MEXODUS IS THE OFF-BROADWAY EVENT TO SEE BEFORE NEW YORK SAYS GOODBYE
Contributor - Jack Bartholet | Head of Events & Experiences • 5/21/26
Photo Credits: Thomas Mundell
Some productions entertain you. Others leave you sitting in silence afterward, trying to process what you’ve experienced. Mexodus belongs firmly in the latter category.
Now playing at the Daryl Roth Theatre through June 14, Mexodus has rapidly become one of the most celebrated off-Broadway productions of the season. If you’ve spent any time paying attention to New York theater circles lately, you’ve likely heard the growing chorus around this show. The acclaim is no longer anecdotal. Earlier this month, Mexodus emerged as the biggest winner at the 2026 Lucille Lortel Awards, taking home four honors, including Outstanding Musical, the first to do so since Rent. The production also earned major recognition from the Outer Critics Circle Awards as Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical.
The praise feels earned the moment the performance begins.
Created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, the two-person musical tells the lesser-known story of freedom seekers escaping slavery by traveling south into Mexico. The subject matter is historically rich, but nothing about the execution feels academic or distant. The storytelling feels immediate, intimate, and startlingly alive.
The talent onstage is extraordinary. At times, it’s overwhelming to consider the level of virtuosity required to execute this piece in real time. Using live looping, acoustic guitar, beat-making, hip-hop, and spoken word, Quijada and Robinson build the entire sonic landscape before the audience’s eyes. Critics and audiences alike continue singling out the technical looping and sound design as one of the production’s defining achievements.
Still, the show’s greatest strength is tenderness.
Photo Credits: Thomas Mundell
There is something deeply moving about two men sharing delicate acoustic guitar only feet away from the audience. The scale is intimate, but the emotional impact lands much larger. The New York Times described the production as “an electrifying theatrical experience,” while other theater publications praised its “infectious, buoyant energy.” Both descriptions feel accurate. The show balances technical innovation with extraordinary humanity.
Among theatergoers and critics alike, the response has bordered on evangelical. Industry chatter surrounding Mexodus has intensified week after week, with audiences urging friends to secure tickets before the production closes. Repeat attendance has become common, a rarity in New York’s crowded theater landscape. Publications and theater insiders alike continue praising the show as innovative, emotionally charged, and unlike anything else currently playing off-Broadway. Perhaps most impressively, the production creates an unmistakable sense of connection in under 100 minutes, leaving audiences visibly moved long after the final moments.
Photo Credits: Thomas Mundell
For Four Hundred members seeking cultural experiences with genuine substance, this is precisely the kind of off-Broadway production worth prioritizing now. Not after the inevitable regional expansion. Not after broader commercial attention arrives. Now.
Following its New York engagement, Mexodus travels to the Pasadena Playhouse for a run from July 8 through August 2. But there is something special about experiencing this production in downtown Manhattan while the city is still collectively falling in love with it.
Important theater does not always arrive with spectacle. Sometimes it arrives with two performers, a guitar, and a story that refuses to let go.
Photo Credits: Thomas Mundell
Contributor — Jack Bartholet | Head of Events & Experiences
Jack effortlessly transitions from the entertainment industry to the world of luxury hospitality and travel, bringing a rich background of collaboration with celebrated artists and extensive personal travel experiences. When not consulting, he can be seen onstage with cabaret and theatre performances. Jack's enduring passion centers on fostering a sense of belonging for LGBTQ travelers wherever their journey takes them.
