Torera

A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Torera

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  2w, 2m, 2 any gender (adult)

Monet Hurst-Mendoza

Bullfighting in Yucatán, Mexico is a world nearly exclusive to men – yet for Elena María Ramírez, it is her life’s ambition. A powerful play written by a stunning new voice in the American theatre, Torera tells a poignant story about becoming your truest self by proudly stepping into the ring.

Image: 2025 WP Theater, The Sol Project, Long Wharf Theatre and Latinx Playwrights Circle Co-Production (Joan Marcus)

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Torera

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 2m, 2 any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • Suggested Use
    • Monologues
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

Bullfighting in Yucatán, Mexico is a world nearly exclusive to men – yet for Elena María Ramírez, it is her life’s ambition. With the help of her best friend, a matador’s son, Elena begins secretly training to compete with the greatest. But when she discovers that her seemingly inherent talent can beat even the most accomplished toreros, this young woman must choose between accepting society’s limits or breaking boundaries. A powerful play written by a stunning new voice in the American theatre, Torera tells a poignant story about becoming your truest self by proudly stepping into the ring.

History
Torera premiered at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas on 12 May 2023. Directed by Tatiana Pandiani, the production featured Jacqueline Guillén, Jesse Castellanos, Eliud Garcia Kauffman, Maria Elena Ramirez, José Arrieta Cuesta and Carolína Ornelas.
Keywords
Performing Groups

ELENA MARÍA RAMÍREZ – 12-28. Free-spirited, confident, unusually perceptive. Dreams of becoming a famous bullfighter. A great torera.
TANOK CÁRDENAS – 12-28. A privileged, charming, slightly arrogant smart-ass but sweet-natured. A great rejoneador.
PASTORA RAMÍREZ – Early 40s-50s. Wise, loving, dutiful; mother to Elena, nanny and housekeeper to the Cárdenas family. Sharp and determined when needed.
DON RAFAEL CÁRDENAS – Late 40s-50s. A great rejoneador-turned-trainer in retirement; a taskmaster, dripping with machismo. The type of older aristocratic man with a love of the game you’d see in an old Mexican film about caballeros. Doesn’t like to show emotion, but holds within him a suffocating vulnerability.

GROOMS / ENFERMERA / CUADRILLA TORERÉ / ENSEMBLE
Toreré in the bullring and stable helpers in the Picadero. The Enfermera can double with one of the Grooms. Open to all gender identities.

  • Time Period New Millennium/21st Century
  • Setting

    The Cárdenas Hacienda in Mérida and other locations in México. 1992 & 2000.

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 105 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol

Media

“Compelling drama... visceral and athletic.” – Houston Chronicle

“Torera is of course about bullfighting, but it’s about a lot of other things, too – privilege, chauvinism, the generational divide, and how much an intractable class system can distort the destinies of two people from (almost) the exact same place.” – Houston Chronicle

“A young girl’s rite of passage and study of empowerment... the play’s a rom-com until the dark overtones leach in: patriarchy, rigid class status, family pride, and a social system where girls must know their place and serve their men.” – Houston Press

“I’ve loved stories about fiery little girls ever since I was one. Even now, at 27 years old, I’ll ritually devour any story about a girl who crashes and clatters against convention, nourishing the younger self that lives within me. Newly added to my evergrowing list of beloved, fierce girl protagonists is Torera’s Elena María Ramírez. I found myself beaming, enchanted by a protagonist who exhibited the fierceness of my favorite childhood heroes, this time, against a cultural backdrop I recognized. It was a joyous experience.” – Citlali Pizarro, 3Views

Videos

  • Torera – Alley Theatre Teaser youtube thumbnail

    Torera – Alley Theatre Teaser

  • Torera – Behind the Projection Design at Alley Theatre youtube thumbnail

    Torera – Behind the Projection Design at Alley Theatre

  • Torera – WP Theater Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Torera – WP Theater Trailer

Photos

  • Torera

    Image: 2025 WP Theater, The Sol Project, Long Wharf Theatre and Latinx Playwrights Circle Co-Production (Joan Marcus)

  • Torera

    Image: 2025 WP Theater, The Sol Project, Long Wharf Theatre and Latinx Playwrights Circle Co-Production (Joan Marcus)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

Monet Hurst-Mendoza

Monet Hurst-Mendoza
Monet Hurst-Mendoza is a New York City-based playwright from Los Angeles, CA. Her plays include Torera (production: Alley Theatre; development: Public Theater, Long Wharf Theater and Westport Country Playhouse), Blind Crest (development: AADA, The Other Mirror), Veil’d (produ ...
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