“American Mariachi” highlights the power of music and the strength of women in the Latino community

For its opening production of the 2024-2025 season, Two River Theater in Red Bank offers American Mariachi, a play with music by José Cruz González directed by James Vásquez. Set in the American Southwest in the ’70s, the play combines a story of womens’ ambitions with a family mystery. 

The story follows Lucha (Addie Morales), the daughter of Amalia (Maggie Bofill) and Federico (Martín Solá), who treats Amalia coldly. Amalia’s memory is failing, apparently from Alzheimer’s, and she is in ill health. Lucha takes care of her while Federico, a mariachi musician, is away on gigs. Lucha realizes that Amalia’s spirits revive when she hears music, especially the regional Mexican music known as ranchera.

With her best friend and cousin Boli (Heather Velasquez), she decides to learn to play her mother’s favorite song and create an all-female mariachi band. The cousins recruit Isabel (Marina Pires), a subservient wife with a beautiful voice; Soyla (Crissy Guerrero), a brassy hair stylist; and Gabby (Erika Zade), a shy schoolgirl who cannot speak Spanish. Under the direction of Lucha’s godfather Mino (Bobby Plasencia), a mechanic who was once a mariachi musician and Federico’s best friend, the five women learn to attain the style and confidence found in the best mariachi bands.

Amalia’s adored Tía Carmen (Marta Rymer), herself a mariachi who died saving Amalia’s life, is a presence in the house felt by Amalia, who can see her playing her violin. Her violin, left to Amalia, was broken by an outraged Federico. Lucha, wanting to play her mother’s song on her mother’s violin, takes it to Mino to be repaired. 

While the cast, under Vásquez’ direction, is a strong ensemble, they are defeated by the play’s many cliched lines and situations. The play’s set, created by the scenic designer Diggle, is a beautiful construction. It is a two-story house with an outside rose garden. It is also reminiscent of a nicho, a decorative Mexican display box.

Special credit goes to the mariachi band that intersperses ranchera music throughout the show. They are: trumpeter Christopher Casado; violinist Emilio Hernandez; Edgar Jamil Mata on the vihuela; and Jared Martinez on the guitarrón. Credit also goes to Marta Rymer, a distinguished violinist in her own right. Singly and together, their musical talents bring authentic life and flavor to American Mariachi.

While I admire Two River Theater for their consistent support of the Latino community at large, I do not think American Mariachi is one of the better Hispanic-themed shows they have presented. It’s not that American Mariachi is a bad play; it’s a mediocre one, where talented actors, a beautifully-designed set, and moving music cannot make up for the tired presentation of a marriage on the rocks and ’70s-style gender conflict. I will leave it up to you to decide whether American Mariachi is the kind of show you would enjoy seeing.

American Mariachi is presented in the Robert & Joan Rechnitz Theatre at Two River Theater in Red Bank through Oct. 20, 2024. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to tworivertheater.org or call 732-345-1400.