About the Show

Carmen Rivera’s play about a woman visiting Puerto Rico, her family's homeland, for the first time.

Maria Elena Garcia visits her family in Puerto Rico during the Christmas season and disembarks with plans to connect with her homeland. Although this is her first time there, she has had a great affection for the island and even majored in Puerto Rican Studies in college.

Once Maria arrives, however, she finds that the islanders do not welcome her with open arms. Most consider her an American – a gringa - and Maria considers this a betrayal. If she's a Puerto Rican in the United States and an American in Puerto Rico, Maria questions whether or not she is nobody everywhere.

Performed in Spanish with English subtitles

Critic Reviews (1)

For a previous production

“All the characters in ‘La Gringa’ have a strong streak of the ridiculous in them, and it is precisely that quality that makes them familiar and lovable...Rivera has captured the spirit of the Puerto Rican experience...The plot tatters and the story gets emotionally confused in the last 10 minutes as Ms. Rivera tries to bring peace and reconciliation to all. But that is after 90 minutes of laughter, and a delight ratio of 9 to 1 would be a very high score for any theatrical veteran.”
Read more

Trailer

Creative team