Scenic and Projection Design by Leigh Henderson

Teatro Visión (San José, CA), April 2022

By Maribel Martínez

Directed by Wilma Bonet

Becoming (MAR) tells the story of Mariela, a gender expansive young person who, feeling out of place at school, finds her way to the In Between. This land of the ancestors is inhabited by a colorful cast of characters, including a mischievous centipede, a proud owl, a singing prairie dog, an emotional tortious, and an honorable snake. Before she returns home, Mariela finds her strength in the powerful medicine of ancestral teachings.

Emphasizing the magical energy of the In Between and complementing the energetic performances of the youth cast, the set design uses bright lights, bold colors, and whimsical objects like paper stars, oversized poppies, and glowing trees. The projections bring mood and movement, transforming the stage seamlessly through the different environments of the In Between and carrying the audience along on Mariela’s voyage of self-discovery.