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Julio Torres' 'Color Theories' Opens Off-Broadway With Run Extended Through Oct. 5

Critics highlight a whimsical lecture-performance using color to probe bureaucracy, immigration, identity.

Overview

  • Color Theories officially opened September 10 at Performance Space New York, with its initially shorter engagement extended in advance to run through October 5.
  • Torres presents a mock academic lecture that blends stand-up, theatrical design, and dream logic to examine the emotional and symbolic qualities of colors.
  • Navy blue figures as a recurring motif for bureaucracy and control, with personal anecdotes about travel hurdles and U.S. cultural influence woven into the material.
  • A robot periodically emerges from a grandfather clock to manage pacing and cue new sections, interacting with Torres throughout the show.
  • Reviews note the eccentric, funny tone and spotlight the collaborative design — including Tommaso Ortino (scenic), Muriel Parra (costumes), and Lia Ouyang Rusli (music) — as central to the experience.