José Cruz González’ script, directed by Henry Godinez and running through October 24th at Goodman Theatre, imagines a scrappy group of women determined to break the gender barrier. There is Lucha who wants to spark her dementia-riddled mother’s memory of a beloved song, Soyla the flamboyant hairdresser with no musical experience, Isabel who has the voice of an angel and a bully of a husband, Gabby the lonely heart with megaphone pipes and Lucha’s cousin Boli who can’t wait to be a “bad ass.”
Goodman Theatre Production Interplays Mariachis
Throughout, American Mariachi’s features an interplay of professional, aspiring and imaginary musicians. The pros are men from Chicago’s Sones de Mexico Ensemble, who both entertain and instruct throughout the show. The aspiring are the women who finally land a first gig performing at a tacky quinceañera. And the imaginary is Tia Carmen, Lucha’s aunt who drowned years earlier and who haunts Lucha’s mother’s mind as a Day of the Dead mariachi.
American Mariachi strikes notes that will likely reach those for whom mariachi is a touchpoint. For others who might not catch all of the cultural references, the music still captivates. In this writer’s view, however, the story itself lacks the subtlety of the instruments onstage. Much of the dialogue seems clumsy, the characterizations are mostly broad strokes and the actors often deliver their lines in a fuller than necessary throttle.
