This spring, Queens Theatre presents its annual Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta – three days of dynamic performances to celebrate Latin culture through song, dance, comedy, and fantastic music. The event features performances by renowned artists: La Toquilla, Nélida Tirado, Horacio Laguna, and a family-friendly performance of TheaterWorksUSA’s El Otro Oz, a salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by “The Wizard of Oz”.

The Latin Culture & Dance Fiesta starts on Friday, March 31st and runs through Sunday, April 2nd, with ticket prices ranging from $15 to $40, and discounts for senior citizens and students. You can purchase tickets and reserve your spot at https://queenstheatre.org/lcdf23/.

In addition to presenting performances by various Latin artists throughout the year, Queens Theatre  has been presenting Latin Cultural Fiestas in different formats since 1997.The present-day festival was revived in its current format in 2022 as the Theatre began welcoming audiences back following COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns.

The festival is curated by Queens Theatre’s longtime Front of House Manager and a musician, Willy Mosquera.  “As we are in the most diverse borough in New York City, Queens Theatre has always felt a commitment to represent the richness of the community. We want all New Yorkers to see themselves in the programming we present and feel welcomed,” said Mosquera.

La Toquilla
Friday, March 31, 8:00 PM in Claire Shulman Theater
Tickets $30 or 4 for $100

The popular Ecuadorian singer La Toquilla, guitarist/producer Agni Durden, and “Requinto de Oro” Mario Gutierrez perform an inventive fusion of modern and traditional Ecuadorian and Latin-American music. With a vibrant mix of  loops and electronic elements such as guitars, blended with Pasillo, Yaravi, San Juanito, the ancient requinto, and other Latin American rhythms –  La Toquilla brings her unique sound and captivating voice to Queens Theatre to delight in this innovative concert!

El Trovador by Horacio Laguna – A Musical, Theatrical Show
Saturday, April 1st, 8:00 PM in Queens Theatre’s Cabaret
Tickets $15

Don’t miss this original and intimate thought-provoking one-man performance by Horacio Laguna. Based on the storytelling tradition of troubadours, Laguna uses the classical guitar and combines music, theater, and poetry to tell his tales with humor and wonder.

Nélida Tirado’s Dime Quién Soy
Saturday April 1, 8:00 PM in Claire Shulman Theater
Tickets $35-$40

A fusion of live music and dance, combining Salsa and Flamenco, ‘DIME QUIÉN SOY’ is a passionate reflection of cultural identity by Nélida Tirado who stumbles upon flamenco accidentally upon her mother’s desires to keep her connected to the roots of her native Puerto Rican dance traditions of Bomba and Plena. This embarks her on a triumphant and challenging journey between bomba, salsa, and flamenco “dancing between cultures” in celebration of her authentic self where music and dance transcends and blurs lines of politics, race, and identity. Featuring original music by Gonzalo Grau with Marcos Lopez and Manolo Mairena.

El Otro Oz
Sunday, April 2, 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM in Claire Shulman Theater
Tickets $18 or 4 for $60 with code 4FOR60

Children ages 7-12 will enjoy clicking their heels together tres veces for an hour-long  transformative journey with this salsa, merengue, and Mexican folk-infused musical inspired by The Wizard of Oz. As her fifteenth birthday approaches, Dora, a Latiné teenager, struggles with her family’s ideas about tradition and dreads her impending quinceañera! But, when Dora gets swept away to a strange new land, she learns how to celebrate her unique rhythm and embrace her cultural identity. The 3:00 PM performance will offer American Sign Language interpretation. Select seats in the left side of the theater for the best views of the interpreter.

For more details follow Queens Theatre on Facebook at (www.facebook.com/queenstheatrenyc), Twitter (@QueensTheatre), and Instagram (@QueensTheatre). Digital performances can be accessed at Queens Theatre’s YouTube channel