twenty50 by Tony Meneses

Andres Salazar is running for office. In an America where Latinos are now considered part of the racial majority, he has tough decisions to make. Will identifying himself as a Mexican American help or hinder him on Election Day? Will denying part of his identity be worth the potential political benefits?

As the campaign forces his mother and daughter to face their own questions of culture and identity, a mysterious stranger arrives. Searching for freedom and running from the law, his appearance jeopardizes everything the family holds dear.

On the brink of our upcoming presidential election, this suspenseful thriller grapples with the future consequences of our policies today and the true cost of the American dream.

Tony Meneses was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and raised in Albuquerque/Dallas. His plays include Guadalupe in the Guest Room and The Women of Padilla, which both had world premieres at Two River Theater. He’s an alum of the Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab, Ars Nova Play Group, Sundance Institute Playwrights Retreat at Ucross, Playwrights Realm Writing Fellowship, Youngblood, and has been previously developed at the LARK Playwrights’ Week and the Berkeley Rep Ground Floor. He’s a two-time recipient of the Kennedy Center Latinx Playwriting Award, is published by Dramatists Play Service, and is currently under commission from the Denver Center and Two River Theater. Education: UT Austin, Iowa Playwrights Workshop, Juilliard.