Quijada began writing spoken word poetry at a young age, later leading to public performances at poetry slams in Chicago and eventually frequenting the nationally renowned Nuyorican Poet's Cafe in NYC. His desire to see more Latiné stories like his own being told on stage and to offer more minority storytellers a platform led him to begin writing plays. Brian's writing is influenced heavily by his upbringing, his immigrant parents, and his continued search for identity. His work is infused with the sounds of his childhood: Latin rhythms, Hip Hop, R&B, and 70's and 80's Rock. Brian's plays use non-traditional theatrical conventions like live-looped music, digital finger drumming, spoken word, clowning, and turntablism, alongside traditional forms to drive his narratives.
Quijada has been a writer-in-residence at The Kennedy Center, The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, and The Rhinebeck Writer's Retreat.
Brian's first play WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS? has been performed all across the country. It garnered Outstanding Solo Performance and Sound Design at The Chicago Jeff Awards in 2016 and earned him two Drama Desk nominations in the same categories for its Off-Broadway debut. His second play KID PRINCE AND PABLO had its World Premiere at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. in the fall of 2019.
He wrote the book, music, and lyrics for his most recent work, a Cumbia Hip Hop musical, SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER had a rolling world premiere at Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, and TeatroVista.
In development, Brian is working on a two-person Live-Looped Hip Hop musical about the Underground Railroad that led south of the border named MEXODUS, co-created with actor-musician Nygel D. Robinson.
Quijada has been a writer-in-residence at The Kennedy Center, The Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, and The Rhinebeck Writer's Retreat.
Brian's first play WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS? has been performed all across the country. It garnered Outstanding Solo Performance and Sound Design at The Chicago Jeff Awards in 2016 and earned him two Drama Desk nominations in the same categories for its Off-Broadway debut. His second play KID PRINCE AND PABLO had its World Premiere at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. in the fall of 2019.
He wrote the book, music, and lyrics for his most recent work, a Cumbia Hip Hop musical, SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER had a rolling world premiere at Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, and TeatroVista.
In development, Brian is working on a two-person Live-Looped Hip Hop musical about the Underground Railroad that led south of the border named MEXODUS, co-created with actor-musician Nygel D. Robinson.
PLAYS
WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS?
,
During a third grade lesson on the Civil Rights movement and Rosa Parks, a Latino boy raises his hand to ask "where did we sit on the bus?" and his teacher can't answer the question. Told through rap, hip-hop, spoken word and live looping, Brian Quijada's autobiographical WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS? is an electric one-man show that examines what it means to be Latino in America.
*Jeff Award Winner for Sound Design
*Jeff Award Winner for Solo Performance
*Drama Desk Nominee for Sound Design
*Drama Desk Nominee for Solo Performance
Past Productions: Teatro Vista (World Premiere), Ensemble Studio Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theatre, Victory Gardens, 1st Stage's Logan Festival, City Theatre Pittsburgh, International Revolutions Festival New Mexico, Actors' Theatre Of Louisville, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
Current/Upcoming Productions:
Actors' Theatre Of Louisville's Digital Production
Performed by Satya Chavez
Directed by Matt Dickson
Currently Streaming
TICKETS
Milwaukee Chambers Theatre
September 30th through October 23rd, 2022
Performed by Isa Arciniegas
Music by Kellen "Klassik" Abston
Directed by Brent Hazelton
TICKETS
During a third grade lesson on the Civil Rights movement and Rosa Parks, a Latino boy raises his hand to ask "where did we sit on the bus?" and his teacher can't answer the question. Told through rap, hip-hop, spoken word and live looping, Brian Quijada's autobiographical WHERE DID WE SIT ON THE BUS? is an electric one-man show that examines what it means to be Latino in America.
*Jeff Award Winner for Sound Design
*Jeff Award Winner for Solo Performance
*Drama Desk Nominee for Sound Design
*Drama Desk Nominee for Solo Performance
Past Productions: Teatro Vista (World Premiere), Ensemble Studio Theatre, Boise Contemporary Theatre, Victory Gardens, 1st Stage's Logan Festival, City Theatre Pittsburgh, International Revolutions Festival New Mexico, Actors' Theatre Of Louisville, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center.
Current/Upcoming Productions:
Actors' Theatre Of Louisville's Digital Production
Performed by Satya Chavez
Directed by Matt Dickson
Currently Streaming
TICKETS
Milwaukee Chambers Theatre
September 30th through October 23rd, 2022
Performed by Isa Arciniegas
Music by Kellen "Klassik" Abston
Directed by Brent Hazelton
TICKETS
SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER
:
Inspired by Reina Quijada’s journey from El Salvador to the US and by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girl's pursuit of the American dream. As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind. Set in the 1970s and propelled by a guitar-driven score, this new musical is both fable and family history – and a testament to the determination born of love.
Past Productions: Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, TeatroVista (Rolling World Premiere)
Inspired by Reina Quijada’s journey from El Salvador to the US and by L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girl's pursuit of the American dream. As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind. Set in the 1970s and propelled by a guitar-driven score, this new musical is both fable and family history – and a testament to the determination born of love.
Past Productions: Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre, TeatroVista (Rolling World Premiere)
KID PRINCE AND PABLO
Based off Mark Twain's The Prince and The Pauper, KID PRINCE & PABLO reimagines the classic tale of mistaken identity with a Digital Age, Hip Hop-Infused twist, to examine race, class, the wealth divide, and what it means to walk in someone else's shoes in our America.
Past Productions:
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (World Premiere)
Past Productions:
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (World Premiere)
'TIL THE DJ QUITS PLAYING
Missing Bolts Productions (Blair Baker & Zac Kline, artistic directors) and NoPassport Theatre Alliance and Press (OBIE-winner Caridad Svich, founder) curated a collection of new plays from noted international playwrights in response the shooting at Pulse Nightclub, June 12, 2016.
The plays were presented across the US and abroad with collaborating venues in Los Angeles, Denver, Philadelphia, Detroit, and more.
The plays were presented across the US and abroad with collaborating venues in Los Angeles, Denver, Philadelphia, Detroit, and more.