Gloria and Emily Estefan score ‘Basura,’ opening Saturday at Alliance Theatre

May 27th, 2026

Emily Estefan wearing a hat and Gloria Estefan stand together watching a Basura rehearsal at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. — Emily Estefan, left, and Gloria Estefan observe a "Basura" rehearsal at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. (The Alliance Theatre)

The world premiere of “Basura” opens Saturday, May 30, at the Alliance Theatre’s Coca-Cola Stage, with music and lyrics by Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan and her daughter Emily. The new musical, based on the true story of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra, a children’s ensemble that builds its instruments from landfill scraps, runs through July 12.

A team built around the story

The production brings together a decorated creative team. Michael Greif, whose Broadway work includes “Rent” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” directs. Alex Lacamoire, musical supervisor, orchestrator, and arranger on “Hamilton” and “In the Heights,” shaped the Estefans’ demos and compositions into a full theatrical score. The book is by Karen Zacarías, and the choreography is by Tony Award winner Patricia Delgado.

For Emily, the caliber of her collaborators made the challenge of writing for theater for the first time feel less daunting. “Alex Lacamoire has taken what we did, our demos and our ideas, and elevated them to the next level,” she said. “He’s such a master when it comes to vocal arranging and framing a musical idea or concept in such a wonderful way.”

Gloria Estefan stands and confers with seated creative team members during a Basura workshop rehearsal at Alliance Theatre. — Gloria Estefan works with members of the “Basura” creative team during a workshop rehearsal at Alliance Theatre. (The Alliance Theatre)

The creative process, Gloria says, has been defined by respect and a clear division of responsibility. The Estefans hold final say over the music. Book writer Zacarías has final say over the script. Greif holds the biggest picture. “Everybody on the creative team has the best interest of the show at heart versus their personal interests,” Gloria said. “There’s not a lot of ego involved.”

That collaborative ethic extended to the cast. Several actors have been with the production since the first workshop, playing different characters before the creative team settled on the final configuration. Their intimacy with the material shaped the show in unexpected ways. “There’s been moments where they’ve been like, ‘Hey, I don’t know that my character would necessarily say this,’” Gloria said. “And Karen and all of us will be like, you know what? You’re right.”

Large group of Basura cast and creative team members pose in a rehearsal studio at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. — The cast and creative team of “Basura” gather during rehearsals for the world premiere at Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. (The Alliance Theatre)

A newcomer at the center

The production stars newcomer Jaci Calderon in the lead role of Nambí, alongside Drama Desk Award winner Mandy Gonzalez (“In the Heights,” “Hamilton”) as Mónica and Emmy Award winner Kevin Del Aguila (“Some Like It Hot”) as Mario.

Calderon’s path to the lead was not straightforward. In the first workshop, she played a supporting character, not the lead. But when the creative team gathered after that workshop to assess the production, the answer was unanimous. “We all said, she’s the one that should be playing the lead,” Gloria said. “And that’s how it ended.”

For Gloria, the presence of emerging talent alongside veterans like Gonzalez and Del Aguila is one of the production’s defining qualities. “The possibility to share new, unbelievable talent with people feels really precious,” she said, “because I can only imagine what the future will hold for these young adults.”

Atlanta will shape the show

Previews begin Saturday, May 30. Opening night is June 12. The Estefans say the seven-week run at the Alliance is not a stopover. “Atlanta’s gonna shape this show,” Gloria said. “The audiences in Atlanta are very edgy and savvy and are used to a lot of really great theater being done here. So in these two preview weeks, we are gonna listen to what the audience tells us.”

“Basura” runs through July 12 at the Alliance Theatre’s Coca-Cola Stage, 1280 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta. Tickets start at $25. Tickets and information at alliancetheatre.org.