‘Arena A House Musical’ tells legacy of famous gay Latino nightclub
“Arena A House Musical” is based on the house music of the 1990s that was pumped at the legendary Arena nightclub in Hollywood.
The play is a coming-of-age story following Lucio Torrez, a young music minister at his father’s Apostolic church, and his friends during a turbulent decade when HIV/AIDS wiped out a generation of LGBTQ+ people of color.
Torrez’s father sends his son to conversion therapy camp, hoping his son will “pray the gay away,” but Torrez looks to live his truth, find his voice, and a place where he can be free.
Abel Alvarado, who created and wrote “Arena A House Musical,” said it’s a story about staying true to one’s self and finding a chosen family, according to a press release about the play. “Arena: A House Musical is a love letter to our LGBTQ+ ancestors, the House music of the era and the iconic Arena nightclub: A place where our community was able to shine and thrive in their true authenticity,” he said.
