STAGE: Latin History for Morons

John Leguizamo is a vivacious and compelling teacher in his one-man show “Latin History for Morons”, playing now at the Ahmanson. The motivating premise for this “lesson” is that Leguizamo’s young son is getting bullied at school for being a “beaner” while struggling with an assignment to find a historical hero to write about. As a father, John despairs at the lack of Latinx heroes in his son’s history textbooks, prompting him to do some reading of his own. Thus ensues a lively recount of Latin contributions to American history, going back to Inca and Mayan roots, to undersung characters like Loreta Janeta Velázquez, a Cuban-American woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Civil War. The lesson is filled with a barrage of laughs, and I have to say I don’t think I’ve ever sat with a more “live” audience who were laughing out loud, whooping, and applauding with gusto. Amidst the laughs, you’ll pick up some interesting information you may not have known, and it might leave you a bit more thoughtful about the importance of visibility and representation.