Frida Stroke of Passion: The Immersive Experience By Juan Markos
I attended the closing night of Frida: Stroke of Passion – The Immersive Experience* on May 18th, 2025, at Casa 0101 Theater in Los Angeles, California. The play was revived for a limited engagement, reimagining the immersive staging, and Frida’s world came to life in this incredible production. The moment I walked into the theater, I was engulfed by the vibrant works of Frida Kahlo; vegetation and animals sprung to life in this colorful, magical environment. I had seen a performance there just a few weeks earlier, and the transformation from then to this night was stark. The stage and theater were fully animated by the vivid colors of Frida’s artwork.
What is real and what is make-believe? Surrealism, a 20th-century cultural and artistic movement, seeks to express the unconscious mind, often portraying dreamlike or illogical concepts that challenge conventional ideas of reality. This play embodies that spirit by representing the illogical and imaginative essence of the brilliant artist Frida Kahlo, revealing her emotional and physical state.
The performance begins on Frida’s 47th birthday, July 6, 1954, during the last week of her life. From an anesthetized state, she is visited by many male and female lovers. Some are physically present, while others are conjured from her memories. We witness Frida’s final week, filled with pain and anguish, as her fantasies come to life under the direction of Odalys Nanin, the playwright, director, and star of *Frida: Stroke of Passion*.
Odalys Nanin has an impressive body of work, having previously written and directed plays such as *Love Struck, Skin of Honey, Garbo’s Cuban Lover, The Nun and the Countess,* and many others. She has received the Nancy Dean Playwriting Award and is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Macha Theatre/Films. In addition to Odalys Nanin as Frida, the cast of *Frida: Stroke of Passion – The Immersive Experience* includes Oscar Basulto, Tricia Cruz, Gia Munday, Gisel Murillo, Francisco Medina, Lizette Santiago, Swisyzinna, Paul Cascante, Isabella Donnelly, and Alejandro Valtierra. The set design was created by Marco de Leon, with lighting design by Alex Parra, and immersive design by Anthony Storniolo. Co directed by Carmelita Maldonado.
The show features several iconic songs from the period, performed live, including “Paloma Negra,” “La Llorona,” “Piensa en mí,” “Estas Son Las Mañanitas,” and “María Bonita.”
All of the characters in the play are based on real people, except for Judas, who is represented as Frida’s subconscious. This character is portrayed by Alejandro Valtierra, who appears throughout the play in dream sequences as a kind of naked deer.
Tricia Cruz plays Nurse Judith, who not only provides comic relief but also brings Frida’s painful reality to life. She is present during Frida’s anguish and cares for her in her final days. Tricia originally joined the cast in 2017 and has reprised her role for this performance.
Swisyzinna portrays the beautiful Josephine Baker, adding a touch of Parisian flair to the production. She lights up the stage with her beauty and dance.
The play opens with Frida in bed, and soon after, a mariachi band appears, featuring Francisco Medina and Chavela Vargas, played by Gia Mundy. They sing “Las Mañanitas,” with Francisco serving as both a fabulous musician and the character Manolo. This is his fourth run as the musician and Manolo in *Frida: Stroke of Passion*. I must admit, I developed an instant crush on him.
Maria Félix is portrayed by Gisel Murillo, who is an incredible singer. I was also unaware of the relationship between Maria Félix and Frida. Oscar Basulto Played Diego Rivera, he captures their intense relationship and brings to life this larger than life character.
A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed Odalys Nanin, who spoke about the importance of this story and her interpretation that Frida committed suicide. She described reaching a point where she could no longer paint or create those fine details. She quoted Frida: “I live to paint and to make love,” which is a beautiful sentiment, but tragically, by the end of that week, she couldn’t do either. Another famous line from Frida that resonates is, “I hope the exit is joyful and never to return.”
I also had the opportunity to watch Odalys record some digital scenes with immersive designer Anthony Storniolo. It took about an hour to record a very small clip that ultimately came to life in the immersive experience. The process required a great deal of creativity; the scene was filmed on a green screen and involved several takes, as Odalys imagined an ocean that wasn’t physically present.
Odalys really brought Frida to life, Frida as an artist and individual was complex and multifaceted Odalys really captures her personal struggles in this intimate final week of Fridas life.
