Part melodrama, part comedy – all corazón:
Latino Theater Company brings Teatro Alebrijes
back to The LATC with ‘Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos’
LOS ANGELES (March 20, 2026) — Latino Theater Company welcomes the return of San Jose-based LGBTQ+ ensemble Teatro Alebrijes with Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos (Carlota: Jewelry Box of Secrets), a bold reimagining of Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba that was one of the highlights of Latino Theater Company’s 2024 Encuentro Latinx theater festival. Co-written and co-directed by Rodrigo García and Ugho Badú, the production runs May 2 through May 24 at The Los Angeles Theatre Center, with two low-priced previews on April 30 and May 1. All performances are presented in Spanish with English supertitles.
Part melodrama and part comedy, Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos is all corazón. Inside the home of Carlota and her three daughters, time seems to have stood still. But their cloistered world is suddenly shaken when the youngest daughter encounters a handsome stranger in town for his father’s funeral. What follows is a cascade of revelations as long-buried secrets emerge — like precious jewels hidden inside a jewelry box. Echoing the themes of Lorca’s play, in which he examined the abuse of power within a rigid, puritanical household, Carlota offers a sharp and often humorous critique of a moral code that suppresses desire in the name of respectability — a “righteousness” that often proves more hypocritical than virtuous.
The cast features Ugho Badú, Janvier Berber–Acosta, Adrian Campos, Ricardo Cortés, Sergio Dávila, Jose Martinez, Carolina Perez and Yatzil Ruiz.
“Although all the characters in the play are women, the cast includes six cisgender men and two cisgender women,” explains García. “Men performing women’s roles can sometimes be perceived as drag, but that’s not what we’re doing here. Drag is often built around exaggeration for entertainment or political effect. Our intention is closer to older theatrical traditions in which men performed women’s roles with seriousness and respect. We approach these characters with care and dignity.”
“Carlota is at once hilarious and deeply human,” says Latino Theater Company artistic director José Luis Valenzuela. “We’re delighted to bring Teatro Alebrijes back to The LATC with this daring, culturally vibrant piece that speaks powerfully to contemporary audiences.”
The creative team includes scenic designer Leigh Henderson and lighting associate Noemi Barrera. Costumes are designed by García. The production managers are Janvier Berber–Acosta for Teatro Alebrijes and May Congxiao Fei for Latino Theater Company. Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos is produced by Teatro Alebrijes in association with Latino Theater Company.
Now celebrating its 41st season as a company and its 20th anniversary operating The Los Angeles Theatre Center, the Latino Theater Company was named a 2025 “Nonprofit of the Year” by California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas. Dedicated to providing a world-class arts center for those pursuing artistic excellence; a laboratory where both tradition and innovation are honored and honed; and a place where the convergence of people, cultures and ideas contribute to the future, the company has operated The LATC, a City-owned facility housed in a former bank building in Downtown L.A.’s historic core, since 2006, producing hundreds of plays, creating over 4000 jobs and helping hundreds of nonprofit organizations by providing space and resources. Recognizing the Latino Theater Company for its “effective first-class theater center operations,” the City recently extended the company’s initial 20-year lease for an additional 30 years, through 2056. Latino Theater Company was named to the Los Angeles Times “Best of Latino L.A.” and was awarded the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle’s prestigious Margaret Harford Award for Sustained Excellence in Theater. Artistic director Jose Luis Valenzuela is the recipient of multiple awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award from theater review site Stage Raw and the Gordon Davidson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation.
Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos opens on Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m., with performances thereafter on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through May 24. Two preview performances take place on Thursday, April 23 and Friday, April 24, each at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to previews and for all Thursday performances to $48 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, except students and seniors, who pay only $24, and opening night (May 2) which is $75 and includes a post-performance reception.
The Los Angeles Theatre Center is located at 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013. Parking is available for $8 with box office validation at Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking structure, 545 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 (between 5th and 6th Streets, just behind the theater).
For more information and to purchase tickets, call (213) 489-0994 or go to latinotheaterco.org.
Details for Calendar Listings
‘Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos’
WHAT:
Latino Theater Company welcomes the return of San Jose-based LGBTQ+ ensemble Teatro Alebrijes with Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos (Carlota: Jewelry Box of Secrets), a bold reimagining of Federico García Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. Inside the home of Carlota and her three daughters, time seems to have stood still. But their cloistered world is suddenly shaken when the youngest daughter encounters a handsome stranger in town for his father’s funeral. What follows is a cascade of revelations as long-buried secrets emerge — like precious jewels hidden inside a jewelry box. Part melodrama and part comedy, Carlota: Alhajero de Secretos is all corazón. (Performed in Spanish with English supertitles.)
WHO:
• Written by Rodrigo García and Ugho Badú
• Directed by Rodrigo García
• Starring Ugho Badú, Janvier Berber–Acosta, Adrian Campos, Ricardo Cortés, Sergio Dávila, Jose Martinez, Carolina Perez, Yatzil Ruiz
• Produced by Teatro Alebrijes in association with Latino Theater Company
WHEN:
April 30 – May 24
• Previews: April 30 and May 1
• Performances: May 2 – May 24
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
The Los Angeles Theatre Center
514 S. Spring Street
Los Angeles CA 90013
PARKING:
• $8 with box office validation at Los Angeles Garage Associate Parking structure, 545 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 (between 5th and 6th Streets, just behind the theater)
• Metered parking available on streets surrounding the theater.
• Take the Metro: nearest stop is Pershing Square (two blocks west of The LATC)
TICKET PRICES:
$10-$48 (except opening night)
• Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (except opening night, May 2): $48
• Students, Seniors, Veterans and LAUSD teachers: $24 with valid ID
• All Thursday night performances and previews: $10
• Opening night (May 2): $75 (includes post-performance reception)
HOW:
latinotheaterco.org
(213) 489-0994
# # #