Dawn Collective plans telenovela-inspired musical for 2027

Dutch theatre company Dawn Collective will stage *Esperanza*, a musical inspired by Latin American telenovelas, with a nationwide tour scheduled from March to May 2027.

The production is set to premiere on 4 March. Writer Rachel Rumai Diaz says it draws on personal stories from the Latino community to explore migration, family, identity and belonging. The company says it wants to bring stories and cultural traditions from the Netherlands’ Latin American community to stages where, in its view, they have limited visibility.

Diaz said telenovelas were important in her upbringing, shaping how she understood love, conflict and social relationships. Their drama, romance, humour and intensity, she said, give her room to enlarge reality while challenging clichés.

Eva Line de Boer will direct. The cast includes Susan Malaika Bailey, Dahiana Candelo, Claribel Rodríguez Castillo and Asina Aksoy. Dawn Collective has previously made productions including *Black Joy* and *Prinses Arabella*.