An Off-Broadway show hasn’t won Best Musical at the Drama League Awards since 1996. Mexodus, the two-man act currently playing at the Daryl Roth Theatre, just changed that.
On the surface, the narrative seems simple: an unlikely duo. However, co-creators Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson make clear that this is a story that’s been left out of history books. Robinson plays Henry, a Texan who seeks freedom across the Rio Grande. Just south of the border, he meets Carlos, a Mexican farmer who has wounds of his own. Though the characters are fictional, it reflects the reality that thousands of enslaved Black people sought refuge in Mexico in the late 1800s.
Mexodus’ main draw is the live-looping element, an incredible display of technicality, musicality, and multi-tasking. Both actors create the music in real time using instruments, props, and foot pedals throughout the stage. This made for some creative storytelling; in one scene, Henry and Carlos’ guitars served as shovels, digging through the dirt with their strumming. Washboards become percussion, and stomping acts as drum beats. Scenic Designer Riw Rakkulchon’s set is a living mosaic of music, and Quijada and Robinson reveal new sounds like magicians. While the show is primarily hip-hop, genres, too, transcend borders: blues turns into bolero, and ballads sit neatly against spitfire raps. You never know what to expect, and it’s riveting to watch.
Quijada and Robinson both put forward incredible performances. Robinson is responsible for most of the show’s early songs, and his character’s music is quick and wordy. I found it a bit hard to understand the lyrics at times, but it feels like a conscious choice, reflecting Henry’s fear, pain, and desire to escape. Quijada has a natural charm, and he understands when to insert moments of comedy into this tragedy. At times, the actors play themselves, weaving their personal anecdotes into the show, but it’s never confusing, thanks to Director David Mendizábal’s smart staging.
Mexodus teaches us that judgment is learned, and we can do more when we realize that todos estamos juntos en esto. It’s a story of Black and brown liberation, not just in 1851, but in the present day. The show welcomes instead of gatekeeps, and in a political landscape where we’re too quick to lock our own doors, we could use a little bienvenidos.
Catch Mexodus before it leaves the Off-Broadway stage on June 14. Running time: 90 minutes. Tickets: https://mexodusmusical.com/
