Now playing at Mosaic Theater, Somewhere Over the Border is a fresh take on The Wizard of Oz, directed by Raymond O. Caldwell, choreographed by Tony Thomas, and with a book, music, and lyrics by Brian Quijada, co-star and co-creator (alongside Nygel D. Robinson) of Mosaic’s 2024 hit Mexodus. While not as sophisticated as Quijada’s later collaboration with Robinson, this family-friendly musical (which premiered at Syracuse Stage in 2022) packs in a lot of brains, a lot of heart, and a lot of courage.
Somewhere Over the Border begins in a town just like any other: Chanmico, El Salvador, in 1978… El Salvador is on the brink of civil war, and more and more people start to disappear from Chanmico. All the while, whispers of the “American Dream” begin to infiltrate the air, growing in intensity with each passing day.
In Mosaic’s production, audiences are surrounded by clotheslines draped in gauzy linen — making this world appear windswept — almost as if it occurs in black and white. Encased in the dreamy elements of Jonathan Dahm Robertson’s scenic design and Alberto Segarra’s lighting design, we are greeted by a narrator played by Camilo Linares. He introduces us to the hardworking Reina (Pepin); her dutiful mother, Julia (Natascia Diaz); realistic older brother, Adán (Oscar Salvador Jr.); rugged restaurant manager, Napoleon (Mejiah); and brazen but lovable neighbor, Antonia (Gloria Vivica Benavides).
Reina is a 17-year-old mother working three jobs, deeply unsatisfied with — sometimes fearful for — her life in Chanmico. She learns of better opportunities somewhere else, singing to anyone who will listen her dreams of living “In the USA.” (In one reprise with Adán, the song pays homage to West Side Story’s “America”). With a few other musical limericks like “Ride Down the Road” (complete with a skip and a hop), the score is mostly infused with cumbia, Mexican mariachi, boleros, rock, and hip hop. It’s catchy throughout, but can feel overwrought. Thankfully, the production picks up much-needed energy later on.
With help from her family and friends, Reina sets off through Mexico, leaving behind her infant son, Fernando, with the promise of returning for him. Pepin dynamically embodies Reina’s journey — not just out of El Salvador but from naive girlhood to hardened womanhood. Diaz is equally compelling as Julia, who chooses to stay and pick up the pieces that Reina left behind. Linares brings wary but warm charisma to the narrator (among other cameo roles). He has the same sort of magnetism Quijada brought to Mexodus when it premiered in DC ahead of its off-Broadway run.
Reina meets a curious cast of characters along the roads of Guatemala, Tapachula, and Tijuana. Salvador, Messiah, and Benavides play versions of the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion — in this case, an aspiring agricultural scientist named Cruz, a lovesick drunkard named Silvano, and a Catholic nun and would-be rock star named Leona. Cidney Forkpah’s costumes play with the familiar gingham and ruby hues you’d expect, blending fantasy and reality to heighten the stakes of this fairy-tale-inspired migrant story. With a plethora of Ozian Easter eggs for audiences to pick up en route, our heroes seek El Gran Coyote de Tijuana, a smuggler who will help them cross the border into southern California.
Somewhere Over the Border lives the tradition of The Wiz, breathing new life into L. Frank Baum’s beloved story and the 1939 film it inspired. The motif is charming but can at times feel overly childlike — almost insensitive to the plight of true migrants and their later battles for citizenship. But Quijada’s musical is smarter than it seems. The Wizard of Oz is merely an access point for a greater story to unfold. Somewhere Over the Border’s playfully simple narrative makes way for the tender but harrowing realities of its denouement.
Quijada’s mother, Reina Quijada, came to the United States from El Salvador before the singer-songwriter was born — an immigration story he knew little about for most of his life but would later inspire this 2022 musical. Quijada’s musical means something different this year. By opening night of Somewhere Over the Border, El Salvador’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation remains in limbo as the United States government delays the planned September 9, 2026, deadline.
Dorothy and Toto — like Reina — only ever wanted to be somewhere different than where they were. What happens when the place they dreamed of doesn’t want them? An homage to dreams remembered and others lost, Somewhere Over the Border is an artistic journey worth recognizing and a gentle reminder that there truly is no place like home.
Running Time: 100 minutes, no intermission.
EXTENDED: Somewhere Over the Border plays through October 18, 2026, presented by Mosaic Theater, performing in the Sprenger Theatre at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H Street NE, Washington, DC. Purchase tickets ($42–$70) online, or contact the box office at 202-399-7993 or boxoffice@atlasarts.org. Tickets are also available on TodayTix.
The program is online here.
SEE ALSO:
Mosaic Theater Company presents DC premiere of ‘Somewhere Over the Border’ (news story, August 2, 2026)
