Mexodus

Mexodus is playing the Coca-Cola Stage at the Alliance Theatre through Friday, October 16, its Atlanta debut. It's a two-man show by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, and it's built around a piece of American history that doesn't get much space in the textbooks: the thousands of enslaved people who fled south across the Rio Grande to find freedom in Mexico.

Quijada and Robinson handle everything themselves on stage. They blend live-looped music, storytelling, and raw theatricality, building the score in front of you from hip-hop, jazz, and ranchera influences. The music isn't just a backdrop; it's a central part of how the story is told, and you get to hear it come together as the show goes on. The whole thing runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.

Before it hit Atlanta, Mexodus had an acclaimed Off-Broadway run that won four Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Musical. The New York Times called it "an electrifying theatrical experience," and the New York Theatre Guide described it as "bursting with infectious, buoyant energy," with the Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle also giving it a nod. It's a production that's earned its reputation before arriving here.

One thing to keep in mind: it's rated for audiences ages 13 and up, and it contains some explicit language and depictions of slavery. The remaining performances are Thursday, October 15 and Friday, October 16, both starting at 7:30 PM. You can find the Alliance Theatre at 1280 Peachtree Street NE.