This wickedly funny and wildly fantastical work chronicles the true story of a 17th Century nun who, at the tender age of 14, breaks out of the convent, makes her way across the globe disguised as a man, and ultimately becomes the New World’s first and fiercest Conquistadora. In the breadth of one evening, we watch Catalina transform from a trapped young girl into a self-made man, until the brutality of colonization remakes her into a monster. 

This world premiere is written by paper chairs’ co-artistic director and resident playwright Elizabeth Doss, features scenic design by co-artistic director Lisa Laratta, and welcomes back co-founder Dustin Wills from New York City to direct.

Catalina is the inaugural event of our 2017-2018 collaboration with Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems (CMPBS), an internationally renowned non-profit sustainable design and architecture firm in East Austin, located 15 minutes from downtown, just east of MLK and 183.