San Diego's premier bilingual, multicultural theatre company — bringing the power of Latino storytelling to communities across Southern California for over 35 years.
Teatro Máscara Mágica was co-founded in 1989 by William Virchis and Jorge Huerta with a clear and enduring mission: to increase the production of multicultural theatre and to provide professional theatrical opportunities to underrepresented segments of the population.
We are San Diego's first professional culturally diverse theatre company — a bilingual, multicultural stage that has served the Latino community and all of San Diego for more than three decades. Our productions range from beloved holiday traditions like La Pastorela to groundbreaking new works that tackle the defining social issues of our time.
"La Pastorela has been honored by the National Endowment for the Arts as well as numerous human rights organizations. Teatro Máscara Mágica is a 2004 recipient of the San Diego County Multicultural Heritage Award for its leadership in multicultural theatre."
We believe that live theatre has the power to connect people across cultures, languages, and generations — and that access to that experience should never be limited by cost. We subsidize ticket prices to ensure that professional theatre remains affordable for families and the less affluent throughout our community.
From beloved holiday pageants to groundbreaking new works — we produce theatre that matters, stories that linger.
Mexico's most beloved and ancient theatrical tradition — performed for over 39 consecutive years in San Diego. La Pastorela tells the tale of a shepherd's journey filled with obstacles, wonder, and ultimate triumph, woven with the current events and experiences of San Diego's multicultural communities.
Every December, generations of San Diego families gather together — many appearing as performers themselves — for an experience that is equal parts faith, music, humor, and community.
An original bilingual cabaret experience celebrating the musical and cultural richness of the U.S.–Mexico border region. Original compositions by established and emerging multicultural artists weave together English and Spanish in a celebration of shared identity.
Our Discovery Series presents new works addressing the defining issues of our time — from immigration and identity to criminal justice and cultural memory. These productions showcase leading Latinx playwrights and emerging voices from our community.
A two-act play chronicling community resistance against gentrification, based on real legal battles surrounding a Latinx youth boxing gym. Written by Luis M. Aragón. Staged reading held at El Salón Theatre, San Ysidro.
World Premiere, Chapman Performing Arts Theatre · 21 Performances · Set in 1943 East Los Angeles, a story of wrongful deportation and family resistance during WWII.
The Cesar E. Chavez Story — one of TMM's most celebrated musical productions, honoring the legacy of one of America's great labor leaders.
Nationally touring musical production — a critically acclaimed celebration of Selena's life, directed by William Virchis.
By Josefina Lopez — one of many Latinx playwright showcases presented by TMM.
20th Anniversary production of Luis Valdez's iconic play — directed by William Virchis.
A powerful TMM production reflecting the Chicano experience and the enduring spirit of cultural identity and community resistance.
Born in Mexico City, William Virchis is one of San Diego's most celebrated theatre artists — an award-winning director, producer, actor, and mime with over 250 productions to his name. He co-founded Teatro Máscara Mágica with Jorge Huerta in 1989 as San Diego's first professional culturally diverse theatre company.
A former Professor of Theatre at Southwestern College for 35 years and former Director of Visual and Performing Arts for the Sweetwater Union High School District, Virchis's educational legacy is immeasurable. The SUHSD honored him by renaming its Visual and Performing Arts Department "The William A. Virchis Visual and Performing Arts Department" — the first department in the district ever named after an instructor-administrator.
He has directed landmark productions including Zoot Suit (20th Anniversary), Real Women Have Curves, the national tour of Selena Forever, and La Pastorela — now in its 39th consecutive year. A prominent voice in Latin American Theatre in the United States, Virchis has been inducted into five halls of fame and received over 100 national and international awards.
Luis M. Aragón is a composer, playwright, and arts administrator with over 15 years of service to Teatro Máscara Mágica. A Yale University graduate with law degrees from Georgetown University Law Center and Thomas Jefferson School of Law, he brings a unique combination of legal expertise, civic leadership, and artistic vision to TMM's leadership.
As a former Senior Prosecutor with the San Diego District Attorney's Office, Aragón draws on firsthand experience with criminal justice, immigration, and community advocacy in his artistic work. His original musicals — including ELENA, FELONS! A Musical, Loving Cupid, and the forthcoming TITLE FIGHT — tackle the defining social issues of our time through bilingual storytelling and original composition.
As Board President, he oversees TMM's strategic planning, grants, compliance, and artistic partnerships, ensuring the organization fulfills its mission of accessible, culturally authentic theatre for all of San Diego.
Our board reflects the diversity of San Diego's communities — with representation from Latino, African American, Native American, Asian, and white communities — ensuring our governance is as multicultural as our mission.
We serve San Diego County's most culturally rich and historically underrepresented neighborhoods through affordable productions, educational outreach, and deep community partnerships.
We provide hands-on internships to high school and college students in acting, stage management, lighting, sound, music, and directing — nurturing the next generation of theatre artists. Many TMM alumni have gone on to careers in theatre, film, and television.
We subsidize ticket prices for seniors, students, military members, and community groups. We also donate tickets to community organizations, veterans' groups, and senior centers — ensuring that no one is priced out of experiencing live theatre.
We collaborate actively with the Asian Story Theatre, San Diego Black Ensemble Theatre Company, and Southwestern College — both organizations have board representation at TMM. Together, we form a coalition of multicultural arts organizations serving all of San Diego.
From La Pastorela's centuries-old Mexican theatrical traditions to new works reflecting the binational border experience, we preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of Latino communities while creating space for contemporary stories that demand to be told.
National Endowment for the Arts
San Diego County, 2004
City & County of San Diego
State of California
Creative Communities San Diego
Multiple Organizations
Our primary home, El Salón Theatre at Casa Familiar places Teatro Máscara Mágica at the heart of San Ysidro — one of San Diego's most culturally vibrant border communities. This partnership provides TMM with a dedicated performance space while embedding our work within the community it serves. El Salón hosts our Discovery Series and original new works throughout the year.
A natural partnership given William Virchis's 35-year legacy as Professor and Artistic Director at Southwestern College. La Pastorela now plays at the college's theatre, combining TMM's professional production values with Southwestern's respected theatre program and bringing the production to an entirely new audience of students and South Bay families.
Site of the 2024 World Premiere of ELENA — a full production with 21 performances that marked one of TMM's most ambitious and acclaimed original works to date.
Beyond our anchor venues, TMM brings theatre into neighborhoods throughout San Diego County — meeting audiences where they live and ensuring theatre is never more than a neighborhood away.
Teatro Máscara Mágica is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Every donation directly funds professional artists, affordable tickets for community members, educational internships for young people, and the preservation of culturally vital theatrical traditions. Your generosity keeps the lights on — and the stories alive.
All donations are tax-deductible. Gifts of any size support our mission of affordable, bilingual theatre for all of San Diego. EIN: 33-0587046.
Join our team of dedicated volunteers who make every production possible — from front of house to backstage, there's a role for everyone who loves theatre.
Corporate and foundation sponsors receive recognition in our programs, on our website, and through our social channels — while making a meaningful difference for the community.
For tickets, sponsorship inquiries, press, educational partnerships, or just to learn more about TMM — we'd love to hear from you. ¡Bienvenidos!