What first drew my attention to the world premiere of Stacy Martino Rivera’s tragicomic play The Circle was that the production was presented in loving memory of the late Raul Espinoza, who passed away from cancer in 2025.

Espinoza was a member of the Downey Arts Coalition and served as its president in 2020. He had a passion for theatre and made a tremendous impact across the Los Angeles theatre community through community development, theatre marketing, and producing. He is credited as the posthumous producer of the play.

Another surprise was recognizing Downey’s Graciela Rodriguez, who was not only the assistant stage manager but also the actor portraying Tunantzin, which in the Aztec language of Nahuatl means “Our Revered Mother,” representing Mother Earth, fertility, and nurturing. In one of the play’s most dramatic scenes, Rodriguez’s performance is notable as Tunantzin, wearing a traditional headdress and singing an original song written in Nahuatl as part of the play’s score by Grammy winner Germaine Franco.

What strikes me first is the quality of the acting throughout the play. The cast is exceptional. It is the acting that keeps us engaged.

Three generations of the Medina and Mahoney families gather at the Medina family home in the Circle neighborhood of San Antonio, Texas, in July 2016. Across the country, thousands are protesting police brutality and shootings, while a number of police officers have also been shot and wounded. The Dallas protests are especially deadly. Donald Trump is nominated for president on July 19. The chaos of the time plays out on a television we can hear but not see, repeatedly stopping the action and capturing the attention of the characters.

Eva Medina (Alma Martinez is exceptional) lies in a hospital bed suffering from dementia and is cared for by her goddaughter, Mary Padrón (Jeanette Godoy is solid).

Martinez is one of our finest actors, with an incredible résumé of significant work. I’ve been fortunate to see her in Zoot Suit, Green Card, Electridad, and A Christmas Carol.

Eva’s visions open a window to the past. The tree outside, planted by her late husband, has bare limbs reaching out over the stage. She begs her son Jose, “I’m disappearing. Don’t let my tree die.” Is the tree one of the circles of life referenced in the play’s title?

The central conflict is between two brothers. Jose Medina (René Rivera is outstanding) is an ex-con and recovering addict tasked with caring for his dying mother. Ronnie (Lakin Valdez is outstanding) is the long-absent younger brother, a struggling actor trying to find work in film. I’ve seen Rivera at CASA 0101 Theatre, and Valdez with El Teatro Campesino, the Mark Taper Forum, and South Coast Repertory.

Ronnie wants to marry his pregnant girlfriend, Molly Mahoney (Victoria Ratermanis gives a truthful performance in a difficult role), who works as a conflict resolution facilitator. He hasn’t been home in years, but during a brutally hot weekend he returns with Molly, her mother (Lisa Richards in a fine performance), and his 12-year-old daughter, Ana Medina (Luna Rivera is honest).

It is 16-year-old Ana Medina (Ava Rivera is quite convincing) who looks back as the narrator of the story.

Trying to support his family, Jose has been at a protest in Dallas selling T-shirts printed with the phrase, “We didn’t cross the border, the border crossed us.” MAGA supporters have created a counterprotest.

Jose accidentally runs over the toes of one of the MAGA protesters, Bud Ireton (Michael Brainard), decked out in a MAGA T-shirt and cap. Bud lost his rice farm in 2012 when the government turned off water to his town. He is homeless and seriously drunk. Jose fears Bud will report him to the police, and Jose is not going back to prison for this. Instead of leaving the intoxicated and injured man amid the chaos, Jose kidnaps him and brings him home until he figures out what to do.

That absurd action sets the tragicomic play in motion, as Jose drags the drunken Bud through the door, duct tapes him to Eva’s wheelchair, gags him, and stuffs him into a closet.

Enter Ronnie, pregnant Molly, her elderly mother Maeve, and Ana. They have just attended the funeral of Molly’s father and Maeve’s husband. At the funeral, Ronnie promised to finally marry Molly, and Maeve wants that to happen before Eva dies.

The playwright’s intention appears to be resolving the conflict as Jose struggles with whether to let Bud go free. At the same time, Molly gives birth and Eva dies. Circles of life.

Veteran director D. W. Jacobs keeps the action moving. This is a dedicated group of experienced theatre artists committed to bringing life to a new play. New play development is not an easy process, and the production is not without its issues. In 2016, the play had a staged reading at Josefina López’s CASA 0101 Theatre, where the impression was that it was too long and disjointed. Ten years later, it remains too long and very much a work in progress. There is still work to be done. Perhaps it is trying to be too much for too many.

Greenway Court Theatre, Fairfax Avenue, West Hollywood. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m., through Feb. 22. Tickets at greenwaycourttheatre.com.

Former Downey Arts Coalition president is honored in world premiere of The Circle