ZACH Theatre teamed up with Teatro Vivo to present a very special play for families, JJs Arcade, showing on Friday, May 5 at 7 p.m. as well as Saturday and Sunday, May 6 & 7 at 2 p.m. This show is presented within the beautiful Mexican American Cultural Center. You only have 3 chances left to see this play, and we don’t want you to miss it.

First of all, please note that all remaining performances are Pay What You Wish at the door. If you don’t feel like taking your chances on having the theater full when you arrive, then you can also opt to reserve your seats in advance online here or by phone at 512-476-0541 x1 for $13 for youth and $15 for adults.

While the show is a bilingual production, please note that you don’t need to understand a word of Spanish to see this. We wouldn’t want that to stop you from going. Spanish words and phrases are used within the production, giving authenticity to the characters — a family living in east L.A. Not only will non-Spanish speakers understand the show, but you’ll most certainly feel the heartwarming emotions of it, as well.

JJ’s Arcade tells the tale of Mario, a hard working auto mechanic who is struggling to  raise his son, JJ, after the recent passing of his wife. JJ is student with dyslexia who not only struggles with academics, but has a hard time fitting in socially at school, too. But JJ is a master of creativity! While coping with the loss of his mother and a disconnect with his father, he dives deep into his imagination and begins building an arcade of games made out of leftover cardboard from his father’s auto repair shop.

There is so much heart in this show, y’all. We admit to shedding just a few tears while watching this play. Seeing the characters cope with grief was moving, but we also felt such strong emotions about the way in which JJ used creativity and ingenuity to connect to his family. It was all so very inspiring.

Kids were wowed each time JJ presented a new game, and the show incorporated very cool video screen animation, too, keeping the kids’ attention throughout. (There’s a scene where JJ builds a Minecraft-like castle that all the kids loved.)

This touching story is best geared for ages 7 and up as it does deal with some emotional content. But trust us when we say that it’s a wonderful show!

There is a parking lot at the MACC that’s complementary for theatre-goers. For more info, please visit the ZACH Theatre website.