EVREN ODCIKIN
Simple Mexican Pleasures
by Eric Reyes Loo
World premiere
New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco, CA (2025)
Heartbroken from a breakup, Eric does what many do – deny the pain and skip town. But he finds it’s hard to enjoy a pozole in peace when the spirits of your ancestors are squabbling in both ears. Through raucous conversation with his ghostly guides and a surreally hot hookup, Eric’s impulsive trip to Mexico City awakens his need for identity, familial ties, and a deeper connection to his roots.
"Directed with spark and savvy by Evren Odcikin, this new work offers a thoughtful meditation on identity, heartbreak, and home."
—Theatrius
"Every member of director Evren Odcikin's cast does marvelous, heartfelt work here. What begins as a boy-loses-boy story, ultimately opens up into an exploration of one man's tender, bruised, but ultimately resilient heart." —Talkin' Broadway
"Performed by a superb cast of four on Kate Boyd’s inviting, Crayola-bright set and directed by Evren Odcikin, who reliably balances intellect and entertainment in his work throughout the Bay Area, the show is immediately satisfying."
—Bay Area Reporter
"Playwright Eric Reyes Loo serves up a vibrant, heartfelt, and funny journey of self-discovery—wrapped in masa, dipped in memory, and garnished with just the right dash of magic. Directed with spark and savvy by Evren Odcikin, this new work offers a thoughtful meditation on identity, heartbreak, and home."
—Theatrius
"Under the guidance of Evren Odcikin, Loo’s script balances well its outlandish humor with its pathos. "
—48 Hills
Cast
Marcia Aguilar, Ricardo Cortes, Alex Rodriguez, Edric Young
Creative Team
Cassie Barnes (lighting designer), Kate Boyd (set designer), Jenna Forder (props designer), Jorge R. Hernandez (costume designer), Rachel Grace Reyes Mogan (stage manager), Lana Palmer (sound designer), Shaila Sarathy (production assistant), Alice Tuan (dramaturg)