Zoot Suit: Celebrating 45 Years with Luis Valdez and Edward James Olmos
Produced in partnership with LALIFF (Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival), Self Help Graphics, and Pachuco Car Club
Produced in partnership with LALIFF (Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival), Self Help Graphics, and Pachuco Car Club
Loosely based on the unsolved 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder mystery and the highly publicized Zoot Suit Riots that resulted, Valdez’s successful stage production became this powerful, distinguished screenplay.
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Wed July 8, 2026 8pm
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Individual tickets on sale: [[ $t(vm.selectedInstance.bookingState.performance.onSaleDateFormatted) ]]
Individual tickets on sale: [[ $t(vm.selectedInstance.bookingState.performance.onSaleDateFormatted) ]]
Zoot Suit: Celebrating 45 Years with Luis Valdez and Edward James Olmos
Celebrate 45 years of the groundbreaking film Zoot Suit with visionary playwright and director Luis Valdez and one of the starring actors, Edward James Olmos.
Adapted from Valdez’s landmark stage production, Zoot Suit brings to life the story of Henry Reyna and the 1942 Sleepy Lagoon case, set against the backdrop of the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles. Blending stylized storytelling, music, and myth, the film remains a defining work of Chicano cinema, exploring identity, injustice, and the power of cultural expression.
In partnership with Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF), Self Help Graphics, and Pachuco Car Club, attendees will also have the opportunity to bring articles of clothing or purchase items to be printed live and experience vintage automobiles that evoke the era depicted in the film, further immersing audiences in the culture and history that inspired Zoot Suit.
Audiences are encouraged to come in costume, so dress to impress and arrive early to be here in time for the opening “Pachuco Boogie!”
Artists
Cristina Frias
host
Edward James Olmos
lead actor
Luis Valdez
director
