This post was co-published with USC's Dimelo, a student-led multiplatform news media overseen and funded by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.
“Homeboys, A Musical” opened to a packed house at CASA 0101 in Boyle Heights two weeks ago. Although not officially affiliated with Homeboy Industries, the new production, supported by USC Visions and Voices, draws inspiration from the organization’s founding story and brings it to life through six dynamic characters.
Through musical numbers, comedic audience interactions and dance performances, “Homeboys, A Musical” is a story about love, homies, and rehabilitation. Rooted in Eastside Los Angeles, the show celebrates community and resilience.
“I’ve heard a lot of things about Homeboy Industries…I have friends who’ve actually gotten jobs through the program,” said Leticia Vasquez, an attendee of the show’s opening night. Vasquez believes programs like Homeboy Industries are important to the community, especially for formerly incarcerated people.
Homeboy Industries began in Boyle Heights in the late 1980s when Father Greg Boyle and the members of Dolores Mission Church created the program to hire former gang members to start the Homeboy Bakery business.
Now, Homeboy Industries is the largest gang rehabilitation and intervention program in the world, and has almost a dozen corporations, including HomeGirl Cafe, Homeboy Silkscreening, Homeboy Electronics Recycling, and many others.
Characters like Father Greg Boyle, the founder of Homeboy Industries, and Chuy, a gang member, echo the need for rehabilitation with lines like, “When the system fails, give us jobs not jail.” Other themes in the show include the power of community, power, and commentary on policing.
“I grew up with homies … I was not in a gang, but I knew people that were and so part of it was like, story’s gotta get told,” said David Nuñez, who played Loco, a gang member and narrator of the musical. “I just always felt like if it’s something I can do, to shine a light on what life is like in other parts of L.A., then I’m going to do that.”
Frank J. Ramirez, who plays Chuy, also shares a personal connection to the show.
“I grew up around cholos and gang life, gang activity and things, and so in a lot of these characters I see my tíos and my cousins, and my dad, and so it hits home,” he said. “We only had about two and a half weeks to do everything, so a lot of the work was done at home.”
“The message of ‘Homeboy,’ the message of Father Greg, which is no one is outside the circle of compassion. No exclusion, total inclusion, everyone is within this circle,” said Robert Rex Waller Jr, who portrays Father Boyle.
Drawing from 1980s and 1990s hip-hop culture, the production features 23 original songs and choreography by Nikko Vega, who also plays Lil' Homie. The show’s visuals—from graffiti-inspired backdrops to old-school fashion and breakdancing—bring the world of the play vividly to life and pay homage to the era that shaped its story.
The show’s theater, CASA 0101, is dedicated to shining light on Latine storytellers.
“It’s just so invested in developing stories out of here. We have cast members from the neighborhood,” said Mark C. Marino, the writer of the show. Marino is also a professor of writing at Dornsife and directs the Humanities and Critical Code Studies (HaCCS) Lab.
The decision to stage “Homeboys, A Musical” at CASA 0101 was intentional.
Founded in 2000 by playwright Josefina López, best known for “Real Women Have Curves,” the Boyle Heights theater is known for being the first of its kind in the area, dedicated to showcasing stories by and for the Latine community. Over the years, the theater has helped launch the careers of actors like Xolo Maridueña and Fabrizio Guido. Hosting the musical at this historic venue grounds the production in the same neighborhood where Homeboy Industries began, reinforcing the show’s connection to community and cultural legacy.
Although “Homeboys, A Musical” has closed its run at Casa 0101, its message continues to resonate. More than just a performance, the production served as a powerful reminder of how storytelling rooted in community can spark conversations that extend far beyond the stage.
If you’re interested in seeing other productions at CASA 0101, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” a play about a journalist who reunites with a former college professor, opens April 18 and will run for a little over a month. Frida-Stroke of Passion (The Immersive Experience) will also run from May 16 to May 18.
