Theatre alum Matt Barbot ’17 is debuting his new play the beautiful land i seek (la linda tierra que busco yo) at The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in its world premiere. The off-Broadway production begins previews December 4, opens on December 11, and runs through December 29, 2024 at the 304 W 47th St theater.
The play is set on a train in 1950, and follows a pair of would-be assassins in pursuit of Puerto Rican independence. As they make the journey from New York to Washington D.C., they find their plans continually derailed by other passengers and outside forces, and begin to question whether their mission is on the wrong track altogether.
Puerto Rico-born José Zayas directs the humorous misadventures of the lead duo, played by Alejandro Hernández and Daniel Colón. The play is produced in collaboration with Latinx Playwrights Circle and Fault Line Theatre.
“We've developed a dream team with Latinx Playwrights Circle and Fault Line Theatre for the world premiere of Matt Barbot’s daring and funny new play,” said Rosalba Rolón, Artistic Director of Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater.
Barbot’s play was previously presented as a reading for the Latinx Playwrights Circle’s Fresh Draft Series in 2021 and Fault Line Theatre’s Irons in the Fire in 2022, before being workshopped by Fault Line’s inaugural (plays) In Previews program in 2023.
“Matt Barbot has been a part of Latinx Playwrights Circle since the very beginning in 2018 and we are immensely proud to help bring to life Matt’s play, which we have seen grow since June 2021, into this wonderful story we are presenting alongside these two incredible companies,” said Janio Marrero, Executive Director for the Latinx Playwrights Circle.
Barbot’s other work includes El Coquí Espectaculare and the Bottle of Doom Infallibility, Princess Clara of Loisaida, Saints Go Marching, The Venetians, A List of Some Shit I’ve Killed, and Stoo’s Famous Martian American Gumbo. He is based in Brooklyn, NY.
Tickets for the beautiful land i seek are available here.
