Immigration Songs Play Debuted in Brownsville
The theatrical production explores the history of the Batallón de San Patricio through music and historical dialogue.
Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Immigration
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Eric Ellman recently debuted his new play, Immigration Songs, at the local Brownsville venue El Hueso de Fraile. The performance tells the story of Irish immigrants who deserted the U.S. Army to join Mexican forces during the 19th century.
Why it matters
The play provides a localized look at the historical Batallón de San Patricio, a group of soldiers whose actions during the U.S.-Mexico war remain a significant point of cultural and military history near the Rio Grande.
The production highlights historical records noting that 85 members of the Batallón de San Patricio were captured following the 1847 Battle of Churubusco. Of those, 50 were sentenced to hang and 7 were subjected to branding and lashing.
The players
Eric Ellman
He is the writer and creator of the play Immigration Songs.
Genevieve Grant
She is a professional dramaturg who developed the plot outline for the performance.
Batallón de San Patricio
This was a group of European immigrants who deserted the U.S. Army to fight alongside Mexican forces during the Mexican-American War.
The details
Developed with dramaturgy by Genevieve Grant, the performance utilizes a structure of musical dialogue between a narrator and off-stage musicians. The debut featured performances by musicians Adrian Foncerrada, Luis Foncerrada, George Saenz, and Dan Raza.
Timeline
The historical events depicted, including the capture of the San Patricios, occurred in 1847.
The play debuted at El Hueso de Fraile on September 30, 2026.
The production team plans to tour West London in 2027.
Political Context
The play frames the history of the Batallón de San Patricio as a nuanced counter-narrative to traditional accounts of the U.S.-Mexico war. Opposing views often emphasize the legal status of desertion, while this work centers on the historical motivations behind the soldiers' shift in allegiance.
Residents in Brownsville can view this production to engage with local history regarding the border region. Those interested in supporting the development of the work into a two-act play can track the progress of Eric Ellman via his ongoing Crowdfunder campaign.
The takeaway
This performance serves as an example of how artistic mediums can preserve complex local history for new audiences. Future iterations of the work aim to bring these border-centric themes to international stages in London and potentially Off-Broadway.
What happens next
The production team has scheduled a tour of the performance in West London throughout 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about local regional perspectives in the Immigration section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MyRGV.
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