Photos: KADDISH FOR THE BARRIO Premieres at Sarasota Jewish Theatre

Breaking news to your phone. US mobile only. No password required.

Broadway + NYC

Broadway

Off-Broadway

Off-Off Broadway

Cabaret

Dance

Opera

Classical Music

West End / UK

International

Canada

Australia / New Zealand

Europe

Asia

Latin America

Africa / Middle East

Entertainment

Ctrl + K to open · Esc to close

The play, directed by Preston Boyd and starring Brandon Billings, Jennifer Vasquez, and Leonard Rubinstein, will run at The Sarasota Players in Sarasota, Florida.

Most Popular

Get all the top news & discounts for Sarasota & beyond. No password required.

Sarasota Jewish Theatre will present a new play, 'Kaddish for the Barrio,' from October 7 to 11 at The Sarasota Players. Written by Sarasota-based actor and playwright Gabriel V. Ortiz, this bold drama explores guilt, redemption, and the search for light in a world shattered by violence. Check out photos of the production.

Get all the top news & discounts for Sarasota & beyond.

'Kaddish for the Barrio' by Gabriel V. Ortiz is the moving story of a haunted young Latino gang member (Brandon Billings), his sister Elena ( Jennifer Vasquez ), and an aging rabbi (Leonard Rubinstein) who form an unlikely bond inside a crumbling East L.A. synagogue now used as a community center. This new drama explores guilt, redemption, and the search for light in a world shattered by violence. Blending humor, poetry, rap, and prayer, it asks whether broken souls can find a way to heal. Directed by Preston Boyd , this show will be presented at The Sarasota Players, 3501 S. Tamiami Trail in Sarasota. Performances are October 9 and 11 at 1:30 p.m.; and October 7, 8, and 10 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $36.

Ortiz stated, 'I grew up in the barrios of Los Angeles in the early 1980s, in a world riddled with drugs, addiction, and gang violence. Several of my brothers were cholos, or gang members. For years, I wanted to bring the world of the cholo to the stage with the humanity I knew it deserved.'

He continued, ''Kaddish for the Barrio' asks what happens when two people from different worlds are willing to see each other, and what faith means when life becomes too much. When violence tears through a community, we offer our 'thoughts and prayers.' But do we really pray? Do we meditate on our own part? Are we doing enough to heal our communities and ourselves?'

Carole Kleinberg, SJT's artistic director, said, 'Gabe Ortiz and I have been friends for over 20 years, and I respect his talent, heart, and professionalism. Last season we cast him in a play that focused on a chance meeting between a Latino bartender and a Jewish man on Yom Kippur. That experience planted the seed from which this emotionally powerful play grew. I was astonished at how quickly the ideas coalesced and blossomed into a beautiful play.'

Photo Credit: Sorcha Augustine

Leonard Rubinstein and Brandon Billings

Jennifer Vasquez , Leonard Rubinstein, and Brandon Billings

Leonard Rubinstein and Jennifer Vasquez

Leonard Rubinstein and Brandon Billings

Leonard Rubinstein

Brandon Billings

Leonard Rubinstein and Brandon Billings

Jennifer Vasquez

Nominate your favorite local productions and performers before the deadline on October 31, 2026.

Exclusive: THE SOUND OF MUSIC Tour Star Cayleigh Capaldi Performs the Title Song

KADDISH FOR THE BARRIO to Open at Sarasota Jewish Theatre

Sarasota Opera Appoints PJ Albert as Managing Director

Review: SAILING at Florida Studio Theatre

Also text me

When are you seeing ?

Get an Alert Each Time A.A. Cristi Writes

BroadwayWorld TV

Breaking Broadway news and show discounts. No password required.

Breaking Broadway news on your phone. US mobile numbers only.

POPULAR

Sign up for announcements and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows!

© 2026 — Copyright Wisdom Digital Media , all rights reserved. Privacy Policy

Episode

_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/sarasota/article/Photos-KADDISH-FOR-THE-BARRIO-to-Open-at-Sarasota-Jewish-Theatre-20261007)._