Folk Tales, Horror, and the Borderland: Yamel Cucuy at Latino Theater Company

A Journey Across Folklore and Present-Day Realities

Presented by the Latino Theater Company, Austin-based Glass Half Full Theatre brings back its unique production of Yamel Cucuy to The Los Angeles Theatre Center (LATC). First showcased at LATC’s 2024 Encuentro theater festival, this performed in English and Spanish with supertitles in both languages runs from October 10 through November 1.

Written by Glass Half Full co-artistic directors Indigo Rael, Caroline Reck, and Gricelda Silva—with additional text contributions from Jesús Valles and Connor Hopkins—and directed by Reck, the story follows Yamel, a girl on the threshold of adulthood. As she is pursued by immigration agents and tormented by specters from Mexican folklore, Yamel crosses the shadowy frontier between life and death, summoning courage and inherited wisdom to face both ancient fears and present-day violence. According to Jose Luis Valenzuela, artistic director of the Latino Theater Company, the story highlights the fears carried by immigrant families, ancestral stories, and the resilience needed in an unjust world.

Folkloric Monsters, Modern Horror, and Live Music

The production creates a surreal, terrifying psychological landscape by combining sophisticated puppetry with live actors, drawing inspiration from frightening folk tales and modern horror movies. Legendary folkloric figures featured throughout the performance include La Llorona, the weeping woman searching riverbanks for children to replace those she drowned in anger, and La Mano Peluda, a disembodied, snatching hand. The story also introduces El Viejo del Costal, an old man who steals children away in a sack, La Lechuza, a witch associated with death who appears as a human or an owl, and El Cucuy, a feared demon without a clear description because no one who has seen it has lived to tell the tale.

The production’s emotional journey through memory, terror, and transformation is powerfully underscored by an original score composed by Paul Piñon, which features Indigenous percussion and folkloric guitar.

Cast and Creative Production Team

The ensemble cast stars Zac Carr, Marina DeYoe-Pedraza, Michael Galván, Diana Guizado, Gustavo Martinez, Antonio Medrano, and Minerva Villa. Dramaturgy for the show is provided by James Montaño, with Mágica and Mictlan consulting by Alexis Arredondo.

The creative and technical production team includes scenic design and fabrications by Connor Hopkins, Caroline Reck, and Indigo Rael, lighting design by Rachel Atkinson, sound design and video integration by K. Eliot Haynes, and projection design by Indigo Rael. Costume design is led by Annie Ulrich with additional costuming by Reck and Rael. The central Yamel puppet was created by Reck, while shadow puppetry is handled by Hopkins, Rael, and Reck. Stage management is led by Zac Crofford and Joshua Martin. Recognized with multiple awards, Glass Half Full Theatre uses human and puppet performance to address global environmental and social justice issues.

Performance Schedule, Venue, and Ticket Details

Performances take place at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Previews begin with low-priced performances on Thursday, October 8, and Friday, October 9, at 8 p.m., followed by the official opening on Saturday, October 10. The regular run continues through November 1, with shows scheduled for Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Ticket options range from $10 for previews and Thursday shows to $48 for regular weekend performances. Discounted $24 tickets are available for students, older people, veterans, and LAUSD teachers with valid ID, while tickets for opening night are $75 and include a post-performance reception. Onsite parking is offered for $8 with box office validation at the Los Angeles Garage Associates structure at 545 S. Main St. Attendees should note a content warning for subtle references to sexual assault, images of a gun and violence in shadow puppetry, strong language, and depictions of death.