NEW ORLEANS (press release) – On Saturday, April 5, the André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice will come alive with stories that crackle with electricity, sweetness and soul. At the AZÚCAR: New Reading Festival audiences will experience a full day of staged readings, conversation and performance that organizers say will amplify the brilliance of Afro-Latinx playwrights and the expansive range of stories they tell.
This one-day event is part of the We Will Dream: New Works Festival 2025, a biennial Southern celebration of culturally-rooted new play development, and is presented by No Dream Deferred in partnership with Latinx Theater Commons and the André Cailloux Center.
Curated to reflect the complex, genre-defying richness of Afro-Latin voices, AZÚCAR features four new works by nationally acclaimed playwrights:
● Adrienne Dawes – Dupe
● Miranda González – Mascogos
● Teddy Alexis Rodríguez – How Did Edward Lose His Accent?
● Rebbekah Vega-Romero – Smalls & Talls: A Duet for Two Women
(Each play will be followed by a 15 minute community feedback session to support continued development and deepen audience engagement.)
The day begins at 9:30 a.m. with Café y Conversación, a meet-and-greet over coffee generously provided by Flagpole Coffee, and culminates in a vibrant evening FIESTA featuring live performances.
Fiesta Schedule:
- 7:30 p.m. – José Torres-Tama performs an excerpt from Aliens, Immigrants & Other Evildoers
- 8 p.m. – Casa Samba brings the rhythm with a high-energy performance
- Celebration continues with music, food and fellowship until 11 p.m.
AZÚCAR is more than a festival—it’s a cultural moment where new dreams are dreamed, languages are remixed, and the ancestors show up to dance.
Event Details:
Saturday, April 5
André Cailloux Center for Performing Arts & Cultural Justice
2541 Bayou Road, New Orleans, LA
Admission is $10
