Zapata
by Zach Theatre
Jun. 04
Sixteen-year-old Xochitl Fernandez dreams of becoming a
folklórico dancer. Her mother, Ofelia, vehemently opposes the idea, urging Xochitl to
focus on college, pursue a well-paying job for stability, and assimilate as the best
possible American. Constantly on the move from city to city, the duo finally finds a
semblance of home in Tejas. However, their stability is shattered when Ofelia, on the brink
of a promotion at her energy drink company, is abducted by the villainous Helado. To her
amazement, Xochitl discovers that she shares a special power with her mother and
grandmother – the power of Zapata! In a quest to rescue her ama from Helado, Xochitl
embarks on a journey down El Camino De Las Estrellas to find Mazatepa, Mexico, essential
for fully unlocking the power of Zapata. Tested along the way, Xochitl will need to call on
specific traditional Ballet Folklorico dance moves to pass tests.
ZACH Theatre is seeking actors of all ethnicities and gender identities for our upcoming
production of ZAPATA. In-person auditions will be held on Wednesday, June 4 from
4:00 pm - 7:30 pm at the Nowlin Rehearsal Studio at 1426 Toomey Road.
PERSONNEL:
Book, Music, & Lyrics by Jesse J. Sanchez
Director: Anna Skidis Vargas | Director of Education: Nat Miller | Casting Associate: Jenny
Lavery
REHEARSAL & PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Rehearsals are Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm from September 23 - October 5th, 2025.
Tech is October 7th -11th from 9am -5pm. Performances for schools and families will begin
in the Whisenhunt Theatre on October 14th, 2025 and take place Tuesdays through
Sundays weekly with the final performance on November 16th, 2025. Weekend
performances will be at 11 am and 2pm. Weekday performances will be at 10 a.m. and 12
p.m.
Actors should only audition if they will have daytime availability in September -
November of 2025.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION:
We are seeking non-AEA actors of all ethnicities, ages, and gender identities.
●
Fill out an audition form HERE
●
●
Please prepare 16-32 bars of an up-tempo musical theater or pop song in the style of
the show.
○
Please bring marked sheet music for the accompanist.
○
Please bring your book with you to the audition, in case the casting team
wants to hear an additional song.
Submission Deadline: June 3rd, 2025 5:00pm
CST.ZAPATA AUDITION NOTICE
ROLES TO BE CAST:
XOCHITL/ZAPATA, Female-Identifying, Tejana/Mexican Descent, Late Teens-20s,
Mezzo-Soprano with a Strong Belt. Brilliant, determined, and ready to take the world by the
horns, Zochitl feels called to acknowledge her culture through dance. A strong dancer,
especially in Ballet Folklórico. Joy Huerta meets Selena.
OFELIA, Female-identifying, Tejana/Mexican Descent, Late 20s-Late 30s, Mezzo-Soprano.
Quirky, guarded, and thoughtful, Ofelia is the standard American mother with the standard
American Dream. A strong dancer, especially in Ballet Folklórico. Celine Dion meets Angie
Lopez (from The George Lopez Show).
HELADO, Male-Identifying, Tejano/Mexican Descent, Late 20s-50s, Tenor. Out for revenge,
shows no mercy, and scarred from a deeper, underlying experience in his life. A strong
dancer, especially in Ballet Folklórico. Javert meets Antonio Banderas.
CHICALINGA, Male-Identifying, Chicano/Mexican Descent, Late 20s-late 30s, Tenor. The
protector of Xochitl and a dog of his word, he carries himself with wisdom and charm.
ALBONDIGA, Female-identifying, Chicana/Mexican Descent, Late 30's-50's, Alto. Helado's
number two. She is a very misunderstood gato. She asks a lot of questions for clarity.
We are also looking for Non-AEA Understudies for this production.
