Basura begins with a question that feels both urgent and timeless: What happens when creativity becomes survival?

Inspired by the true story of a community living beside a landfill in Paraguay, this musical tells of young adults whose lives were shaped by scarcity—until one unlikely act of imagination changed everything. What began as a small moment of hope grew into something extraordinary—a youth orchestra built from instruments crafted out of discarded materials; a movement that would eventually resonate across the world.

When we first encountered this story, we recognized something familiar in its spirit. Despite taking place some 4,000 miles away, it felt like an Atlanta story. If there is one thing Atlanta understands deeply, it is the power of imagination to reshape destiny. Bringing it even closer to home, Basura arrives at the Alliance at a time when our theater itself is reshaping its vision for the future—a vision informed by the steadfast belief that arts can transform a young person’s development, and in turn, those young people can transform the world. As we open our new Goizueta Stage for Youth & Families—a space devoted to igniting imagination in the next generation—it feels profoundly fitting that we welcome a musical that celebrates the limitless potential of young people when they are given the tools to dream.

And then there is the music.

When this remarkable story caught the attention of global icon Gloria Estefan and her daughter Emily, they recognized its universal heartbeat. Together they created a score that pulses with rhythm, resilience, and joy! With a book by the brilliant Karen Zacarías, one of the most produced playwrights in the country, Basura brings together an extraordinary team of artists united by a shared belief in the transformative power of storytelling.

 When the anxieties and tragedies of the world can make us feel hopeless, stories like this invite us to lean into what is still possible. They remind us that imagination can outgrow circumstance, that art can reshape community, and that even the smallest spark of creativity can reverberate far beyond the moment it begins.

Thank you for being here, and for keeping that spark alive!

Performances of BASURA run on The Coca-Cola Stage May 30 through July 12, 2025 – learn more.