Laughs en Español: A Play Full of Love, Family Drama, and Self-Discovery

Have you ever wanted to see a telenovela, pero, different from all the traditional ones? Laughs in Spanish serves up all the drama and chaos you expect but in a more modern way. 

The play Laughs in Spanish, written by Alexis Scheer and directed by Dámaso Rodríguez, is an amusing, chaotic and  heartfelt comedy that mixes both English and Spanish to deliver the perfect blend of both. Set in Miami during Art Basel, the story kicks off in the middle of a crisis followed by family drama and unexpected discoveries, showing a realistic mother-daughter relationship, strong chemistry between the characters and themes of inclusivity. The talented cast includes Diana Burbano, Diana Garle, Cheyenne Barton, Gabriell Salgado and Beth Pollack.

The play starts off with a problem: paintings go missing from Mariana's (Beth Pollack) art gallery that she is going to present for her Art Basel that night. Suddenly her mom Estella (Diana Burbano) who's been absent from her life for many years shows up trying to win her back. Meanwhile her assistant Caro (Diana Garle) and her boyfriend Juan (Gabriell Salgado) are dealing with a situation that could change everything between them.

One of the things that stood out to me wasn't the lighting or the set, it was the genuine connection between characters, specifically Juan and Caro, two characters that had the most chemistry overall. During the scene where Juan tells Carol that they didn't have to get married since she already had enough going on and asked her to move in with him instead and start their own little family. That scene felt genuine and raw like it was brought from the heart instead of a script. I gotta give credit to their intimacy consultant, they did a fantastic job guiding Juan and Caro on how to not overstep boundaries, yet still deliver a heartfelt movement. Another heartfelt moment that really stood out was how Juan literally stole the paintings just so Caro could display her art in the Art Basel that night which was just heartwarming seeing how he's risking it all just for Caro’s art to be seen, seeing Juan care that deeply about Caro’s dream made me think of just how beautiful love can be.

Another reason why this play stood out to me was because of how inclusive it was, during the scene that Mari kisses Jenny (Cheyenne Barton), that scene felt powerful, especially considering how the play is set in Miami, a mostly Hispanic/Latinx community where queerness isn't always normalized, but seeing Mari find herself in that moment was powerful, it truly meant a lot how the play included a queer Latina character finding her true identity. 

The part that stood out to me most was the complicated relationship relationship that Mari and her mom Estella had, her being gone for long and suddenly coming back trying to make up for all the years she wasn't present hit home, specifically the part where Mari is confronting her about her not being there for important events like her art show in college or when she acted in the The Secret Garden in middle school, Estella always tried to justify it by saying she was working and couldn't make it, that moment felt very real and brought tears to my eyes. Another moment that hit me was when Estella was asking Mari why she stopped acting if she loved it so much, to which Mari responded by saying that she didn't want to be like her. That line stood out to me because it was so simple, but it had a lot of emotions behind it. The thought of growing up and not having your own identity, of always being in someone else's shadow, made Mari’s decision more understandable; she didn't want to be her mother's shadow; she wanted her own persona.

Laughs in Spanish is more than just a fun, chaotic comedy; it’s a heartwarming story about love, identity, and family. It’s relatable, emotional, and full of meaning, making it a play that anyone can connect with. Although it’s targeted more towards teenagers and young adults, I think this play would also be enjoyed by older audiences, especially middle-aged viewers. There's something for everyone.

Lead photo: Diana Garle, Diana Burbano, Beth Pollack, Gabriell Salgado, and Cheyenne Barton in Laughs in Spanish (2025). Lighting Design by Robert J. Aguilar. Scenic Design by Sara C Walsh. Photo by Bronwen Houck. 

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This review was written as part of an Arts Criticism workshop at Evergreen High School in Emily Acquino’s Language Arts classes, taught by Press Corps teaching artist Jose Abaoag. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission.