Review: LUCHADORA! AT TEATRO AUDAZ at Teatro Audaz

Written by Alvaro Saar Rios, Luchadora! is a modern Mexican take on the Chinese legend Hua Mulan but set in the world of lucha libre. The story unfolds when Vanessa, played by Micah Wolfe, who plays the modern teen perfectly, discovers a pink mascara de lucha libre in her Nana Lupita's bag. Vanessa then convinces Nana to tell her the story of the mask. Micah's balance of an attentive granddaughter and a distracted teenager was spot on and gave the audience several moments of laughter. Nana Lupita, played wonderfully by Cindy Rodriguez-Martinez, launches into a fantastical tale of flowers, mascara, lucha libre, and overcoming the male ideology that "girls don't do that," whatever "that" may be. 

Cindy was the perfect abuela, full of humor and heart. She has a powerful stage presence that never overpowers the audience but continues to welcome them into the story as if they were a part of her familia. 

As we take a trip back in time, we are introduced to the rambunctious young Lupita, who would be considered somewhat of a tomboy and preferred riding bikes to selling flowers at her dad's flower stand. Michiko Villa, playing Lupita, was everything you want from a strong young woman. She was full of heart and cared deeply for her friends and family but was also played stubborn wonderfully. She is a phenomenal young talent that is just starting out her career. 

In fact, this cast is full of amazing young talent. Lucita's best friends, Leo and Liesl, played by Ernesto Dominguez and Olivia Garces, were one of the play's highlights. The bond these three actors had on stage was wonderful to watch. The ability of these actors to tackle joy, grief, excitement, and love on stage was truly magical. This trio spends their summer assisting their fathers with fruit and flower stands. As Lupita's father, played by Benito Lara, is introduced, he clearly has back issues, which puts more responsibility on Lupita. Side Note: Ernesto's ability to freeze his dynamic facial expressions is pretty amazing.

Benito provides a beautiful character journey. He is the epitome of a caring father, a hard worker, and, even after 14 years, a grieving husband. His physical character acting was spectacular, making the audience truly care for him and his daughter. 

When Father brings a mysterious briefcase to the flower stand, Lupita returns it to the Mask Maker at Casa de Mascara. Ruby Ruiz, who plays the Mask Maker, is a powerhouse of joy on stage. She has a knack for making just the right facial expression which got several chuckles from the audience. While she is a wonderful comedic actress, she also was the perfect female role model. Every time she came on stage, I had a smile on my face. Through the mask maker, we are launched into the world of Lucha libre. 

While I don't want to give the story away, I would be remiss in leaving out some key players in this wonderful production. El Hijo, played by Mason Anthony Ortiz, was everything you wanted from a machismo luchador. His voice and physical acting were phenomenal. His ability to maintain his lucha libre persona throughout was phenomenal and such a joy to watch. 

Hannah, played by Miranda Valdez-Williams, brought another layer of heart to the production. Hannah's story is one of fighting against misogyny. Valdez-Williams' portrayal is everything you want to see from a young woman taking her stand. In fact, every woman in this story is fighting misogyny somehow, and they all overcome it. The message is clear, "women can do". 

Abe Ramirez's wonderful directing, with a beautiful set design by Max Estudillo and lighting design by Larry Martinez, created a wonderful world with little easter eggs for you to find all over the place. In a brief conversation, Abe said, "our hope is that Luchadora! bring audiences joy, laughs, and most of all encouragement. This story is about proving one's worth and making your mark breaking traditions to allow room for all. It's family-friendly and fun for all." In my opinion Luchadora! checks all those items off the list. Get out and see it!