THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET centers around the life of young Latina Esperanza Cordero, as she undergoes her personal journey into adulthood. As she matures, Esperanza encounters the harsh realities of puberty as well the hardships witnessed in her family and her Mango Street neighborhood. Despite all she witnesses and endures, Esperanza seeks hope and persists toward a better future.

Ludwig’s adaption of THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET received national critical acclaim. The Chicago Tribune said, “Some plays open up their world so completely they cast a thick spell. That’s the triumphant case with director Amy Ludwig’s joyous and generous adaptation of The House on Mango Street.” And, “Amy Ludwig’s respectful stage adaptation honors Cisneros’ eloquent writing,” said the Los Angeles Times.

“THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET is currently banned from Tucson, Arizona schools. Why? Sandra Cisneros’ powerful words take us to the heart of how it feels to grow up as an outsider. In today’s climate, that’s a story we need to share and celebrate, not to silence,” said THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET adaptor Amy Ludwig.

Director Alexandra Meda said, “The story of Esperanza, her young desire to shake the sky and soar above her ‘House on Mango Street’ and the special kind of fear and hate that is directed at immigrant families, is a very personal touchstone for so many readers over the last 20 years — including this cast and creative team. The isolation, violence, and limitations that surround Esperanza feel all too familiar in the current state of affairs we find ourselves in today in the United States. I am thrilled to be working with this exciting talented cast in exploring the contemporary relationships we have as a society to this family and neighborhood that was brought to life over 25 years ago.”

THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET is presented in celebration of Greenway Arts Alliance 20^th Anniversary year, which kicks off on October 8, 2017. For two decades, the nonprofit GAA has been uniting communities through art, education and social enterprise. Greenway, a community leader and role model in social enterprise, runs the Greenway Court Theatre (a professional 99-seat theater), the Greenway Institute for the Arts (an arts education program at Fairfax High School, Title 1 high school in Los Angeles) and the Melrose Trading Post (a weekly open-air arts based marketplace). An all-day community celebration of Greenway Arts Alliance’s 20^th Anniversary will take place at the world famous Melrose Trading Post on Sunday, October 8.

The acclaimed novel, The House on Mango Street, has been used as required reading in educational institutions all around the nation. Continuing this theme of education, Greenway Arts Alliance’s educational wing, the Greenway Institute of the Arts (GIA), will incorporate the novel and stage production into Fairfax High School’s curriculum through the GreenwayReads program. Greenway’s multi-disciplinary approach to programming will focus on the novel’s themes while bringing it to life on stage and through arts education and special events. Three hundred students will participate in GreenwayReads and will have the opportunity to see the stage production at select matinee performances. Last year, GIA and GCT kicked off the GreenwayReads program with Greenway’s production of George Orwell’s 1984.

“It was important that we choose a book and play that reflect the lives of the students at Fairfax High School, Esperanza’s story in THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET is the story of so many students at Fairfax,” said Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director Whitney Weston of Greenway Arts Alliance.

“We reached out for recommendations from our amazing community of artists and educators who have supported us over Greenway’s 20-year history. We agreed that staging a classic that so beautifully portrays the power of place and home for an immigrant family is a must-see in our current political climate,” added Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Greenway Arts Alliance, Pierson Blaetz.

“Most of the professional staff and crew of GreenwayReads participate in the student sessions, before and after the performances. For many students, it is the first time they have ever seen a professional play, and after the program, it’s amazing to see them actively invested and excited about theatre,” said Weston. “Pierson and I are grateful that our cast and crew share Greenway Arts Alliance’s mission of uniting communities through art.”