The Puerto Rican family drama confronts machismo, generational trauma, and the possibility of healing in three performances taking place only October 2–4.
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 1, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Following a successful New York Theater Festival presentation, ‘Dominant Animals‘ returns to Teatro LATEA for a special three-performance engagement during Hispanic Heritage Month. Written by acclaimed playwright Cris Eli Blak, the timely family drama will be presented October 2–4, 2026, at Teatro LATEA, 107 Suffolk Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10002.
Presented by VOE Coqui Productions and executive produced by Eddie Martinez, ‘Dominant Animals’ brings audiences inside a Puerto Rican family in Queens struggling with the lasting effects of machismo, toxic masculinity, generational trauma, incarceration, anger, and emotional silence.
At the center of the story is a family forced to confront the pain it has inherited and the harm it has inflicted. Through emotionally honest storytelling, the play explores whether accountability, forgiveness, and vulnerability can help break destructive cycles and create a path toward healing.
The production’s return during Hispanic Heritage Month offers an opportunity to celebrate Latino storytelling while inviting audiences of all backgrounds into a broader conversation about family, masculinity, cultural expectations, and the courage required to change.
To celebrate the production’s Hispanic Heritage Month return and make the show more accessible to the community, audiences can receive 10% off general-admission tickets purchased through September 18, 2026. Discounted general-admission tickets are $27, reduced from the regular price of $30. Group tickets are available for $25 for groups of 10+ by contacting Teatro LATEA directly.
Performance Schedule
Friday, October 2, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.
Tickets are available online through Teatro LATEA at https://teatrolatea.org/events/list/page/2/
Adrienne Acevedo Lovette Directs the October Engagement
Award-winning Puerto Rican filmmaker and theatre artist Adrienne Acevedo Lovette will direct the October engagement, bringing her extensive experience as a director, producer, writer, and actor to the production.
“What excites me about Dominant Animals is its refusal to define people by their worst mistakes,” said Lovette. “At its heart, this is a story about a Puerto Rican family searching for healing—a father working to break a cycle of abuse and a son returning home with scars of his own. The play is raw, honest, and compassionate, reminding us that while change is difficult, it is not impossible.”
Adrienne Acevedo Lovette is a Puerto Rican award-winning director, writer, producer, and actor. A SXSW Audience Award winner, Sundance Collab Film Challenge winner, and SeriesFest Women Directing Mentorship semifinalist created by Shonda Rhimes. As a director some of her film credits include I’m Okay, We’re Okay (Best Feature Film, Best Actress) and This Boy’s Vida (Made in America) (Best Writing, Best Series at the New York Latino Film Festival). She has directed more than 50 stage productions across the U.S., Off-Broadway, and internationally. Most recently, she wrote, directed, and starred in the Off-Broadway one-act play Nothing Like Before, which premiered in July 2026. For more information visit www.DirectedByAdrienneAcevedoLovette.com.
A Story of Family, Masculinity, and Breaking Generational Cycles
“Dominant Animals tells a culturally specific story, but the questions it asks are universal,” said Executive Producer Eddie Martinez, who also portrays Felix Burgos. “How do families begin healing from pain that has been passed down for generations? How do men learn to put down the emotional walls they were taught to build? We are bringing this production back because these conversations deserve to continue—not only inside the theater, but within our homes and communities.”
Audiences attending the production’s June festival presentation described ‘Dominant Animals’ as “breathtakingly powerful” and “profoundly impactful.” Others praised the production as an inspiring story about personal growth, self-empowerment, and the healing power of family bonds.
‘Dominant Animals’ examines the ways traditional expectations of masculinity can shape—and sometimes damage—families across generations. Its characters are challenged to reconsider what it means to be strong, particularly when strength has long been associated with control, anger, silence, and an unwillingness to show vulnerability.
The play also explores the effects of incarceration on families, the difficult work of accepting responsibility, and the possibility of reconciliation after years of unresolved conflict.
By presenting the production during Hispanic Heritage Month, VOE Coqui Productions seeks to amplify an authentic Latino family story while creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue among audiences, families, educators, social workers, restorative-justice advocates, and community organizations.
About ‘Dominant Animals’
Written by Cris Eli Blak, ‘Dominant Animals’ is a compelling family drama centered on a Puerto Rican household wrestling with machismo, generational trauma, incarceration, anger, forgiveness, and the possibility of transformation. Through an intimate and emotionally charged family story, the play challenges conventional ideas about masculinity and asks whether people shaped by pain can find the courage to take responsibility, embrace vulnerability, and break the cycles inherited from previous generations.
The October engagement is presented by VOE Coqui Productions and executive produced by Eddie Martinez.
Venue: Teatro LATEA, 107 Suffolk Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10002
Performances: October 2–4, 2026
Tickets: https://teatrolatea.org/events/list/page/2/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dominantanimalstheplay
Photos, production artwork, interviews, and additional press materials are available upon request.
MEDIA CONTACT
Eddie Martinez
Executive Producer, Dominant Animals
VOE Coqui Productions
Email: voiceofeddiemartinez@gmail.com
Alternate Email: dominantanimalstheplay@gmail.com
Phone: 516-313-3324
Website: www.voiceofeddie.com
Instagram: @dominantanimalstheplay
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Edgardo Martinez
VOE COQUI PRODUCTIONS LLC
+1 516-313-3324
email us here
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Dominant Animals Scene 1 – Felix and Alix
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