LA ZAMBRA DEL ZORRO will delight people of all ages. Told in ballet and dance, the story is set in California during the early 1800s – against the backdrop of Mexico’s struggle, under the banner of Our Lady of Guadalupe, for independence from colonial “New Spain”. The Pueblo de la Reina de los Angeles is under oppressive military/caste/class rule – the indigenous Natives are dispossessed and subject to heavy taxation and enslavement by a “pure-blood” Spanish power structure.

Young Diego de la Vega is half-Native (his mother: a Native Tongva warrior) and half “Mulatto” (his father: a former military officer, half-Spanish, half-African). Inspired by his mentor Padre Felipé’s  opposition to the exploitive colonial rule, Diego dons the black mask and cloak of El Zorro (The Fox).  With his adopted Native brother Bernardo, he wages a stealth campaign against injustice.

They are joined by like-minded allies, childhood companions Fiorella Torres and Victoria the Gypsy who manages the local tavern. Meanwhile, Diego and Esperanza are smitten with each other, even though she is the niece of Zorro’s opponent, the ruthless alcalde (mayor) Luis Quintero whose wife Inez longs for the lavish lifestyle she had enjoyed in Spain. This drives Luis to collect (and pocket) more taxes – and to concoct a scheme with the more ruthless military Capitan to discredit Zorro. Can Esperanza and Victoria, with the aid of the Native servants and tavern workers, undo these nefarious plans? It unfolds in a comedy of errors at Esperanza’s debutante party.

The local folk do their best to celebrate life in spite of the oppressive regime. The plaza and tavern become stages for festive dances, including the Zambra, a style of barefoot Flamenco performed by Roma (Gypsy/Gitano) immigrants. In the end, Natives and Roma join forces with Zorro’s friends to bring down the regime and advance the cause of “Tierra y Libertad” – “Land and Liberty” for all.

La Zambra del Zorro is inspired by a century of variations on the character created by Johnston McCulley in 1919 and portrayed by actors Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power, Guy Williams, George Hamilton, Duncan Regehr, Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, and many others.  It also draws upon the 2005 novel Zorro, by Chilean author Isabel Allende who recast the legend in an historical light, with indigenous and feminist perspectives, for 21st century audiences.

La Zambra del Zorro is produced by American Liberty Ballet of Union City, New Jersey, as directed by Valerie Mae Browne, and with permission from Zorro Productions, Inc. This original production is choreographed by Osamu Uehara in collaboration with librettist Mark A. Sullivan. Performances are scheduled for March 2nd & 3rd, 2024, at The Theatre at St. Jean’s, 150 East 76th Street, New York City.