Raíces Theatre Company Will Present ISLEÑA

Raíces Theatre Company, Western New York's premier Latine theater production company, will produce Isleña, opening Friday June, 17, 2022. Isleña marks Raíces' first production of the 10th season at their new home, Road Less Traveled Theater.

Isleña is an original play written by Victoria Pérez and María Pérez-Gómez featuring Victoria Pérez and directed by María Pérez-Gómez.

"We are excited to be telling our story through Victoria Pérez' experience which reflects the very heart of what it means to be Puerto Rican in a foreign land. As a diasporic citizen, belonging and isolation exist dichotomously, always flirting with the nostalgia and longing to return to one's beloved island," said Isleña director, María Pérez-Gómez.

Isleña is a one-woman show featuring Victoria Pérez' journey from her beloved Puerto Rico to Buffalo and highlights the triumphs, challenges and pain that are a universal experience and pivotal in the formation of the human spirit. The play features live music and is an invitation to experience Pérez' career and its influences to date. Pérez shares her love for her culture, tradition and celebrates what it means to migrate to the United States all the while feeling like your heart remains in Puerto Rico.

"You can take the girl out of the island but you can never take the island out of the girl." said Victoria Pérez, Artistic Director of Raíces.

Isleña opens Friday, June 17 and performances run through Sunday, July 3. The play will be performed at Road Less Traveled, 456 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 6:00 pm. Tickets are $25 general admission or $20 for students/seniors and can be reserved by calling 716-381-9333 or visiting https://ticketstripe.com/islenaonewomanshow.

Raíces Theatre Company is based in Buffalo, NY, and operates as Western New York's premier Latinx bilingual theater company. Raíces - which means "roots" in Spanish - was chosen as the company's name as it perfectly reflects the belief that, in order to truly understand who we are as Latinx people, we must celebrate the present while always looking at who we have been in the past in order to have a clear vision for the future. Its mission is to provide original theatrical entertainment for the WNY region which is specifically geared towards nearly 30,000 Hispanic people living in Buffalo and 10,000 more living across Erie County. The company is dedicated to develop, nourish, and produce modern and original works dealing with the Latinx experience in order to preserve our "raíces." Raíces has also earned great recognition from the Buffalo theater community, having won one Artie Award and receiving five Artie Award nominations during its existence. It has also partnered successfully with many local theater companies including MusicalFare, Subversive Theatre Collective and Road Less Traveled Productions.