La Maleta de Maebelle
Adapted from MAEBELLE'S SUITCASE
by Tricia Tusa

At the Dougherty Arts Center in Austin, Texas

PUBLIC SHOWS: 

April 26, May 3, May 10, 2025 @2PM

SCHOOL PERFORMANCES (go HERE to book)

Dates Available between April 22 – May 10, 2025 

 

 

Directed by Caroline Reck

Design by Kelli Bland, Anatar Marmol Gagne, Kade Conklin, Connor Hopkins, Rachel Atkinson, K. Eliot Haynes, and Caroline Reck

Performed by Stephanie Vasquez Fonseca and Gricelda Silva

Music by Kiko Villamizar

 

WINNER OF 2 Awards from the B Iden Payne Committee:

Outstanding Actor in a show for youth

Outstanding Props Design

A bilingual adaptation of a celebrated & beloved Reading Rainbow picture book.

Maebelle lives in her treehouse and is an incredible hat maker. She’s been working hard ahead of the town’s annual hat contest when she befriends Binkle, a bird with a migration dilemma. He’s trying to carry too much on his flight south for the winter! As Maebelle generously offers her cherished suitcase from her own migration from Colombia, they delve into profound reflections on the significance of our possessions and memories. Through laughter and tears, Maebelle and Binkle help each other discover the beauty of remembrance and the liberating power of letting go.  

Don’t miss this enchanting tale celebrating friendship, cultural heritage, and the universal lessons found within the stories of our lives. Featuring a two-person cast, various styles of puppetry, environmental themes, & original Colombian music by Kiko Villamizar.

This production premiered in June 2024, supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and will continue development in Spring 2025 before its first national tour in 2025-2026. 

Glass Half Full Theatre is on the Texas Commission on the Arts Touring Roster, so funding is available for presenters in Mid America (AR, KS, MO, NE, OK) and Texas! Learn more about the Mid America Arts Alliance Regional Touring Program here and the TCA Touring Roster here.

With Glass Half Full’s first National Endowment of the Arts grant and support from The City of Austin Cultural Arts, La Maleta de Maebelle will be premiering in Austin at The Vortex Theater, Friday June 15th through June 29th. Shows at 7PM, with 4PM matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.