Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) is a Refreshing Immersion into Latin American Culture

Through song & dance ‘Fandango for Butterflies’ immerses you into the challenges and joys of being a Latin American immigrant in the US today

I recently attended a wonderfully refreshing and culturally insightful musical at the La Jolla Playhouse called Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes). I absolutely loved how this show immersed me into a modern day fandango with Latin American immigrants and showed me how they work hard to preserve their native cultures while navigating the challenges of being a foreigner in a country other then their own.

Through this show, I learned that fandangos are vibrant, culturally rich gatherings in which music and dance bring stories of a community to life. Fandango for Butterflies centers around a group of immigrants who are gathering in a community center in the United States on the eve of a city-wide ICE raid in order to resurrect and celebrate the culture they left behind.

This relevant new show was Inspired by numerous interviews with real life citizens who immigrated to the US from Latin America and it digs deeper into their emotional journey and heartfelt stories. The show poignantly highlights how many of these immigrants went to great lengths in order to come to a new country in order to take advantage of more opportunities and freedoms. This show is a celebration of the resiliency and camaraderie that can be built when strangers come together and share stories, struggles and their hearts.

What I enjoyed most about Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) was how this show emotionally transported me right into the fandango so that I could share the characters fears, challenges, frustrations and joy. I loved how both the music and dancing throughout the show elevated, enriched and facilitated both the storytelling and the characters interpersonal struggles. The staging and storytelling was so powerful and inclusive that it made the audience feel like they too were part of this fandango community celebrating, dancing and sharing their stories.

As an added bonus following each performance of this show, the audience is invited to participate in an informal fandango celebration with the cast members outside the theatre. Such a fun way to keep the fandango spirit alive!

Fandango for Butterflies (and Coyotes) is playing at the La Jolla Playhouse now through September 25, 2022.