12 FEBRUARY 5-11, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | The Myth of the Two Marcos by Tony Meneses The Myth of the Two Marcos grew out of Tony Meneses’ interest in outsider art and the ways marginalized communities fi nd refuge in culture. During a pandemic-era residency, the immigrant born in Guadala- jara, Mexico, began thinking about genres that function as sanctuaries, like how horror fi lms have long served queer and BIPOC audiences. For him, comic books fi lled a similar role, providing a space where kids on the margins can fi nd belonging and survival. Once he located that entry point, Meneses drew heavily from his own history. While “not a documentary,” the play is inspired by a formative friendship from his youth. He grew up in Albuquerque, a city he describes as a central character in the play, shaped by rough neighborhoods and the later realiza- tion that his life could easily have taken a different path. That personal lens sharpens the play’s core question: how two boys with parallel beginnings can be pulled toward radically different futures by forces both within and beyond their control. The play has already undergone signifi cant development, including a workshop at the O’Neill Playwrights Conference, which Men- eses calls “a playwright’s dream come true,” and additional work at Two River Theater, his longtime artistic home. Across those settings, he’s been encouraged by how audiences con- nect to a story centered on two Latino boys in Albuquerque. “I hope that Denver audiences will be able to see their experiences in these characters,” Meneses says, “but also there’s a theatrical element in the play that involves an Aztec superhero, so I’m just kind of curious as to what they think of that.” One of his goals at the Summit is to clarify how the Aztec superhero character functions alongside the play’s shifting relationship to time. Returning to the Denver Center carries particular weight for Meneses, who previously developed the work twenty50 here in early 2020. What he didn’t anticipate, he says, was how those early experiences would lead to an enduring relationship. Coming back now feels like a return “to family and an audience that knows my work,” Meneses says. “We’re in a transitional moment post-pandemic. There’s been a lot of contraction with new play devel- opment opportunities. Full stop. So it’s very lucky to be in this position and it’s great that the Denver Center hung on, and that they’re still committed to this kind of development. “So many really heavy-hitting kinds of shows that, were it not for the Summit, wouldn’t be out in the American theater in the way that they are,” he continues. “It can really change your career, and it can really change your artistic practice. So, yeah, I just want to lift up and celebrate the fact that the Denver Center is committed to continuing to invest in new play development.” The 2026 Colorado New Play Summit runs Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15, in the Helen Bonfi ls Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex. Packages range from $204 to $334 and á la carte tickets start at $23.60; learn more at denvercenter.org. Email the author at [email protected]. Culture continued from page 10 ALWAYS IN YOUR FEED. FOLLOW US
