 8:00 PM in Claire Shulman Theater
Tickets $35-$40

A fusion of live music and dance, combining Salsa and Flamenco, 'DIME QUIÉN SOY' is a passionate reflection of cultural identity by Nélida Tirado who stumbles upon flamenco accidentally upon her mother's desires to keep her connected to the roots of her native Puerto Rican dance traditions of Bomba and Plena. This embarks her on a triumphant and challenging journey between bomba, salsa, and flamenco "dancing between cultures" in celebration of her authentic self where music and dance transcends and blurs lines of politics, race, and identity. Featuring original music by Gonzalo Grau with Marcos Lopez and Manolo Mairena.

El Otro Oz

Sunday, April 2, 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM in Claire Shulman Theater
Tickets $18 or 4 for $60 with code 4FOR60

Children ages 7-12 will enjoy clicking their heels together tres veces for an hour-long transformative journey with this salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by The Wizard of Oz. As her fifteenth birthday approaches, Dora, a Latiné teenager, struggles with her family's ideas about tradition and dreads her impending quinceañera! But, when Dora gets swept away to a strange new land, she learns how to celebrate her unique rhythm and embrace her cultural identity.The 3:00 PM performance will offer American Sign Language interpretation. Select seats in the left side of the theater for the best views of the interpreter.

The Latin Culture and Dance Fiesta is funded, in part, by Howard Gilman Foundation, the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, The Shubert Foundation, Jerome Robbins Foundation, the Mertz Gilmore 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.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols

Queens Theatre no longer requires proof of vaccination against COVID-19. Wearing masks inside the theater is recommended but not required. Queens Theatre reserves the right to amend and adjust its policies at any time in response to local COVID transmission levels and requirements by local, state, and federal government agencies. Queens Theatre is proud to offer free at home COVID-19 tests during our box office hours and performances. Community members can come to the Theater Tuesday-Friday between 12:00pm-6:00pm and pick up to 10 or fewer tests. For more information visit https://queenstheatre.org/covid-protocol/.

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 2.3 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.