Somewhere Over the Border
by Brian Quijada

Name: Somewhere Over the Border
Brand: Brian Quijada
SKU: 9780573710957
Rating: 3.33 (3 reviews)

Somewhere Over the Border Book Cover — Somewhere Over the Border Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

90 mins 1970s Role(s) for Latine Actor(s) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes

Synopsis

Inspired by the real-life journey of the author’s mother (Reina Quijada) from El Salvador to the US, and by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz , Somewhere Over the Border embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girl’s pursuit of the American dream.

As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers, and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind.

Set in the 1970s and propelled by cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock and hip-hop, this new musical is both fable and family history—and a testament to the determination born of love.

Press Reviews

"A new kind of magic... cleverly transforms this beloved tale into a different kind of American story: that of a young woman from El Salvador making the dangerous trek to the United States to build a better life in a new home... Though based on the real-life experiences of Quijada’s mother, its messages of hope, sacrifice and family are highly relatable... homes in on the human drama while retaining the magical qualities of Baum’s classic novel — a winning combination that proves to be deeply moving."
— Chicago Tribune

"Using the framework of The Wizard of Oz and a score (also composed by Quijada) that combines cumbia, hip-hop, Mexican boleros and pop, it’s an exhilarating, smart and soulful show that wears its parallels to L. Frank Baum’s tale well... Somewhere Over the Border offers one woman’s story, but the love and humor and warmth that Quijada brings to Reina’s tale stand as a defiant rejoinder to the xenophobic forces that dehumanize and criminalize Brown people at our border and in our own everyday towns."
— Chicago Reader

"A superior musical has taken the Chicago stage by storm! Teatro Vista’s Somewhere Over the Border is a world premiere triumph that combines a story about Latinx migrants who illegally travel northward to the United States and Dorothy’s dream-state in The Wizard of Oz. What an impressive and impeccable mashup!"
— Around the Town Chicago

"Using an iconic American movie as a lens allows Quijada to make his mother’s story familiar and palatable to audiences who might otherwise have trouble seeing themselves in a teenage refugee’s story... The characters’ pain is acknowledged, but the show also gives them moments of joy, friendship and hope."
— Rochester City News

"Evocative... a charming, if sometimes harrowing, fairy tale... Quijada’s songs slide effortlessly from Latin and Central American styles into American musical theater, with occasional side trips into hip-hop."
— Syracuse.com

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Reina A Salvadorean girl. 18 years old.	—	—	A Salvadorean girl. 18 years old.
Julia Reina’s mother. 40s.	female	40s	Reina’s mother. 40s.
Adán Reina’s brother. 20s.	male	20s	Reina’s brother. 20s.
Napoleon A Salvadorean man who owns the restaurant that Reina works at. 50s.	—	50s	A Salvadorean man who owns the restaurant that Reina works at. 50s.
Antonia An older woman who lives in El Salvador and has a daughter in the United States.	female	—	An older woman who lives in El Salvador and has a daughter in the United States.
Cruz An indigenous Guatemalan boy with dreams of obtaining an American degree.	—	—	An indigenous Guatemalan boy with dreams of obtaining an American degree.
Silvano A man from Tapachula, Mexico with a dream to reunite with the rest of his family in America.	male	—	A man from Tapachula, Mexico with a dream to reunite with the rest of his family in America.
Leona A meek catholic nun from Guadalajara, with rock and roll dreams.Doubling:	—	—	A meek catholic nun from Guadalajara, with rock and roll dreams.Doubling:
The Narrator Our charming guide. Any age.	—	—	Our charming guide. Any age.