BY ROSALBA ROLÓN
At this time of the year, each year, July 1st to be precise, thousands of arts organizations launch our new seasons, regardless of size, resources or circumstance. A small desk in the living room, a couple of friends around a table, a nice office in an arts center, an economy seat in a flight to somewhere. Creative minds — artists, producers, curators, community arts organizers and more — have been planning for this moment, for a new season in which ideas that seemed distant just a year ago are closer to becoming a reality. For some, the content of their ‘new season’ consists of taking a step closer to something that has been brewing for years. The rhythms of arts planning vary from country to country — though perhaps not as much as one might expect.
For us at Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, it is a bit of ‘all-of-the-above’.
Our 2026–27 Season has arrived, and with it, a rich mix of theater productions, multidisciplinary artist residencies, guest artists, international projects — including our annual short film fest, recurrent community collaborations, and more. Our Bronx and Manhattan theaters keep their doors swinging, although occasionally, they are quiet. Something is brewing inside. Rehearsals, artists absorbed in a quiet stage space, a studio, or the tech booth — downloading their creative energy. They need quiet. We all do. And then ‘boom!’, one day the doors swing again, ready for audiences to witness the magic.
As I write these notes, humans around the world face unimaginable tragedies — human-made and natural alike — as creative minds struggle to find a safe place ‘to be’, without fear, without looking over their shoulders. Extreme right movements worldwide have been energized, in some instances, unchecked. Fear is real. Humans are labeled ‘illegal’ by forces that manufacture labels, a brand ready for mass consumption. And to a large degree, they have succeeded. The impact on those who create art — and on those who receive it — echoes what we see across other domains: education, community services, agriculture, manufacturing, neighborhood organizations, even professional classifications. We trust that the global family we have built over the decades will stay strong, will connect and re-connect, challenging the notions of the ‘outsider’, and the power and political pressures that feed those notions.
But I am an optimist. Even now. I blink slowly and leave space for hope.
So Let’s Do It! — Actions Speak Louder Than Words
From July 2026 – June 2027, Pregones/PRTT will welcome audiences at both our theaters with a season worthy of the moment – after all, we are indeed, NYC’s Bronx-Manhattan Theater Express! Our rich repertoire over the years has gotten us to where we are today, inspiring artists across generations. Our extraordinary ensemble of actors, musicians, and creative collaborators opens a window into past, present, and future. And our multigenerational audiences are in for something rich!
A formal season announcement is forthcoming — but here, in my own words, are some early highlights for the year ahead:
LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE BEEP – A musical theater collection of poems, stories, and melodies drawn from a celebrated slate of Nuyorican poets, remounted in partnership with Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico and newly featuring living poets from the island.
¡SAN MIGUEL, AMARRA TU PERRO! – This one travels back to the turn of the 20th century through original ensemble adaptations of journals, essays, and poetry, featuring key figures in Puerto Rican history like Don Pedro Albizu Campos and Luisa Capetillo.
DOOMSCROLL (working title) – A brand-new forum theater play, second in our acclaimed current sequence of the Abrazo/Embrace initiative devoted to community wellness and mental health, written by Alejandra Ramos Riera, the author of Burned!
MARCH IS MUSIC – will bring an international slate of magnificent musical ensembles, and solo piano artists in its Piano Sundays programming. A gift for the ears.
LOBBY EXHIBITS – Intimate visual arts exhibitions curated in partnership with En Foco and Bronx Historical Society, including a special retrospective honoring poet, storyteller, and Indigenous rights advocate Bobby González.
FILM WEDNESDAYS – Ongoing monthly program of shorts and features of distinct cultural relevance, curated by media artist/producer Melisa Ramos and broadcast in partnership with BronxNet.
RESIDENCIES and PARTNERSHIPS – We are growing our exchange of creative space, talent, and professional development. Key returning initiatives include Artists Space at Pregones (ASAP), Step Up Artist Residencies, and conservatory-level collaboration with R.Evolución Latina’s Beyond Workshop Series through our Raúl Juliá Training Unit.
But Wait! There’s More! – International Fun and Strength
In the spirit of global collaborations, we are working closely with theater colleagues in other countries, something we have done since day one. For over 10 years we worked with sister companies in Belgium, The Netherlands, South Africa, Perú and Slovakia. The Worldwide Theater Carrousel brought us together virtually and in person. We paused, but most of us stayed in touch. We are craving another round. More on this soon!
Highlights of our International initiatives this Season:
21 ISLANDS INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL – Our growing digital festival program selected from over 3,000 submissions by filmmakers living and working on islands around the globe. Always produced in collaboration with Melisa Ramos, this year we bring back an in-person celebration in The Bronx!
TEATRO ALEPH, the Chilean-born/French-based theater company, presents CUERVO — a documentary theater work drawn from the unpublished autobiography of company founder Óscar “Cuervo” Castro, performed by his sons, tracing his survival as a political prisoner under Pinochet through the act of making theater inside the camps.
SECUENCIA 3, the revered theater company based in Madrid, and their production of MADAME BOVARY — Eduardo Galán’s adaptation of Flaubert’s enduring novel, directed by Carla Nyman, brings Emma Bovary’s restless inner life to the stage in a spare, intimate production with a cast of four.
So yes, Happy New Season! Not just temporary joy, but the deep and lasting kind. And fittingly so, it will be our first full programming season as a new and proud member of the NYC Cultural Institutions Group.
IN MEMORIAM:
In the early 1980s, when Pregones was exclusively a touring company with an office in the Bronx — Reverend Roberto Morales, then Rector of historic St. Ann’s Church, offered us the use of the church’s gym so we could build our first theater. What began as a modest transformation turned out to be a magnificent performing arts venue that welcomed countless companies from across the country and around the world. We spoke with Father Roberto just a few weeks before his passing. Our hearts and prayers are with his family, both biological and extended.
As of this writing, we are also tracking the devastation of last week’s earthquakes in Caracas and the humanitarian aid that’s under way — we encourage all to take supportive action in ways that feel meaningful to you. We hold all our dear Venezuelan colleagues, friends, and families close to our hearts. Each loss is huge. And for many of us, it is personal. We also lost two magnificent friends, arts advocates, solidary souls who helped shape our first years some 40+ years ago. José Ignacio Jiménez and María Clemencia, a loving couple, are among the victims. Sending a wave of appreciation to all the rescuers from around the world that are working day and night to rescue the victims. Thank you.
HERE WE ARE!
Please reach out, visit our theaters, support the Arts!