Photo by Greg Mooney
What do you make when you have almost nothing? Now playing at the Alliance Theatre, Basura answer that question with music, community, and hope. The new musical, featuring song by Gloria Estefan and her daughter Emily Estefan, draws from the true story of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra—a group of young musicians who transformed discarded materials into instruments and reshaped their futures. The show builds on that story, which was previously told in the documentary Landfill Harmonic, expanding it into a portrait of resilience.
Directed by five-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent and Dear Evan Hansen) the production brings the audience into a world far from their homes, where broken families dig through trash to survive. A group of teenagers meets Mario, played by Tony Award nominee Kevin Del Aguila, who feeds, teaches, and inspires them to rise above their circumstances using music as a lifeline.
Photo by Greg Mooney
Basura feels part Rent and part School of Rock. It carries the same sense of found family and urgency, paired with a belief in music as a path forward. Throughout, the show returns to the idea that exposure to other lives and cultures has the power to change how we see the world. It’s a shift in how people see themselves and how they see one another.
“The more we learn about others, the more we can have empathy and coexist and make change together,” says choreographer Patricia Delgado, best known for her work on Buena Vista Social Club. “It’s about togetherness. We can bring beautify into the world regardless of our circumstances. This message is so necessary right now, living in divided times.”
Performances began May 30 and run through July 12. Tickets for this world premiere are selling quickly, with prices ranging from $25 to $155, plus taxes and fees.
“I’m grateful that it’s catching on and having this moment,” Delgado says.
Photo by Greg Mooney
