John Leguizamo's newest one-man show transferred to Broadway after a successful run at the Public last year. I was bummed that I missed it off-broadway, but I was glad to get last-minute rush tickets to see it on Broadway. I love John Leguizamo; I think he is a naturally funny guy with terrible handwriting. His show incorporates a lot of physical comedy and impressions, things he has always been very good at. But the genius of the show is its timeliness and the poignancy of the themes he explores. The show really resonated with me. It has a lot of heart. Leguizamo does some deep personal introspection about Latino contributions to the history of America. It's a history that is omitted from our textbooks, but an important one. It is the history of America to oppress minorities, to relegate the other, and to psychologically force minorities to put themselves down. Leguizamo feels like a second class citizen in his own country. And that is a problem, a problem to be addressed, an identity crisis Leguizamo tackles with humor. I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand our heritage to improve ourselves. Our stories do not get publicity, it is in fact hidden from us. Leguizamo luckily does his research. He takes some creative liberty with some of the facts, but it is worthwhile.We need these stories in our culture and art. In this toxic age of Trump, Latin History for Morons is a refreshing breath of empowering air.
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