LOS ANGELES MISSION COLLEGE THEATRE ARTS
Bringing professional theatre training and productions to Los Angeles's Northeast Valley since 2015
Zoot Suit
May 15-31, 2026
Los Angeles Mission College is thrilled to announce Zoot Suit, Luis Valdez’s groundbreaking musical, as our Spring 2026 Theatre Arts production. Zoot Suit, the ultimate Los Angeles theatrical experience, will light up the AMP Theater to celebrate ten years of outstanding theatre arts at LA Mission College.
Zoot Suit will be presented in the LA Mission College AMP Theater from May 15-31. Tickets range from $10-25 and are on sale now.
In 1978, Zoot Suit packed the Mark Taper Forum for eleven months before becoming the first Chicano play on Broadway and a major motion picture. An equally popular revival rocked the Taper again in 2017. Now, LA Mission College Theatre has gathered a company of over fifty students, faculty, staff, and guest artists to bring Valdez’s essential and urgent American tale to life. New faculty member Raúl Cardona leads a cast of 25 as the mythological figure El Pachuco, a role he has played at the Taper and El Teatro Campesino under the direction of Luis Valdez, and at major theaters across the Southwest. Additional guest artists bring a wealth of Chicano theatre experience to our community including Cristina Frías (ELAC faculty), Laurie Muñiz (choreographer), and LA Mission and CSUN theatre alum Ana Trinity Medina (Chavez Ravine).
Luis Valdez’s Zoot Suit weaves together fact and fiction to portray the events surrounding the infamous 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder trial and the ensuing Zoot Suit riots. With a musical score that features original songs by Lalo Guerrero, pachuco style and slang, explosive swing dance numbers, costumes from the 2017 Taper revival, and a design that fuses indigenous culture and the 1940s, LA Mission College’s Zoot Suit taps into the roots of the Northeast San Fernando Valley, bringing to life the urgent cultural and political clashes that continue to shape our city in 2026.
Zoot Suit is presented in association with El Teatro Campesino.
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PERFORMANCES
Friday May 15, 7:00 pm
Saturday May 16, 7:00 pm
Thursday May 21, 7:00 pm
Friday May 22, 7:00 pm
Saturday May 23, 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday May 24, 1:00 pm
Thursday May 28, 7:00 pm
Friday May 29, 7:00 pm
Saturday May 30, 1:00 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday May 31, 1:00 pm​​
Raúl Cardona
Raúl Cardona (He/him/his) has been involved in the arts for over 30 years. He earned a BA in Theatre and Dance (UCSD) and a Masters of Education (NU). Theatrical credits include Quixote Nuevo as Papa Calaca at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts & Round House, Zoot Suit as El Pachuco at El Teatro Campesino and The San Diego Repertory Theatre, understudied El Pachuco and performed as Smiley Torres in Zoot Suit’s 40th Anniversary Revival at Center Theatre Group, Don Rayo in A Silvery Night at Frida Kahlo Theatre, Cancion Del Inmigrante; A Folk Opera with One Grain of Sand Puppet Theatre, August 29 with the Latino Theatre Company, Oscar Zeta Acosta in Brown Buffalo at Company of Angels, Corridos Remix, Mummified Deer, and Bandido, The American Melodrama of Tiburcio Vasquez at the San Diego Repertory. Mundo Mata, La Pastorela and La Virgen Del Tepeyac at El Teatro Campesino. Other credits include Fame, The Wiz and a southern California tour with Lalo Guerrero Y Sus Ardillitas, as Panfilo. National tours include Veteranos, A Legacy of Valor and Selena Forever. TV/Film credits include Mayans MC, Enlightened, Outlaw, Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, and Shadow Kingdom with Bob Dylan.
ZOOT SUIT
By Luis Valdez
Original music by Lalo Guerrero​​​​​
Directed by Robert Cucuzza and Raúl Cardona
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CAST
Raúl Cardona* as El Pachuco
Carlos Daniel Esquivel as Henry Reyna
Javier Guardado as Enrique Reyna
Cristina Frías* as Dolores Reyna
Ana Trinidad Medina* as Dolores Reyna
Natalie Patino as Lupe Reyna
Giovanny Benavente as Rudy Reyna
Damilola Makinde as George Sherer
Debby Hirschmann as Alice Bloomfield
Dreya Félix-González as Della Barrios
Brent Shewfelt as Smiley Torres​
Allison Orantes-Gonzalez as Joey Castro
Kevin Khussainov as Tommy Roberts
Ceelo Rodriguez as El Pachuco (understudy)
with
Monique Millicent as Elena Torres and others
Diana Carolina Jimenez as Bertha Villareal
Kevin Hernandez Diaz as Rafas and others
Gerardo Vergara Sanchez as Judge and others
Sel Prado as Cub Reporter and others
Emmanuel Gonzalez as Lt. Edwards and others
Edward Styles Gallego as Sgt. Smith and others
Janelle Vargas Navarrete as The Press
Gabby Campos as Manchuka and others
Hector Ruelas Sanchez* as Swabbie and others
Joaquin Gamboa* as Hobo and others​
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CREATIVE
SCENIC AND PROPS DESIGNER
Dorothy Hoover
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Bri Pattillo
COSTUME DESIGNER
Lena Sands
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CHOREOGRAPHER
Laurie Marie Muñiz*
PRODUCTION
PRODUCER Robert Cucuzza
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Lauren Anderson-Llewellyn
FIGHT DIRECTOR Edgar Landa*
VOCAL DIRECTOR Ryan Espinosa
PRODUCTION MANAGER/TECHNICAL DIRECTOR K. Aaron Blokker
STAGE MANAGER Ali Barrera
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Isaiah Garcia
ASSOCIATE COSTUME DESIGNER Ashley Snyder
COSTUME SUPERVISOR Kitty Murphy-Youngs*
COSTUME TEAM Diana Martinez
SCENIC PAINTER JessieAnna Wilton*
PROPS ARTISAN Danielle Johnson
INTIMACY DIRECTOR Mary Zastrow*
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Ana Borrego
DRAMATURGS Ana Borrego/David Carrera
BUILD TEAM Nikki Arcega, Alejandra Valenzuela, Juliana Garcia, Julian Casarez
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Yazlin Juarez*
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* Guest Artist
Information about seeing ZOOT SUIT
LOCATION
Los Angeles Mission College
13356 Eldridge Avenue
Sylmar, CA 91342
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THE AMP THEATER
The AMP Theater is located on the LA Mission College Campus in the Arts, Media & Performance building, next to the parking structure.
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PARKING
Parking is free in the LA Mission parking structure or on Eldridge Street.
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TICKETING
It is highly recommended that you purchase tickets in advance through our ticketing web site. We expect this show to sell out, sometimes in advance.
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BOX OFFICE
The box office opens one hour before show time. Tickets may be purchased at the theater on the day of performance, subject to availability. We operate a cashless box office and accept credit cards, tap, and mobile phone payments (ApplePay, etc...).
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ARRIVE EARLY
Zoot Suit is very popular and we expect large crowds for each of these shows. Please make every effort to arrive at least fifteen minutes before show time to help ease the crush on our small box office staff.
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LATE ARRIVALS
If you arrive after the show has begun, we'll make every effort to seat you in the theater. However, our theater is small and late arrivals disrupt both the audience and performers. As stated above, If you arrive after the curtain time (1:00 or 7:00), we cannot guarantee that you will be seated in the seats you selected, with the rest of your party, or at all.
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THURSDAY AND FRIDAY TRAFFIC
If you are seeing a performance on Thursday or Friday, leave extra time to get to the theater, whether you are driving on freeways, surface roads, or taking public transportation. It can take nearly twice as long, even from short distances.
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DURATION
The show runs around two hours and fifteen minutes with an intermission.
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CONTENT ADVISORY

Zoot Suit contains coarse language and simulated violence.
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FOOD AND DRINK
There will be no food or drink sold at the show. No food or drink is allowed in the AMP Theater.
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CELL PHONES, PICTURES AND VIDEOS
Cell phone usage of any kind is absolutely prohibited during the show. The light from screens is distracting not only for your neighbors, but especially for the actors. Photographs or video recordings of the show are also prohibited.