Cygnet Theater at Liberty Station is showcasing ‘Somewhere over the border,’ through March 15.

SAN DIEGO — A musical at Cygnet Theater at Liberty Station showcases one woman’s journey toward the American Dream while exploring the timely topic of immigration. ‘Somewhere Over the Border’ tells a story that begins in El Salvador and follows the character Reina as she travels to the United States, drawing creative inspiration from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’

Actress Luzma Ortiz brings two characters to life in the production: Antonia and Leona. The musical resonates beyond the immigrant experience itself. 

“It’s very relevant whether you’re an immigrant or not because ultimately it’s really about motherhood, parenthood and family, the love and dedication and what a person, the lengths that a person will go to for someone they love,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz believes the production holds potential for meaningful dialogue about shared human experiences. 

“I hope this musical starts conversations about just humanity in general and that we all have the experience of having the desire and need to do anything and everything that it takes to love and protect the people that we love,” she said.

Actor Edward Padilla plays Don Napoleon and Silvano in the production. He views the musical as a necessary counterpoint to the current discourse surrounding immigrants. 

“I think it’s an important part of our storytelling right now because of the unfortunate rhetoric that is being said about immigrants and about our community in general. I think this is a wonderful counterpoint to that because it allows you to really deepen the understanding of what it is to be an immigrant in this country,” Padilla said.

The story carries deep personal meaning for Padilla, whose family shares similar experiences. 

“This story is such an important personal connection to my family; we’re a family of immigrants as well. My mom being a single mother and her own journey coming to the United States and the difficult situation that she had to go through to get us here, and the amount of work that she did and everything that she did to help us succeed and get us to where we are now… this is reflective of that,” he said.

The musical runs through March 15. For more information on showtimes, visit purchase.cygnettheatre.org