Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance co-present
Prieto
An autobiographical one-man show about growing up queer and undocumented
Part of Destinos, the 6th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival
Limited engagement October 20–22, 2023
Chicago—September 13, 2023—Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) co-present Prieto, an autobiographical coming-of-age story written and performed by Yosimar Reyes. This production is part of Destinos, the 6th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, a cultural high point of our city’s Latino Heritage Month showcasing Latine theater artists and companies from Chicago, the US and Latin America. Prieto runs in a limited engagement for one weekend only, October 20-22, 2023 in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare.
In this defiant and joyful celebration of self-discovery, Reyes gives a playful performance as his younger self, taking audiences on a journey through his childhood growing up queer with an overprotective grandmother in East San Jose. Against a backdrop of poverty and politics, Reyes comes to understand the complex intersection of his queerness and identity as an undocumented American, navigating topics typically entrenched in struggle with levity. Prieto is performed in English with moments of Spanish.
The production is directed by Kat Evasco and Sean San José, featuring the visual art of projection designer Joan Osato and set designer Tanya Orellana. Prieto is produced by the Living World Project.
Yosimar Reyes is a nationally acclaimed poet and public speaker. Born in Guerrero, Mexico, and raised in Eastside San Jose, Reyes explores the themes of migration and sexuality in his work. The Advocate named Reyes one of “13 LGBT Latinos Changing the World“ and Remezcla included Reyes on their list of “10 Up and Coming Latinx Poets You Need To Know.” His first collection of poetry, For Colored Boys Who Speak Softly… was self-published after a collaboration with the legendary Carlos Santana. His work has also been published in various online journals and books including Mariposas: An Anthology of Queer Modern Latino Poetry, Queer in Aztlán: Chicano Male Recollections of Consciousness and Coming Out, and the forthcoming Joto: An Anthology of Queer Xicano & Chicano Poetry. Reyes was featured in the documentary, 2nd Verse: The Rebirth of Poetry.
Bar Sol, a Latine-owned restaurant on Navy Pier, is the official dining partner for Prieto, offering audience members a 20% discount.
Prieto marks the fourth time Chicago Shakespeare has partnered with CLATA as part of Destinos—in 2017, the festival’s inaugural year, Chicago Shakespeare presented Amarillo, from Mexico’s Teatro Línea de Sombra; in 2018, Acéléré, from the celebrated Colombian circus troupe Circolombia; and in 2019, Andares, from Makuyeika Colectivo Teatral, a company dedicated to creating original works centered on the narratives of Mexico’s Indigenous peoples.
More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/prieto or on social media at @chicagoshakes and @latinotheater.
Prieto will be presented October 20–22, 2023 in the theater Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare. Tickets start at $35. For more information or to buy tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater’s website at www.chicagoshakes.com.
ABOUT CHICAGO SHAKESPEARE THEATER
Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season—plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe—alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater’s onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater’s three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub—inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com.
ABOUT DESTINOS AND THE CHICAGO LATINO THEATER ALLIANCE (CLATA)
The Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) is a transformative cultural engine helping drive the city’s local Latine theater community to a more prominent level. CLATA’s signature program is Destinos, the Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, an annual, citywide festival showcasing Chicago’s Latine theater artists and companies alongside top Latine artists from the U.S. and Latin America. Every fall, Destinos presents a rich, diverse array of bilingual, Latine-themed shows, panels and student performances at marquee venues downtown, as well as storefront theaters and cultural institutions in predominantly Latine neighborhoods throughout the city. This year, the Destinos line-up includes 17 productions all new to Chicago, including one North American premiere, three U.S. premieres, and five Midwest premieres. For tickets and information, visit www.destinosfest.org, or follow CLATA on Facebook, Instagram and Threads at @latinotheater.
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