‘Mexodus’ brings a two-man Underground Railroad musical to Pasadena

Two performers, one 90-minute ride, and a whole lot of sound: “Mexodus” has landed at Pasadena Playhouse after a busy New York run, with Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson serving as both the show’s writers and stars.

Variety critic Chris Willman reviewed the production and described it as a two-hander with the drive of a much larger musical. He compared its early use of rap and period storytelling to “Hamilton,” while noting that the score moves beyond hip-hop into Tex-Mex balladry and other styles.

The musical follows Henry, an enslaved man played by Robinson, after he escapes to Mexico before emancipation. There, he encounters Carlos, a rancher played by Quijada, who becomes an uneasy helper. According to Willman, the show does not ignore the danger Henry has fled or the threat of being sent back.

At the center of the story is a lesser-known route to freedom. In the show, Quijada and Robinson state that an estimated 4,000 to 10,000 enslaved people escaped south through an Underground Railroad that led to Mexico, rather than north.

A small cast with a big sound

Before the plot fully begins, the performers address the audience and explain how the music will be made live. Willman writes that the production uses looping: voices, beats, guitar figures and other musical pieces are recorded in the moment and stacked into full arrangements.

The effect, according to the review, lets Quijada and Robinson create the feel of a band or chorus with only two bodies on stage. Willman also singled out moments without the technology, including a Spanish-guitar duet, as proof that the pair can carry the room on performance alone.

The show is directed by David Mendizábal. Willman credited the production with keeping its historical material lively without turning the evening into a lecture, while also giving both creators space for personal reflections about Black and Latino relations beyond the 1860s setting.

New York heat, Pasadena speed

“Mexodus” arrived in Pasadena soon after its latest New York engagement. Quijada and Robinson first performed it in a twice-extended 2025 run at the Minetta Lane Theatre, then brought it back at the Daryl Roth Theatre for a run that ended June 14, according to Variety.

The production picked up a haul of Off Broadway honors before heading west: four Lucille Lortel Awards, four Outer Critics Circle Awards, three Drama Desk Awards, an Off Broadway Alliance Award and a Drama League Award.

Willman’s verdict is enthusiastic, calling the Pasadena staging a high-energy showcase for two actor-songwriters building ambitious work for themselves. “Mexodus” continues at Pasadena Playhouse through Aug. 2, with ticket information available at PasadenaPlayhouse.org.

This story draws on original reporting from Variety.