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Quixote: On the Conquest of Self

World Premiere Translation

  • Written by Mónica Hoth and Claudio Valdés Kuri
  • English Translation by Georgina Escobar
  • Directed by Claudio Valdés Kuri

Created by acclaimed Mexican director and internationally-recognized artist Claudio Valdés Kuri and featuring a virtuoso performance in WT’s intimate Gillian Theatre, Quixote: On the Conquest of Self will immerse audiences in the story of this eccentric idealist and self-proclaimed knight errant, as they accompany him on a fantastic adventure filled with great humor and poignancy.

Synopsis

Leopoldstadt

This engaging and creative interpretation of the classic novel by Miguel de Cervantes transports audiences between time periods: from the fascinating universes created by Cervantes to the parallel realities of our current world. Along the way, the universally beloved dreamer Don Quixote helps bring new meaning to our triumphs and defeats, reawakening our forgotten desires and celebrating the joys of great literature.

Cast

Henry Godinez

Don Quixote

Emma Ladji

Xochitl

Micah Figueroa

Understudy Don Quixote

MICAH FIGUEROA [he/him] is a queer, latinx, Chicago-based Actor, Director, Choreographer, and Teaching Artist specializing in intimacy/violence, physical theatre, and circus arts. He is thrilled to be back working with everyone at Writers Theatre and Eurydice! His most recent work as a Violence and Intimacy Director was Anna in the Tropics with Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. Other select productions include: First Floor Theatre (Mike Pence Sex Dream, Plano, Botticelli in the Fire), Steep Theatre (The Leopard Play, Light Falls), UNC Charlotte (These Shining Lives), and Northwestern University (In His Hands, Something Rotten, Men on Boats, Peerless, Blood Wedding, Sweat, Indecent, Everybody, and Exit Strategy). He holds a degree in Directing and Playwriting from Southern Methodist University.

[Bio as of September 2023]

Phoebe Gonzalez

Understudy Xochitl

Phoebe González is delighted to return to Writers Theatre, where she last understudied Quixote. She is a Mexican-Irish performer who proudly hails from Washington Heights and lives wherever the work takes her. She has performed at such Chicago institutions as Paramount Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Steppenwolf, the Marriott, Teatro Vista, and The Hypocrites. Regionally, she has toured with the Kennedy Center and performed at American Shakespeare Center, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Forward Theater, and just completed her seventh season with American Players Theatre (her second as a core company member). Para mis familias – la que me crió y la que elegí.

[Bio as of October 2025]

Creative

Claudio Valdés Kuri

Writer/Director

Billy Siegenfeld

Choreographer

Marcela Muñoz

Associate Director

Sanja Manakoski

Costume Designer

Alexander Ridgers

Lighting Designer

Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi

Acrobatic Advisor

Rebecca Pechter

Stage Manager

Abigail Medrano

Assistant Stage Manager

Reviews

Fascinating…audacious and ambitious. [A] very rich 90 minutes!

Chicago Tribune

As Quixote, [Henry] Godinez wows, commanding the stage [with] masterful storytelling and…unexpected physical feats!

Daily Herald

[Henry] Godinez…a masterful comedian [and] actor…is worth the ticket price all by himself.

Windy City Times

Five Stars! Brilliant! [Henry] Godinez is absolutely stunning.

Around the Town Chicago

Be prepared to be awestruck and moved!

Conversations with Ed Tracy

Energetic [and] engaging!  A 90-minute tour-de-force!

Third Coast Review

Events

Sunday Spotlight

Sunday, November 12, 2017 after the matinee performance

Are you curious about the world that surrounds your favorite plays? Our Sunday Spotlight series offers you access to the finest speakers, scholars and cultural leaders. Medardo Gabriel Rosario, a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago, will talk with Director of New Work & Dramaturgy Bobby Kennedy about the legacy of Cervantes in the New World and Don Quixote’s influence on Latin American literature. 

The Making of... Quixote: On the Conquest of Self

Monday, December 4, 2017 at 6:30pm

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes? The Making of… series offers you an insider view of what goes into creating each production at WT. Acrobatic Advisor Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi will talk about her work on the show, collaborating with an international director, and creating a physical vocabulary for Don Quixote and his adventures. Reservations are requested to secure your seat.

Post-Show Conversation: The Word

Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post-Show Conversation: The Artist

Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

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