STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

PHOTOS BY KIRSTEN SHULTZ

When a young Hispanic man pleads with his parents to tell him where he came from, his father responds that their family surname means “jaw”—a name given to the Quijadas because of their big jaws.

The impressionable Bee draws upon that when teased on the playground of his suburban Chicago school, telling the bullies that his great-great-great grandfather had such a mighty jaw that he ate those who made him mad.

“Where Did We Sit on the Bus” is a colorful fast-moving presentation involving visual projections.

The tale, told with animation and sound effects, offers a real-life glimpse into the life of a young Hispanic man trying to figure out his identity as a first-generation in America. And it’s being told right now in The Liberty Theatre Company’s production of “Where Did We Sit on the Bus?”

Saul Rodriguez, an actor from East Los Angeles, stars in Brian Quijada’s autobiographical play that runs through Oct. 18 at The Liberty Theatre in Hailey.

The one-man performance directed by Giovanni Ortega is likely unlike any one-man performance you’ve seen before.

It’s a whirlwind featuring rap that is easy to understand even for someone who has never understood a word of rap before. Rodriguez aptly portrays a couple dozen characters, even while singing, reciting poetry and dancing. And scenic and projections designer Carlos-Antonio Aceves, light designer Ray Jones and sound designer Ramiro Hermosillorivera have combined to engage the senses with video projections and lighting sequences.

Where Did We Sit on the Bus?” gets its name from the question 9-year-old Bee asks when his teacher recounts the story of Rosa Park, who helped instigate the Civil Rights movement with her refusal to move to the back of the bus.

The only thing giving the production pause is the time it takes for Rodriquez to dial up  music on his iPad.

The play is funny, witty and thoughtful. And it takes you places you never ever dreamed of going, such as to Bee’s mother’s womb as Bee describes the tug-and-pull of wanting to remain in this safe place.

It tells how the Quijadas were considered outsiders when they moved to a home in the Highwood suburb of Chicago, largely populated by Italians. It tells how Bee was placed in a class with white kids because of his early English language skills. It tells how he was infatuated with Michael Jackson and the way his parents swung their hips to syncopated Latin rhythms.

It tells the story of his parents’ journey to America, Bee’s two oldest brothers in tow, to create a better life for themselves than they had in El Salvador where his father didn’t get his first pair of shoes until he was 18.

Watch out! You may get an opportunity to dance with this charming performer!

And it shares the disappointments he endured as he skirted his parents’ wishes for him to become a doctor or lawyer to chase his dream of performing on stage.

“What my father considered a luxury, I considered a necessity,” he said.

Sun Valley resident Ken Lewis came away raving about the play: "It's phenomenal. We were crying it was so good. And it' so timely given what's happening in America today."

Carlos-Antonio Aceves said the play’s exploration of belonging resonates with him.

“It’s about the universal search to understand where we fit within family, memory, and the larger world,” he said. “As a storyteller and theatre-maker, I’m drawn to how the storytelling moves fluidly through time, allowing space itself to reflect shifting identities. I’m inspired by how one person’s narrative becomes a mirror for all of us, capturing the journey between honoring where we come from and shaping who we choose to become.”

IF YOU GO…

“Where Did We Sit on the Bus” runs through Saturday, Oct. 18, at The Liberty Theatre in Hailey.

Tickets are $35 for general admission and $15 for students, available at https://www.libertytheatrecompany.org/.

Showtimes are 7 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, free matinee for students and families who use the code QUIJADA12 when clicking on the website.

Artists will hold a post-show talkback with the audience after the Oct. 12 matinee.

Questions? Call 208-582-8388.