Legacy and 'Demonstrating the Politics of Survival'

When reflecting on “legacy” in theatre, many might think of the traditional canon, largely dominated by white, male voices. But legacy has another thread to pull: what continues to be passed down over time, what social issues continue to infringe on human rights, and what we, as storytellers, continue to carry forward. In other words, what is working in the theatre, and what is no longer serving us?

Long Wharf Theatre explores this concept of legacy by partnering with Kinan Valdez, son of the pivotal theatre-maker Luis Valdez. It’s an honor to bring Kinan Valdez’s vision to the second show of Long Wharf’s 60th season, Matt Barbot’s El Coquí Espectacular and the Bottle of Doom. Valdez’s focus on the mythic play world, the impact of family within social constraints, and amplifying cultural pride to withstand social issues aligns with Long Wharf’s reimagined approach to theatre-making.

The collaboration is also deeply personal: both Valdez and Long Wharf’s Artistic Director Jacob Padrón trace their theatrical roots back to El Teatro Campesino, a landmark theatre and movement that has shaped Chicano theatre and empowered communities since its origin.

Founded by Luis Valdez in 1965, El Teatro Campesino mobilized theatre as a tool for change. Responding to the farmworkers’ movement, the theatre activated community agency through storytelling, giving Chicano communities a space to see their identities and stories reflected. Often centering on cultural pride, labor struggles, and the human rights issues that directly affected the community, the collective’s stories worked to revolutionize. Utilizing short improvisational theatrical forms called “actos,” Valdez addressed social issues in real-time by challenging stereotypes, addressing injustices, and serving as a structure for political action.

Disruption of white patriarchal hegemony goes beyond representational content, as Valdez deployed dramatic form to combat mainstream notions of play-making. These actos dismantled the confines of a traditional stage concept, with performances unfolding in spaces including the beds of pickup trucks, fields, and union halls. Dramatic form was as important as the space itself, emphasizing that theatre does not only live in grand prosceniums but meets people where they are. This approach redefined how stories could shape both theatrical and physical communities, highlighting that storytelling is as much about where it’s told as it is about what it tells.

Under Padrón’s leadership, Long Wharf Theatre embraces a mission of change, adopting an itinerant theatre model focused on uplifting community voices. Just as El Teatro Campesino devised a stage out of any space where people come together, Long Wharf’s reimagined model brings theatre to the community in diverse, sometimes unconventional locations, reflecting the theatre’s mission of radical inclusion. This approach enables the theatre to reach new audiences, foster community engagement, and amplify voices often left out of the mainstream narrative or canon.

The concept of legacy invites us to question what endures, why it continues, and what we choose to carry forward. Padrón’s vision for Long Wharf Theatre draws upon El Teatro Campesino, honoring its legacy of adaptive theatrical forms, culturally resonant storytelling, and dismantled rigidity of performing spaces to amplify community engagement and change. El Teatro Campesino embodied the “politics of survival” (for which they received an Obie Award), offering stories that were both reflections of reality and calls to action. It was, and continues to be, a theatre of, by, and for the people—one that breaks down traditional barriers between the stage and the community. As Luis Valdez has often stated, theatre should be a mirror for the lives and struggles of real people. For El Teatro Campesino, this meant telling the stories of farmworkers, immigrants, and everyday Chicano communities, giving a voice to those whose experiences were rarely represented on the American stage.

Long Wharf Theatre is committed to actively representing and reflecting the diverse communities it serves. This work is anything but passive; it’s an ongoing, dynamic effort to ensure that theatre remains an inclusive space that resonates with audiences and sparks important conversations. Long Wharf’s collaboration with Kinan Valdez marks an opportunity for the theatre to reconnect with the roots of community-driven storytelling, examining how cultural identity, social justice, and legacy intertwine to shape not only individual perspectives but entire communities.

When thinking of “legacy” in theatre, many might reflect on “vision.” It is this vision of theatre as a tool for transformation that Luis Valdez revolutionized, his son Kinan continues, and Long Wharf Theatre has the privilege to share. By embracing the politics of survival through radical inclusion, kaleidoscopic partnerships, and adaptive storytelling, Long Wharf Theatre is not only preserving a legacy but also furthering it. In doing so, the theatre invites its audiences to share in this work by considering what legacy they will leave behind and what stories they, too, will choose to carry forward.