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Sun August 30th

Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals

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Vocal ensemble performs outdoors at dusk; foreground singer holds a maraca and microphone, singing.

Sun August 30th

Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals

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Date
Sunday August 30th, 2026
Time
1:30PM

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Pricing

Free and open to the public

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The Latinx Theatre Commons Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals is headed to San Diego in August 2026, produced in partnership with UC San Diego Department of Theatre & Dance, La Jolla Playhouse and Tuyo Theatre.

Join us for the pachanga! The Carnaval features concert readings of four new musicals that are free for everyone to attend at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater. Readings are free, but RSVPs are requested.

Carnaval will be an exuberant celebration of Latinx experiences, music and storytelling, uplifting musical theatre writers, composers, lyricists, directors, and music directors. It will bring together theatremakers and theatre decision makers from across the nation to amplify, illuminate, and forward Latinx musical theatre.

What does Latinx mean?
Latinx is a gender neutral term in place of identifiers such as Latino, Latina or Latin@. The term seeks to reject gender binaries and move towards inclusion that recognizes the intersecting identities of Latin American descendants.

SCHEDULE

Friday, August 28
6:30 – 9pm Sueños: Our American Musical

Saturday, August 29
1:30 – 3pm Ybor City
7 – 9pm (Fruit)ion

Sunday, August 30
1:30 – 4pm DayDreamer

THE MUSICALS

Sueños: Our American Musical
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jesse Sanchez
Additional Music and Orchestrations by Jeff Chambers
Directed by Lisa Portes

In the summer of 1999, the Viramontes family leaves behind their life in Los Angeles for the agricultural town of Watsonville, California, chasing a dream of new beginnings. At the heart of the story is Ali Viramontes, a gifted young violinist and composer whose sights are set on Juilliard. But as the family struggles with financial hardship and personal tensions, Ali finds himself in a town with no orchestra and a dream that seems more distant than ever.

Approximate run time: 2 hours and 20 minutes including an intermission

Ybor City
Book by Anita Gonzalez
Composer/Lyrics by Dan Furman
Directed by Dámaso Rodriguez

Set in 1918 Tampa Florida, Ybor City tells the story of two immigrant communities who work side by side and yet do not see each other. Music and dance drive this historical exploration into racial divisions. Song, dance and solidarity become the characters path to survival.

Approximate run time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

(Fruit)ion
Book by Krystal Ortiz
Composer/Lyrics/Looping by Satya Chavez
Directed by Juliette Carrillo

Fruition is a new live-looping musical that examines the inheritance of queerness – both celebrated and suppressed – through the intimate, tangled lives of two young queer women and their “straight” mothers.

Approximate run time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

DayDreamer
Libretto/Lyrics by Mario Vega
Composer/Lyrics by Eliza Vedar
Directed by James Vasquez

When the Sun is stolen from the sky by an ancient evil, two sisters set out on a dangerous journey to save the morning.

Approximate run time: 2 hours and 15 minutes including an intermission

The Epstein Family Amphitheater is located at 9480 Innovation Ln, La Jolla, CA 92093.

Take the Trolley: The amphitheater is located next to the Blue Line Trolley, UCSD Central Campus Station. For more information about the trolley, visit the MTS website >

From the North: Take I-5 south and exit La Jolla Village Drive. Use the right lanes to turn right onto La Jolla Village Drive and take the first right onto Villa La Jolla Drive.

From the South: Take I-5 north and exit La Jolla Village Drive. Use the left lanes to turn left onto La Jolla Village Drive and take the first right onto Villa La Jolla Drive.

The closest parking structure is Gilman Parking Structure. UC San Diego requires parking permits 7 days a week. Permits can be purchased at permit machines or through the Parkmobile App. Visit UC San Diego Transportation for information on where to buy your permit, and costs.

Accessible Seating

Wheelchair-accessible seating is available in all seating areas for patrons in wheelchairs and their companions. 

 

If you need additional information andor assistance, please contact amphitheater@ucsd.edu.

You may bring in empty refillable water bottles, small personal bags (16” x 16 “ x 8”). All bags are subject to search by security officers. We encourage that you dress in layers and for those who have tickets to the General Lawn Section to wear shoes without heels.

Additional prohibited items include: strollers, large backpacks, flags, tobacco products, alcohol, cans, bottles, ice chests, picnic baskets, lawn furniture, weapons of any kind, umbrellas, pets, hula hoops, musical instruments, laser pointers, bicycles, and skateboards.  Cameras with a detachable lens of any kind and professional recording devices are not allowed, including GoPros. Scooters, skateboards, roller skates, and other recreational wheeled equipment are not permitted at the Epstein Family Amphitheater. UC San Diego is a smoke-free campus. 

If you have questions, please contact amphitheater@ucsd.edu.

For the safety and comfort of all, you may not bring lawn chairs or furniture. The lawn is quite steep and not safe for lawn chairs. You can bring in personal seat cushions, blankets, or seating, as long as they fit your personal space. We encourage the same for the stone bench seating areas on both General Admission and reserved seating shows.

Related Events

View Calendar
Vocal ensemble performs outdoors at dusk; foreground singer holds a maraca and microphone, singing.
August 28, 2026
6:30PM
Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals
Vocal ensemble performs outdoors at dusk; foreground singer holds a maraca and microphone, singing.
August 29, 2026
1:30PM
Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals
Vocal ensemble performs outdoors at dusk; foreground singer holds a maraca and microphone, singing.
August 29, 2026
7:00PM
Carnaval of New Latinx Musicals
View Calendar
9500 Gilman Drive MC 0029 La Jolla, CA 92093-0029

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