I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter: An Audio Adaptation

Update: Streaming for I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter has ended. Thank you to all the teachers and students who were able to enjoy this production. Learn more about our 2022/23 season and pre-register here. 

We are thrilled to restream for FREE for Chicagoland teachers and students our groundbreaking audio adaptation of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, a Chicago story about family, community and coming together even when that feels impossible. Julia, a Chicago high school student, navigates the trials and tribulations of following her dreams of becoming a writer alongside the death of her sister, Olga—who might not have been quite as perfect as she seemed. Author of the novel Erika L. Sánchez has created an indelible protagonist in student Julia Reyes, who searches for her truest self while navigating the struggles of adolescence—depression, grief, self-doubt—in addition to the anxieties unique to a child of immigrants with a foot in two very different worlds. Julia is torn between a future limited by the same socioeconomic forces that curtail the opportunities open to her parents and her fervent ambitions to seek a more expansive life for herself as a writer. 

This story is a timeless reminder that no matter one’s country of origin, no matter what language one speaks, or what status one occupies, we all have dreams.

The run time of this audio adaptation is approximately 115 minutes.

READY TO REGISTER?

This audio adaptation is available for FREE for all Chicagoland educators to share with their students in grades 9 and above, including classroom teachers, youth mentors, leaders of after-school programs for youth, leaders of unschoolers or homeschoolers groups, etc. College groups are also welcome! We do apologize but at this time, this audio adaptation is only available for those in the Chicagoland, as it is being offered in part as an alternative to our postponed production of Eve L. Ewing's 1919, which was set to premiere at Steppenwolf in February 2022. 

I AM NOT YOUr PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER STUDY GUIDE

You can explore the fun and interactive study guide (including a reader friendly version) built specifically for our audio adaptation. 

ABOUT THE SHOW

The New York Times best-selling novel is written in first-person narrative which translates beautifully into the deeply personal, journal-like audio experience. Listeners will be immersed into the main character’s point of view and details of this vibrant world as Julia shares her innermost thoughts, whispering directly into our ears. Through this innovative new format, Julia’s voice can now travel further than ever before and audiences all over the world will be able to experience Julia’s journey of self-discovery for the very first time.

Isaac Gómez is an award-winning Chicago-based playwright, originally from El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. We are proud to debut this audio adaptation and collaboration between Gómez and co-director ensemble members Sandra Marquez and Audrey Francis with ensemble member Karen Rodriguez returning as Julia. This offering is a special opportunity to share this important and moving story with students around the world.