‘Mexodus’ Brings a Live-Looped Hip-Hop History to Audible’s Minetta Lane

Written and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, the two-artist, live-looped musical makes its New York premiere Off-Broadway next month.

The acclaimed hip-hop history musical Mexodus will make its NYC debut at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre this fall, with performances beginning September 9 and an official opening night September 18. Conceived, written, composed, and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, the piece uses live looping to build beats, vocals, and instrumentation in real time—two artists creating an entire band’s worth of sound onstage. The five-week engagement is scheduled through October 11.

Directed by David Mendizábal, Mexodus reframes a little-taught chapter of U.S. history: the southern routes of the Underground Railroad that carried freedom seekers across the Rio Grande into Mexico. Quijada and Robinson trace a cross-border journey of solidarity—Black and Latino communities forging bonds beyond lines on a map—set to a score that moves through hip-hop and related genres. The production will be recorded for release as an Audible Original, continuing Audible Theater’s model of capturing limited-run Minetta Lane productions for listeners worldwide.

Audiences may recognize the title from its earlier, momentum-building runs. Before New York, Mexodus played Baltimore Center Stage, Mosaic Theater Company in Washington, D.C., and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where critics praised its kinetic musicianship and inventive staging. Those developmental and regional engagements shaped the show’s current form—and helped it arrive in Greenwich Village with a devoted early following.

At Minetta Lane, the creators are joined by a design team that amplifies the show’s loop-built soundworld: Riw Rakkulchon (scenic), Mextly Couzin (lighting), Mikhail Fiksel (sound), Johnny Moreno (projections), Tony Thomas (choreography), and David Mendizábal doubling as costume designer. Hope Villaneuva serves as production stage manager, with casting by Claire Yenson.

What to expect: In performance, Quijada and Robinson layer drum patterns, bass lines, harmonies, and hooks via loop stations—locking grooves, sampling their own voices and instruments, and then stepping into multiple roles to tell the story. The effect is part concert, part time-traveling folktale: a two-hander scaled to feel orchestral, and a history lesson that lands with the urgency of a mixtape. (A first look at the number “Two Bodies” offers a taste of the sound and staging.)

When & where:

Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane, NYC)

Previews begin: September 9

Opens: September 18

Closes: October 11 (limited run)

Approx. runtime: about 90 minutes; recommended for ages 12+.

Tickets & info: Tickets are available via Audible’s Minetta Lane calendar and authorized sellers. For schedule updates and additional details, visit the official listings and production site.

Why it matters: Minetta Lane has become a hub for boundary-pushing storytelling that lives both onstage and in listeners’ headphones later. With Mexodus, Audible Theater continues that mission—elevating a form (live-looping theatre) that’s as contemporary as the history it’s reclaiming is overdue.

Sources: Playbill announcement and video feature; Audible Theater’s official event listing and run dates; New York Theatre Guide ticket page; Broadway.com listing.