Review: I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER is Exemplary at DCPA

Familial trauma comes in all shapes and sizes, and usually when you least expect. A single moment can lead to many more in what may feel like a spiral, or perhaps even dominoes tumbling over each other, one by one. After the sudden death of her sister, Olga, Júlia Reyes must navigate her own sudden trauma while dodging that of her grieving mother. Júlia struggles to avoid the feeling of new expectations being placed upon her in the absence of Olga, all the while playing junior detective in an effort to uncover the secrets of the dead in DCPA's latest production, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

Award-winning playwright Isaac Gómez takes Erika L. Sánchez's New York Times best-selling novel and takes it from page to stage in a way that elevates a story that already stands on it's own. Director Laura Alcalá Baker leads not just a stellar cast, but a creative team that once again marks DCPA as the cream of the crop. The scenic design by Arnel Sancianco, complemented by Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz's expert lighting, are a testament to the idea that less is more. The stage is decorated with archetypes, symbols, and paraphernalia that are baked into the story. Although at first everything can be taken in as a bunch of clutter in disarray, the eye catches specific items throughout the play as they become important in a way that is clever and purposeful. Izumi Inaba's costume design does much to capture the cultural influences of the plot mixed with modern influences of the place and time.

The production's cast takes a script that is full of heart and gives it life, beating like a steady drum. Daniel Clark as Conner and Heather Lee Echeverria as Olga both find themselves as character' whose impact outlives the amount of time they are on stage. I say this to mean that Clark and Echeverria give a face to the name; their presence lingers on the stage. When other characters mention Conner or Olga, the moments resonate because of the presence given to the roles by the two actors.

As one of Júlia's high school educators, John Plumpis as Mr. Ingman provides Júlia with something that is genereally universal to audiences: a favorite teacher. Most of us are lucky enough to have had our own Mr. Ingman. Plumpis evokes an authentic show of support for Júlia that is familar and inviting. As Júlia's parents, Nicole Betancourt as Amá and Alex Alpharoah as Apá are once again relatable to the audience in a way the resonates throughout time. Alpharoah exudes a father figure similar to my own: stoic and solid, but beneath the exterior a heart of soft gold more fragile than you might expect. Betancourt portrays a mother who on the surface seems to cling to order and control even as it slips far beyond her grasp. But, beneath the surface there is reasoning; a method to the madness.

Júlia is certainly not without her own squad. Brandon Rivera's Juanga is more than just a plot driver for potential conflict between Júlia and her already established best friend. Rivera is charismatic, funny, and unapologetically queer. It was refreshing to see Rivera portray a femme-queer character that was true to life and not a jester, baiting the audience for a laugh. Leslie Sophia Pérez, I think, might have provided the show with my favorite character, Lorena. Pérez is the best friend everyone needs but doesn't deserve. The ultimate hype-woman, Pérez's Lorena wouldn't simply follow you to the ends of the earth. She would plan the outfits, call the uber, and make sure someone has a lighter for the pre-roll. A true pal and confidant.

In the leading role, Rosa Isabella Salvatierra as Júlia is budding with talent and she steps into the limelight. The show, quite clearly, rests on the shoulders of whomever fills the role of Júlia. Salvatierra comfortably guides the show from beginning to end alongside a cast that ensures the heavylifting is evenly distributed whenever possible. Salvatierra's Júlia is a girl I would have been friends with in high school. She's a girl I'd be friends with even more now. Her ups and her downs are on full display throughout the play, exhibited by Salvatierra so vulnerably that it was as if I too yearned for the same answers she herself was seeking. Salvatierra is a rising star.

It was announced earlier this year that I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is headed to the big screen, with America Ferrera making her directorial debut. The stage version of the novel made its world premiere just 2 years ago in Chicago. Even after the book release, it became a best seller in only a month. I think all of these accolades point to the same thing: this story is unique, relatable, and a worth telling. Don't miss your chance to catch the stage version while you have the chance!

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter runs at DCPA through November 3, 2024.

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