Independent Arts News Reporting Passage Theatre Company to stage Trenton premiere of ALMA by Benjamin Benne
Friday, September 13, 2024.
Pictured Above: Performer Jessy Gruver who will be playing the lead of “ALMA”. Photo Credit: Contributed.
NEWSROOM POST: TRENTON, NEW JERSEY
ALMA by Guatemalan-American playwright Benjamin Benne in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month will be on stage at Passage Theatre from October 3rd - 20th
Trenton, NJ – In celebration of Hispanic heritage month, Passage Theatre—the only professional theater company in New Jersey’s state capital—is producing the Trenton premiere of the much-celebrated Alma by Guatemalan-American playwright Benjamin Benne as part of its landmark 40th anniversary season. The production will be directed by AZ Espinoza and stars Jessy Gruver and Diana Maldonado.
Alma is a family dramedy exploring the complex relationship between a mother, daughter, and what home means to them. Alma (Gruver) is a working mom and undocumented immigrant from Mexico; she has single handedly raised her daughter, Angel (Maldonado), on tough love, home-cooked comida, and lots of prayers. A sacrifice from Alma’s past weighs heavy on their present; will the American Dream cost them a life together? Set in the uncertainty of 2016, Alma is a mother/daughter story of heritage, healing, and hope.
Pictured Above: Performer Diana Maldonado will take the stage as “ANGEL”. Photo Credit: Contributed.
“Now is a critical time for our nation and the entire human race. As crises would divide us, Passage Theatre brings communities together with this heartbreaking yet heartwarming family story about home,” shares Brishen Miller, Executive Artistic Director of Passage Theatre. “Benne has written a poetic-realism play about the American Dream, and if such a dream still exists, Alma cries out that all are worthy of it.”
Alma will run for fourteen weekend performances, Thursdays through Sundays, from October 3rd to the 20th, 2024. This play is recommended for audience members ages 14 and up. The majority of the dialogue is in English, but portions of the play are spoken in Spanish. Tickets are on sale here.
About Passage Theatre Company:
Passage Theatre Company is committed to creating and producing socially relevant new plays and arts programming that deeply resonate with and reflect our community. Through professional productions, educational programs, and community engagement, we present diverse perspectives and new voices that inspire audiences and invigorate the art of live theatre.
