Latino theatre in the United States


in the United States have written, produced, and performed theatrical works reflecting their distinct historical experience. The Oxcart by René Marqués, Marisol by José Rivera , and In the Heights by Lin-Manuel Miranda are examples of staged Latinx plays. Concerns over ethnic stereotyping and racism have recurred, in the misrepresentation of Latino people in works such as West Side Story, which was written by non-Latino artists. There are also controversies about the assignment of Latino theater roles to non-Latino actors.

Assimilation in Latinx/Hispanic Theater

In the early 20th century, adaptation, and assimilation of Latino immigrants to the United States, and the use of their own version of their language in America, began to translate into the written work of Latino theatre. One of the first mainstream plays that was written about the Latino culture and immigration experience in the United States was The Oxcart by René Marqués. The Oxcart dramatizes the conflicts between Puerto Rican belonging and displacement on the mainland. 21st century Puerto Rican and Nuyorican dramatic works address not only American culture but the actual formation of the United States government. Examples are the Broadway musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda, which tells the story of the American revolution in 1776, and the experimental dramatic work United States of Banana by Giannina Braschi who dramatizes the collapse of the American empire on September 11, 2001.
The theatre historian Jorge Huerta writes "...you cannot analyze or write about Latina/o theater without also sounding like a sociologist, a political scientist, an ethnographer, etc., because these are all vital discourses in the understanding of our cultures as Latinas and Latinos." He distinguishes the theaters of the three major Latina/o groupsthe Chicanas/os, Cuban-Americans and Puerto Ricansin terms of the history of relations of the three groups with the United States, emphasizing the similarities and differences in their experiences.

Ethnic and Racial Stereotyping

Misrepresentation: Staged Racism

Latino peoples and cultures have frequently been portrayed on stage as being violent, rivalrous, exotic, and not wanting to adapt. Many consider the musical West Side Story an example of Puerto Rican stereotypes; much future racist discussion about Puerto Ricans and other Latinos stemmed from this musical. The musical was written by non-Latinos: the book was by Arthur Laurents, the music was written by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim. Many believe that the underlying message is that Latino culture is dangerous and must be policed and controlled.

Casting

Latinos have often found it difficult to be cast in roles that have not been specifically written to be played by a Latino. Many casting directors have begun to use the term "color blind" casting; however, this has caused controversy, as if a show is cast improperly with certain races in certain roles, it may be perceived by audiences as well as the theatre community as wrong or racist. Actors seek theater producer's statements that there will be no discrimination in the casting process. Nevertheless, there have been films, TV shows, and plays that have been written for Latino actors, but played by non-Latino actors. An example of this is TheaterWorks' production of The Motherf**ker With the Hat.

Notable playwrights and directors