Clásicos-Americanos
Mexico
Mex-Clásicos is a collaborative initiative between Diversifying the Classics at UCLA and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), designed to build new bridges through the shared tradition of Hispanic classical theater.
We commission contemporary Spanish-language adaptations of early modern plays, develop children’s books that bring classic stories to new generations, and foster creative and academic exchange. Through performances, workshops, and research seminars, Mex-Clásicos invites artists, students, and audiences to rethink the classics for today’s world. The project’s first wave of theatrical adaptations premiered at LA Escena 2024. In 2025, we introduced a competition and theatermaker residency in Mexico to encourage new dramaturgical approaches to comedia.
Mex-Clásicos was launched with funding from UC Alianza MX.
Performances
Mex-Clásicos is designed to promote and incentivize the dramatic adaptation of comedias. To this end, we have coordinated with UNAM’s Festival Internacional de Teatro Universitario (FITU), including: Barbara Fuchs on “Nuevas Dramaturgias sobre el teatro clásico Hispano” (2023), Paola Izquierdo and Fernando Villa on “Posibilidades de diálogo con textos áureos a partir de narrativas, lenguajes escénicos y preocupaciones del siglo XX” (2024), and Juan Carrillo’s work-in-progress presentation of Historia de un amor (2024). In spring 2025, we offered the theatermaker residency/laboratory “Nuevas Dramaturgias del Teatro Clásico Hispano,” with five projects developed for the 2025 edition of FITU.
The initiative also commissioned Mexican theatrical productions for UCLA’s LA Escena Festival. The 2024 edition included David Gaitán’s La tinta de mi honra, Ismael Rojas’ La última gran aventura de la Monja Alférez, and Los Colochos’ Historia de un amor.
Academic Research
The Seminar on the Early Modern Period is a research group directed by Dr. Gabriela Villanueva-Noriega of UNAM’s Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. It brings together students, faculty, and artists to explore the early modern period, and currently focuses on dramatic texts.
The seminar holds an annual symposium in September highlighting the texts and research discussed throughout the year.
Children’s Books and Adaptations
Learn more about our materials for kids here, created in collaboration with UNAM and UANL.
Argentina
We are currently expanding our work in Latin America to Argentina.
Planned activities include commissions for two new adaptations from cutting-edge theatermakers, with presentations in Buenos Aires in July 2026, and an April 2027 conference at UCLA on Hispanic classics in Latin America.
Photo credit: Reed Hutchinson and Illustration credit: Tania Recio