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Welcome to the New York Premiere of
UNDESIRABLE SECRETS
Written and Performed by Rodolfo Alvarado
Presented by the Anthony Acevedo Educational Foundation
Co-Produced by Danisarte
We are honored to welcome you to this special New York staging of Undesirable Secrets, a powerful solo performance based on the true story of Anthony C. Acevedo—the first Mexican American soldier to be registered as a Holocaust survivor.
Anthony, a U.S. Army medic during World War II, was captured and sent to Berga, a Nazi slave labor camp in violation of the Geneva Conventions. Ordered to remain silent about what he witnessed, Anthony kept a secret military diary documenting the atrocities—and carried that burden for 63 years before courageously breaking his silence.
This production is both a tribute and a call: a tribute to Anthony and the men who never came home, and a call to remember, to speak truth, and to give voice to the stories that history tried to erase.
We thank you for joining us in honoring this legacy.
For more information, visit:
www.TicketsToUndesirableSecrets.com
Cast
Creative Team
William Doll
Alicia Kaplan
Rodolfo Alvarado
Meet the Company
Rodolfo Alvarado
Rodolfo Alvarado is a writer, performer, and singer making his New York City stage debut with Undesirable Secrets, a powerful solo play he both wrote and performs. His recent NYC appearance included a celebrated reading of his poetry collection Brown Son of Lorca: A Boy Reclaimed in Poems, Stories & Voice, where he performed a dramatic piece from the book to a standing ovation. Alvarado’s past stage roles include singing the lead parts of Che in Evita and Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.
Undesirable Secrets tells the true story of Anthony Acevedo, a Mexican American WWII medic who was captured by the Nazis and sent to a slave labor camp alongside Jewish American soldiers. Silenced by the U.S. military for decades, Acevedo kept a secret diary that would ultimately earn him recognition as the first Mexican American registered as a Holocaust survivor. Alvarado’s performance brings this haunting story to life in a searing act of remembrance, justice, and truth.
William Doll
Alicia Kaplan
Alicia Kaplan is an award-winning actress, director, and advocate for multicultural theatre. She is the founder of Danisarte, a New York–based bilingual theatre company established in 1992, dedicated to developing original productions that foster understanding among diverse cultures and communities. A longtime champion of inclusion, non-traditional casting, and emerging talent, Kaplan has helped launch the careers of many minority artists while also creating an experimental space for seasoned performers. Her visionary leadership and artistic contributions have earned her numerous honors, including the prestigious Premio ACE (Latin ACE Award) from the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics of New York.
Rodolfo Alvarado
Rodolfo Alvarado is a critically acclaimed writer, performer, and historian whose work spans stage, screen, and page. He is the playwright and solo performer of Undesirable Secrets, a haunting and urgent portrayal of WWII medic and Holocaust survivor Anthony C. Acevedo. Earlier this summer, Alvarado gave a powerful reading and performance from his latest book, Brown Son of Lorca: A Boy Reclaimed in Poems, Stories & Voice, at Danisarte’s Deconstructing Lorca celebration in New York—earning wide acclaim for his poetic voice and dramatic depth. His work has been recognized with national awards and honors, and Undesirable Secrets marks his NYC theatrical debut.
Photos
Anthony (Rodolfo Alvarado) in Undesirable Secrets—a moment of renewed hope as American bombers roar overhead, signaling liberation may be near.
Anthony Acevedo (Rodolfo Alvarado) in Undesirable Secrets, urging us—adelante—to heal, to speak, and to become the medics we need for ourselves.
Anthony (Rodolfo Alvarado) holds up his wartime diary—undeniable proof that Berga and the Death March were real, despite the Army's and U.S. government's efforts to bury the truth.
Multimedia
Articles
UNDESIRABLE SECRETS To Make NYC Premiere At Dream Up Festival and United Solo
Undesirable Secrets, the searing and unforgettable solo play based on the life of Mexican American WWII medic and Holocaust survivor Anthony C. Acevedo, will make its New York City premiere this August as part of the acclaimed Dream Up Festival at Theater for the New City, presented by Crystal Field (Artistic Director). This limited run features five must-see performances: August 24, 26, 28, 30, and 31.
Written and performed by Rodolfo Alvarado, Undesirable Secrets brings to light the haunting, little-known truth of one man's resilience in the face of war, injustice, and betrayal. This solo production unearths the personal and political costs of silence-and the redemption found in finally breaking it.
Alvarado was last seen in New York City in June, where he performed to a packed house as part of Danisarte's tribute to Federico García Lorca. He read poetry and performed a piece from his newly released collection Brown Son of Lorca: A Boy Reclaimed in Poems, Stories & Voice. The evening was a resounding success, with Tinta News, a leading Latino news source in New York, calling the work "masterful" and Alvarado's reading and performance "unforgettable."
The buzz doesn't stop in August. Following its NYC festival debut, Undesirable Secrets will make its Off-Broadway premiere at the United Solo Theatre Festival at Theatre Row on November 1 at 2:00 PM-solidifying its place as one of the most anticipated and socially urgent solo performances of the year.
This is more than a play. It's a reckoning. A history reclaimed. A voice once silenced now heard in full.
Undesirable Secrets is inspired by the real-life story of Anthony C. Acevedo, the first Mexican American to be registered as a Holocaust survivor. Through a poetic, emotionally raw, and powerfully delivered monologue, the play explores themes of memory, patriotism, identity, and the unspoken trauma buried in America's past. Alvarado-an award-winning playwright, performer, and author-delivers a performance that critics have called "devastatingly human" and "utterly unforgettable." His portrayal of Acevedo's inner world turns history into visceral theatre.
This summer and fall, discover the story America tried to forget-told by the man who refused to remain silent. Tickets are limited. Reserve now and witness the secrets that changed history.
Solo Play UNDESIRABLE SECRETS Makes Chicago Premiere at Solo Sunday
Undesirable Secrets, the powerful solo play written and performed by award-winning playwright and performer Rodolfo Alvarado, makes its Chicago premiere at Chicago Solo Show Theatre located inside Mrs. Murphy & Sons Irish Bistro on Sunday, October 5 at 6:00 PM, presented as part of the celebrated Solo Sunday performance series.
Based on the extraordinary true story of Anthony Acevedo, a Mexican American WWII medic and the first U.S. soldier to register as a Holocaust survivor, Undesirable Secrets reveals a haunting chapter of American history long buried in silence. One of 350 American GIs secretly sent to Berga, a Nazi slave labor camp, Acevedo endured unspeakable horrors. But what truly haunted him was not only what happened in Germany-but what he survived at home, at the hands of his father.
After 63 years of silence-enforced by a U.S. Army gag order-Acevedo finally told his truth. On this night, his story is told again, with raw intensity and theatrical grace.
Texas journalist Ramona Logan wrote, "The set of Undesirable Secrets is simple-three chairs and a table. But the performance is explosive, with a gut-wrenching, moving delivery that tugs at your soul."
Directed by longtime collaborator William Doll, the show features an original pre- and post-show song by Chicago's own Spencer Ball, composed exclusively for this production.
Undesirable Secrets is produced by Scott Whitehair as part of Solo Sunday, an acclaimed monthly showcase for first-person storytelling and solo performance. Known for curating bold and intimate theater, Solo Sunday has become a staple of Chicago's performance scene-celebrating vulnerable, honest work that speaks directly to the human experience.
Rodolfo Alvarado, originally from Lubbock, Texas, is an award-winning writer, poet, and playwright whose work centers on voice, silence, and the transformative power of storytelling. His solo play Undesirable Secrets has received standing ovations across the country-from San Antonio to Detroit-and is supported by the Anthony Acevedo Educational Foundation and the children of Anthony Acevedo, Rebeca Acevedo-Carlin and Ernesto Acevedo, who were instrumental in the play's development.
This performance is a one-night-only event-and one of the final chances to see the show before its official Off-Broadway premiere at Theatre Row in New York City on November 1, 2025.
UNDESIRABLE SECRETS to Premiere United Solo Theatre Festival In NYC
The one-man show Undesirable Secrets, written and performed by Rodolfo Alvarado, will make its Off-Broadway debut on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 2:00 PM, as part of the United Solo Theatre Festival's Fall Season at Theatre Row. This one-time performance is expected to draw audiences from across the country for a story that refuses to be forgotten. Tickets will be available soon online-seating is limited.
Undesirable Secrets tells the true story of Anthony Acevedo, a Mexican American WWII combat medic and Holocaust survivor, who was among 350 American GIs secretly sent to Berga, a Nazi slave labor camp-then ordered by the U.S. Army and government to keep their ordeal secret. But while Berga was horrific, the trauma Anthony carried began long before-with the abuse he endured at the hands of his father. A story of war, silence, and survival, Undesirable Secrets challenges audiences to ask: What truths do we bury in order to survive?
From intimate performances in Texas and Michigan to an Off-Broadway stage, the show's journey has been as profound as its message. Alvarado-a Mexican American playwright, poet, and scholar-developed the work in collaboration with director William Doll, script consultant Pete Kuzov, and the Anthony Acevedo Educational Foundation. His performances have moved audiences to tears and standing ovations. Now, Undesirable Secrets comes to New York with hopes of finding new life-and perhaps, the eye of a producer.
"One performance might seem like a 'so what?' moment," Alvarado says. "But for a Mexican American kid from Lubbock, Texas, performing on any Broadway stage-even for a day-is an honor. Who knows? Maybe someone in the audience will believe in the show enough to give it a longer life."
In addition to the November premiere, Alvarado will be in New York on June 9 to present new work from his upcoming collection, Brown Son of Lorca: A Boy Reclaimed in Poems, Stories & Voice, at a special literary event hosted by Danisarte, a New York-based non-profit dedicated to uplifting original works by minority artists and fostering cross-cultural understanding. The company was founded by acclaimed actress Alicia Kaplan.
Undesirable Secrets was recently highlighted by Juan Daniel S. Coronado, a Texas educator who traveled from Austin to attend a performance in Lubbock. In a piece pubished by the oldest Latino newspaper in West Texas, El Editor, he publicly urged John Leguizamo to take note of the piece as one that belongs on a Broadway stage. New York, it seems, was listening.
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