Alvaro Saar Rios

CARMELA FULL OF WISHES

This title is now available worldwide.

Adapted by Alvaro Saar Rios

From the book by Matt de la Peña, Illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Reader

​It’s Carmela’s birthday, and she’s finally old enough to accompany her big brother on his errands. On their way to the laundromat, past fields of what her Mamí calls “flores de cempazuchitl”, Carmela finds a puffy white dandelion to blow, but her brother asks “Did you even make a wish?”

The Newbery award-winning team behind Last Stop on Market Street portrays Carmela’s migrant community as a vibrant place of possibility. Full of touching and funny fantasies, Carmela must decide what her deepest wish is and she must do it before her birthday is over.

Production Notes:

Casting:

2M, 2F (doubling)

CARMELA: Latina

BIG BROTHER: Latino

MAMI: Latina

PAPI: Latino

SEÑOR LOPEZ: played by PAPI

FLOWER BOY: played by PAPI

BEJEWELED GRANDMA: played by MAMI

LA PALETA LADY: played by MAMI

BODEGA OWNER: played by MAMI

ANATOLI: bodega cat; can be played by MAMI or puppet

Setting: A community of hardworking people; near a large body of water.

Music: Original song lyrics for “Carme Carmela” written by Dinorah Márquez.

“Las Mañanitas” is a folk song.

The Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis is set to run this delightful new play from October through December of 2022. Check out the show's homepage HERE.

Author

Alvaro Saar Rios is a Texican playwright and educator living in Chicago. His plays have been performed (professionally or by teatristas doing it out of pure love) in New York City, Mexico City, Hawaii, Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee and all over Texas. He has received playwriting commissions from various organizations, including Kennedy Center, Chicago Children’s Theatre, First Stage, Houston Grand Opera, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Alley Theatre, Purple Rose Theatre Company, Express Children’s Theatre, Milwaukee’s United Community Center, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, Houston Community College, and Zoological Society of Milwaukee. His award-winning play Luchadora! is ... [FULL BIO]

TYA

CARMELA FULL OF WISHES

Check-out The Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis and their amazing 2022 production!

Photo: Pedro Bayón, Luca La Hoz Calassara, Veronica Albee, and Nora Montañezin in Carmela Full of Wishes