Los Teloneros brings Rafael Ponce's "No nos merecemos soñar" to Manhattan, October 28-30, with support from the Consulate General of Spain in New York.
New York City, NY (PRUnderground) October 9th, 2026
What if the dreams we thought we had left behind weren't gone after all?
The lives we imagined. The promises we made. The people we thought we would become. And the unexpected ways life unfolds.
These questions take center stage in No nos merecemos soñar (We Don't Deserve to Dream), a multi-award-winning Spanish tragicomedy written and directed by Rafael Ponce, making its New York debut at LATEA Theatre on Manhattan's Lower East Side, October 28-30, 2026.
Presented by Los Teloneros, a theatre company from Valencia, Spain, the 75-minute production combines dark comedy, music, physical performance, and absurdist humor to explore the contradictions of human existence and the distance between the lives we imagine and the ones we actually live.
But beyond the stage, another story is unfolding.
While the production explores the fragile relationship between dreams and reality, ten members of the company are crossing the Atlantic to pursue an artistic ambition of their own.
Onstage, five performers confront the absurdities of life. Offstage, ten artists are still writing their own story.
Five Performers. Countless Lives. A World of Possibilities.
There is no conventional story here. No predictable beginning, middle, or end.
Instead, five performers move through a theatrical collage of fragmented conversations, unexpected encounters, music, movement, and sharp humor.
Characters emerge and disappear. Words collide with gestures. Familiar situations take unexpected turns, revealing the absurdity, vulnerability, and contradictions hidden beneath everyday life.
Drawing on a distinctive theatrical language, Rafael Ponce creates a world where comedy and tragedy coexist, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and where laughter can suddenly give way to moments of uncomfortable recognition.
The production challenges traditional storytelling through an interplay of physical performance, poetic fragments, visual imagery, and musical expression.
At its heart lies a question that transcends cultures and generations:
When life takes us somewhere we never expected, what happens to the dreams we once had?
Ponce offers a revealing glimpse into his relationship with writing in the book accompanying the production.
"I write because it helps me get through the day. But don't ask me what's inside my writing, because I don't know," writes Rafael Ponce in a self-interview included in the book.
His words reflect the unconventional spirit of a production that resists simple definitions and invites audiences to discover their own meaning within its contradictions.
Rather than offering easy answers, No nos merecemos soñar creates a theatrical experience where humor, emotion, and the unexpected meet.
Multi-Award-Winning Theatre from Spain
Before its arrival in New York, No nos merecemos soñar earned multiple distinctions on Spain's contemporary theatre scene.
In 2025, the production received three Red Escénica distinctions, recognizing the production, direction, and lighting design.
In 2026, Los Teloneros received the Inesperat de Oro, the top prize in the professional category at the National Festival of Innovative Theatre in L'Eliana, Spain.
These recognitions highlight the production's distinctive artistic identity, developed through Rafael Ponce's writing and direction and the collaborative work of the company's performers and creative team.
The upcoming New York engagement marks a new international chapter for Los Teloneros and its award-winning production.
From Valencia to Manhattan: A Story Beyond the Stage
New York has long been a meeting place for artistic voices, international perspectives, and stories that cross cultural boundaries.
For Los Teloneros, bringing No nos merecemos soñar to Manhattan represents an opportunity to share a distinctive theatrical vision with a new audience.
The production will be performed entirely in Spanish at LATEA Theatre, 107 Suffolk Street, in Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Known for its longstanding connection to Latino arts and independent performance, LATEA provides a setting in which contemporary Spanish theatre can engage directly with New York's culturally diverse audiences.
With approximately 74 seats, the intimate venue brings spectators close to the performers, emphasizing the immediacy of the production's physical expression, visual language, and emotional intensity.
The New York engagement is supported by the Consulate General of Spain in New York, which has provided financial assistance toward the LATEA Theatre production.
This support contributes to the presentation of contemporary Spanish theatre in the United States and encourages cultural exchange between Spain and New York's artistic community.
Four performances are scheduled over three days, October 28-30, 2026.
A Special Cultural Presentation at La Nacional
On October 27, 2026, one day before opening night, Los Teloneros will present the production and its accompanying book at La Nacional, a historic Spanish cultural institution in Manhattan.
Published by Los Teloneros Ediciones, the book brings together Rafael Ponce's theatrical text, original drawings, reflections on his creative process, and contributions exploring his artistic universe.
The publication offers a rare opportunity to discover the written and visual dimensions of a theatrical work developed through rehearsal, movement, sound, lighting, and the collaboration between director and performers.
The October 27 presentation will provide an opportunity to explore the creative journey behind No nos merecemos soñar and connect with the company ahead of its New York performances.
What If the Dream Isn't Over?
The title No nos merecemos soñar translates to We Don't Deserve to Dream.
At first, it suggests that dreaming is no longer an option.
Yet the production's journey from Valencia to Manhattan offers another perspective.
While Rafael Ponce's theatrical universe examines human contradictions, frustrated expectations, and the unpredictable nature of existence, the company bringing his work to New York is embracing a new possibility.
Not as a promise of success, but as an opportunity to create, perform, and connect.
Perhaps a dream that changes shape isn't necessarily a dream that ends.
Performance Information
Production: No nos merecemos soñar (We Don't Deserve to Dream)
Company: Los Teloneros -- Valencia, Spain
Written and Directed by: Rafael Ponce
Genre: Contemporary tragicomedy / Absurdist theatre
Language: Spanish
Running Time: 75 minutes
Venue: LATEA Theatre
107 Suffolk Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10002 -- Lower East Side, Manhattan
Performance Schedule:
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 -- 7:00 PM
Thursday, October 29, 2026 -- 7:00 PM
Friday, October 30, 2026 -- 5:00 PM
Friday, October 30, 2026 -- 7:00 PM
Tickets: General Admission $35 | Students $25 | Premium $50
Special Event: October 27, 2026 -- Production and book presentation at La Nacional, Manhattan.
Official Website: https://losteloneros.com
Press Kit and High-Resolution Images: https://losteloneros.com/press
Official Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1148638044
About Los Teloneros
Los Teloneros is an independent contemporary theatre company based in Valencia, Spain. Its productions combine original dramatic writing, ensemble performance, music, physical expression, and visual storytelling.
Written and directed by Rafael Ponce, No nos merecemos soñar has received multiple distinctions in Spain, including three Red Escénica recognitions in 2025 and the Inesperat de Oro professional-category prize in 2026.
The company's October 2026 engagement at LATEA Theatre marks the production's New York debut, with support from the Consulate General of Spain in New York.
Media Contact
Renaud Frossard
Executive Producer -- Los TelonerosEmail: renaud@rensard.com
Website: https://losteloneros.com
Press Materials: https://losteloneros.com/press
