Los Zapatos Mágicos de Pedro (Pedro's Magic Shoes)

To feed his family, save the valley and recover his abuelo's heritage, Pedro must prove he is the greatest trickster of all times. With the help of a pair of zapatos mágicos (magic shoes)—"no matter where you go, the shoes will return you home"—Pedro outwits his selfish boss, Don Juan, and el diablo de la montaña (the mountain devil), freeing his abuelo's spirit. Pedro then returns home to reclaim his heritage and make things right for his family in their valley of mesquite and sage. In this bilingual piece based in part on Latino trickster tales, English-speaking students will learn some Spanish, and Spanish speakers will find their own culture celebrated in this flavorful romp through America's Southwest. This play was developed at the Lawrence Arts Center (Lawrence, Kan.), San Diego State University's Theatre of the World Festivals, and the Mesa Children's Theatre and went on to tour nationally.