Alvaro Saar Rios

Alvaro Saar Rios

Alvaro Saar Rios is a Texican playwright living in Chicago. His plays have been performed in Chicago, New York City, Hawaii, St. Louis, Milwaukee and all over Texas. Rios has received commissions from various organizations, including Kennedy Center, Chicago Children's Theatre, The Alley Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, and Honolulu Theatre for Youth. His award-winning play Luchadora! is published by...
Alvaro Saar Rios is a Texican playwright living in Chicago. His plays have been performed in Chicago, New York City, Hawaii, St. Louis, Milwaukee and all over Texas. Rios has received commissions from various organizations, including Kennedy Center, Chicago Children's Theatre, The Alley Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, and Honolulu Theatre for Youth. His award-winning play Luchadora! is published by Dramatic Publishing Inc. He is also the co-founder of The Royal Mexican Players, a national touring performance troupe. Mr. Rios teaches playwriting at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and a Playwright-In-Residence at Milwaukee's First Stage. Alvaro recently adapted Matt de la Peña's CARMELA FULL OF WISHES for Chicago Children's Theatre & Omaha's The Rose Theatre. He is currently adapting Pam Muñoz Ryan's icon novel ESPERANZA RISING for the stage.

Plays

  • Piggsville by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    11–20
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: strong women, based on Shakespeare + 8 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, mystery/thriller, tragedy
    Keyword: strong women, based on Shakespeare, Shakespeare, magical realism, great for universities, universities, large cast, adaptation, college age characters, workers rights
    FULL LENGTH. When a young woman returns home to attend her father's funeral, she discovers the least capable of her siblings is now in charge of the family brewery. She reunites with an old friend and reveals her true reasons for returning home. She is hoping to find out about her father’s demise. There are rumors his death is “unnatural” and that one of the siblings is responsible. Set in a brewery...
    FULL LENGTH. When a young woman returns home to attend her father's funeral, she discovers the least capable of her siblings is now in charge of the family brewery. She reunites with an old friend and reveals her true reasons for returning home. She is hoping to find out about her father’s demise. There are rumors his death is “unnatural” and that one of the siblings is responsible. Set in a brewery and utilizing folk songs, this tale is inspired by Shakespeare’s HAMLET and his other works.
  • La Llorona's Sidekick by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Latinx, colleges and high schools + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, horror
    Keyword: Latinx, colleges and high schools, comedy/horror play
    10-MINUTE PLAY. Four destructive entities and a lucha libre wrestler audition to be the sidekick of the most legendary evil spirit. Who will be chosen?
  • The Day the Music Came Back, or How to Make Audio Flowers by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    8
    ·
    Genre: drama, movement/physical + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Dystopia, music + 3 more
    Genre: drama, movement/physical, political
    Keyword: Dystopia, music, storytelling, devised, one-act play
    ONE-ACT PLAY. A quasi-dystopian play about a group of teens who meet up to discuss something they know nothing about--music. It was banned before they were born. Around the time their parents were babies. So this is a generation that has never heard music on a radio, an iPod, or even at a concert. They live in a world where you can be arrested just for talking about music. If you are caught with a musical...
    ONE-ACT PLAY. A quasi-dystopian play about a group of teens who meet up to discuss something they know nothing about--music. It was banned before they were born. Around the time their parents were babies. So this is a generation that has never heard music on a radio, an iPod, or even at a concert. They live in a world where you can be arrested just for talking about music. If you are caught with a musical instrument or listening to music, you will be "extinguished"...right on the spot. But this group of teens decide the risk is worth it.
  • Luchadora! by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    11–16
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 2 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, fable/folktale, young audiences
    FULL-LENGTH. Imagine the Chinese legend Hua Mulan set in the world of lucha libre—Mexican wrestling. The discovery of a worn wrestling mask prompts Nana Lupita, a Wisconsin grandmother, to share her tale about growing up in 1960s Texas. As her tale unfolds, Lupita's life as a teen tomboy comes alive—bike riding with her friends Leopold and Liesl, working at her father's flower stand and lucha libre....
    FULL-LENGTH. Imagine the Chinese legend Hua Mulan set in the world of lucha libre—Mexican wrestling. The discovery of a worn wrestling mask prompts Nana Lupita, a Wisconsin grandmother, to share her tale about growing up in 1960s Texas. As her tale unfolds, Lupita's life as a teen tomboy comes alive—bike riding with her friends Leopold and Liesl, working at her father's flower stand and lucha libre. When a World Championship match is announced, Lupita anticipates seeing it until she discovers her ailing father is one of the wrestlers. With the help of a magical mask maker, Lupita secretly trains to take her father's place. She soon finds it difficult keeping her secret from her friends and, most importantly, her father.
  • On The Wings of a Mariposa by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    6–10
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: latina, Latinx + 6 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, young audiences
    Keyword: latina, Latinx, bilingual, Day of the Dead, Monarch Butterfly, Dia de los Muertos, tya, Mexico
    FULL-LENGTH. ON THE WINGS OF A MARIPOSA follows ten-year-old Pilar as she uses a scarf filled with her grandmother’s scent to relive memories of her beloved abuelita—making corn tortillas, dueling the monsters under the bed and journeying to the forest known as El Círculo Mágico. As time passes, the scent fades and with it, Pilar’s memories. Convinced she will lose her abuelita forever, Pilar attempts to...
    FULL-LENGTH. ON THE WINGS OF A MARIPOSA follows ten-year-old Pilar as she uses a scarf filled with her grandmother’s scent to relive memories of her beloved abuelita—making corn tortillas, dueling the monsters under the bed and journeying to the forest known as El Círculo Mágico. As time passes, the scent fades and with it, Pilar’s memories. Convinced she will lose her abuelita forever, Pilar attempts to recreate the scarf's scent. When unexpected results occur, mother helps the young girl understand "when you love someone, they never really leave you."
    Based on Barbara Joosse’s children’s book "Ghost Wings," ON THE WINGS OF A MARIPOSA is set amidst the monarch butterflies' annual migration and Day of the Dead.

    With original recorded music by Dinorah Márquez.

    Running time: 70 minutes

    Perusal scripts & licensing available through Playscripts, Inc.
  • Bienvenidos a Milwaukee/ Welcome to Milwaukee by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    2–18
    ·
    Genre: docudrama/historic, young audiences
    ·
    Keyword: Latinx, Latino + 8 more
    Genre: docudrama/historic, young audiences
    Keyword: Latinx, Latino, Milwaukee, midwest, migration, immigration, bilingual, high school, tya, large cast
    ONE-ACT. Donny is a college student trying to finish a class project that he forgot about. OK. He didn't really forget about it. He just put it off and it's due tomorrow! On Cinco de Mayo, he ventures out into his city in order to gather oral histories(his assignment). While collecting stories from various Latinos in his community, Donny is reminded of his own family's story. A story that...
    ONE-ACT. Donny is a college student trying to finish a class project that he forgot about. OK. He didn't really forget about it. He just put it off and it's due tomorrow! On Cinco de Mayo, he ventures out into his city in order to gather oral histories(his assignment). While collecting stories from various Latinos in his community, Donny is reminded of his own family's story. A story that helps him realize who he really is.
  • Juliana by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: Latinx, BIPOC leads + 6 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: Latinx, BIPOC leads, based on Shakespeare, high school shakespeare, Strong Female Lead, latina, teen performers, Ten-Minute Play
    10-MINUTE PLAY. While rehearsing Romeo & Juliet, a Latina actress refuses to kill herself. She then discusses her reasons for wanting to change the ending of the play for the actual performance.

    Sample pages available.

    This play is published as part of an 8-play collection called MUSINGS OF A CRAZY TEXICAN. Published by TRW.
  • The History of Mexicans in 10 Minutes by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, political + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Latinx, Mexico + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: Latinx, Mexico, Aztec mythology, Mexican history, satire, Mexicans
    10 MINUTE. This satirical play is a fast-paced journey attempting to tell the 500+ years of Mexican history that includes human sacrifices, Aztec gods, smallpox, lisping Spaniards, and Mexicans with bad hair.

    Sample pages available.

    This play is published as part of an 8-play collection called MUSINGS OF A CRAZY TEXICAN. Published by TRW.
  • Brown Only by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: comedy, political + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Latinx, audition + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, political, satire
    Keyword: Latinx, audition, whitewashing, cultural appropriation
    10 MINUTE. When the director of "Pancho Villa—The Musical" refuses to let a Caucasian actor audition for the lead role, the actor pleads by sharing the historical tradition of white people portraying iconic Mexicans.

    Sample pages available.

    This play is published as part of an 8-play collection called MUSINGS OF A CRAZY TEXICAN. Published by TRW.
  • The Day the Music Came Back -- (10-Minute Version) by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: drama, young audiences
    ·
    Keyword: Dystopia, tya + 5 more
    Genre: drama, young audiences
    Keyword: Dystopia, tya, music, storytelling, teenagers, play for teens, high school teens
    10-MINUTE. Imagine a society where music has been banned for over 100 years—where a single melody could incur a visit from the Silencers. Despite the risks, a group of teens has been gathering in secret to share ancient stories about music. But when one of them unearths an illegal music device, could this meeting be their last?

    Published by YouthPLAYS.
  • Where Are You? by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: drama, zoom
    ·
    Keyword: mother daughter relationship, life in the time of COVID-19
    Genre: drama, zoom
    Keyword: mother daughter relationship, life in the time of COVID-19
    10-MINUTE VIRTUAL PLAY. As the Covid pandemic rages on, a worried daughter makes a FaceTime call begging her joy-riding mother to return home and be safe. Mom has her own reasons for leaving the casa.

    Sample pages available.

    This play is published as part of an 8-play collection called MUSINGS OF A CRAZY TEXICAN. Published by TRW.
  • Unmuted by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Cast: 
    8–20
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: a Zoom play, pandemic + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, musical, young audiences, zoom
    Keyword: a Zoom play, pandemic, virtual learning, tya, school, musical
    20-MINUTE VIRTUAL MUSICAL. When the substitute gym teacher is kicked out of the Zoom room of a virtual gym class, the students take over! As the group starts a game of “SorD” (Secret or Dare), they discover more about one another’s lives on the other side of the screen—their frustrations with online school, their love for tacos on Tuesdays and, most importantly, what they miss. Performed in English with some...
    20-MINUTE VIRTUAL MUSICAL. When the substitute gym teacher is kicked out of the Zoom room of a virtual gym class, the students take over! As the group starts a game of “SorD” (Secret or Dare), they discover more about one another’s lives on the other side of the screen—their frustrations with online school, their love for tacos on Tuesdays and, most importantly, what they miss. Performed in English with some Spanish lyrics.

    Lyrics & Music by Deborah Wicks La Puma

    Published by Dramatic Publishing, Inc.
  • Blue Bullets by Alvaro Saar Rios
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: drama, political + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Latinx, police brutality + 3 more
    Genre: drama, political, tragedy
    Keyword: Latinx, police brutality, 1970s America, Mexican American, Texas
    FULL-LENGTH. Blue Bullets is set in Houston, Texas in 1977. As protesters organize in the wake of rampant police brutality, the owner of a Mexican bakery discovers her oven is broken for good. The owner’s attempts to raise money are slowed when the bakery's sole employee becomes involved in the protests. As more police brutality occurs and the owner continues her focus on saving her livelihood, she soon...
    FULL-LENGTH. Blue Bullets is set in Houston, Texas in 1977. As protesters organize in the wake of rampant police brutality, the owner of a Mexican bakery discovers her oven is broken for good. The owner’s attempts to raise money are slowed when the bakery's sole employee becomes involved in the protests. As more police brutality occurs and the owner continues her focus on saving her livelihood, she soon discovers the dangers of ignoring the needs of the community.