{"id":158519,"date":"2026-02-10T15:53:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T15:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/158519\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T15:53:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T15:53:09","slug":"how-kid-turbonis-play-reflects-life-in-el-paso-heatwaves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/158519\/","title":{"rendered":"How Kid Turboni’s Play Reflects Life In El Paso Heatwaves"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every now and then, a play comes along that just feels like El Paso. Kid Turboni Brings The Rain<\/a> is one of those shows. It\u2019s set right here in modern-day El Paso, during a brutal heatwave and drought, in a borderland housing project that will feel instantly familiar to a lot of us. That\u2019s a big part of why I was so excited when I was asked to be part of this production.<\/p>\n

I should be clear, I\u2019m not actually on stage. I\u2019m playing myself through recorded radio voiceovers that help move the story along between scenes. Think of it like the local radio voice guiding you through Kid\u2019s world. The real work, and the real magic, is being done live on stage by an incredible cast and crew who are bringing this story to life in the moment.<\/p>\n

What Kid Turboni Brings The Rain Is All About<\/p>\n

It\u2019s 115 degrees in the shade and Kid Turboni has had enough. The heat is out of control, there\u2019s no rain in sight, and life in his housing project feels hotter and harder by the day. So Kid and his best friend Billy come up with a plan to steal rain from Mother Nature, inspired by a legendary former tenant named Smack Turkenson.<\/p>\n

Of course, things aren\u2019t that simple. Kid misses his mom, who isn\u2019t around anymore. His friend Kelly wants to be more than just friends. He can\u2019t quite nail his rain dance. And everyone seems to expect him to be the one who fixes everything. It\u2019s funny, sweet, and heartfelt, and it asks a big question in a really playful way: can Kid Turboni bring the rain?<\/p>\n

Why This Story Means So Much to Me<\/p>\n

This show hits close to home for me. I grew up bouncing between apartments and trailer parks, and more recently I lived in a government housing project right here in El Paso before I was able to find steady work and get my family into a better situation.<\/p>\n

Some of my favorite memories from that time are the simplest ones. Kids running around playing games and cutting through secret paths between buildings. Neighbors catching up on all the chisme, even when it felt like the sun was trying to melt us into the sidewalk. That sense of community, even in the toughest heat, is all over this play.<\/p>\n

A Cast You\u2019re Going to Love<\/p>\n

One of the coolest things about this production is the cast. Three of the five main actors are teenagers themselves, which makes the story feel even more real and energetic. I will always be excited to support projects that give young performers the chance to shine, especially in a story made for families.<\/p>\n

Cast<\/p>\n

Zane Villa \u2013 Kid Turboni<\/p>\n

John Levick \u2013 Miles Turboni \/ Smack Turkenson<\/p>\n

Jesse Gandara \u2013 Billy Santos<\/p>\n

Amaris Wilson \u2013 Kelly McCuskey<\/p>\n

Luciana Molina Gim\u00e9nez \u2013 Lydia Santos<\/p>\n

Fernando Antonio Montejano \u201cGrizz\u201d \u2013 Himself<\/p>\n

Tech Crew<\/p>\n

Costume Design \u2013 Beth Leffler<\/p>\n

Scenic Design \u2013 Manny Lothamer<\/p>\n

Graphic Design \u2013 Emma Leigh Montes<\/p>\n

Photographer \/ Videographer \u2013 Christian Churches<\/p>\n

Social Media \u2013 Josey Pickett<\/p>\n

When, Where, and Why You Should Go<\/p>\n

This production is presented by Somos Performance Group, a local nonprofit started by longtime El Paso artists and educators who are all about youth, family, and stories inspired by our community. The show is part of the El Paso Community Foundation Jewel Box Series at the Philanthropy Theatre, an intimate 195-seat space inside the Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Centre that\u2019s perfect for a fun, up-close theater experience.<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Somos 915 Productions<\/p>\n

Courtesy of Somos 915 Productions<\/p>\n

There are two chances to catch the show:<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a fun, family-friendly Valentine\u2019s plan or something special to do that weekend, this is a great option. You can grab tickets by checking out the Somos 915<\/a> social media pages or clicking the link we\u2019ll provide.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m grateful to be a small part of this show, and I\u2019m genuinely excited for El Paso families to experience a story that feels this close to home, live on stage.<\/p>\n

From El Paso to Hollywood: Julian Kalel\u2019s American Idol Journey<\/p>\n

Julian Kalel secures a golden ticket on\u00a0American Idol\u00a0and delivers a message bigger than music.<\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: Courtesy: American Idol<\/p>\n

Remembering The Alamo Movie Theaters In El Paso<\/p>\n

Both Alamo Movie theaters in El Paso closed abruptly but they were gems for the movie loving community here in the city. We honor them with photos from Christian Churches Photography. <\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: Grizz<\/p>\n

Still Shots From The KISS FM Short Film ‘Radio Silence’<\/p>\n

Still frames from the KISS FM Short film made for the El Paso 48HR Film Project<\/p>\n

Gallery Credit: Grizz<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every now and then, a play comes along that just feels like El Paso. Kid Turboni Brings The…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":158520,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[138,140,139,141,142,143],"class_list":{"0":"post-158519","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-el-paso","8":"tag-el-paso","9":"tag-el-paso-headlines","10":"tag-el-paso-news","11":"tag-featured-carousel","12":"tag-include-in-newsletter","13":"tag-local-el-paso"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=158519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/158519\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/158520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=158519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=158519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=158519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}