“The Potluck,” a new musical by César Alvarez, grapples with the challenge of addressing trauma, identity, and revolution through a deeply personal lens. Premiering recently at Soho Rep and Intar in New York City, the performance blends documentary footage, original music, and autobiographical narrative to explore the 1979 Greensboro Massacre, a violent event in which members of the Ku Klux Klan and an American Nazi group killed five Communist Workers Party protesters.

Alvarez’s connection to the tragedy is both historical and intimate. Their parents were active in the Communist Workers Party and returned to Greensboro immediately following the massacre. In tribute to two slain friends, they named their child César James Alvarez. Yet rather than retelling the historical event straightforwardly, the musical reflects Alvarez’s struggles as a queer, nonbinary artist attempting to reconcile the weight of family history with their own creative challenges.

The show opens with the protagonist, a fictionalized César played by Anthony Alfaro, expressing frustration over writer’s block while working on the musical itself. Much of the narrative centers on the tension between activism and personal identity, as César reveals how their parents’ political organization viewed queerness as a distraction from revolutionary aims—a perspective that continues to affect their relationship.

To aid in the creative process, César enlists an intern named Moss, portrayed by Jasmina Rafael. The pair’s dynamic provides moments of humor and emotional grounding throughout the two-and-a-half-hour production. Together, they prepare a ritualistic memorial to the victims, culminating in a powerful sequence where the band members embody the spirits of those who died. This scene features a poignant duet between one of the deceased and César’s father, emphasizing the personal cost of loss and absence.

Director Sarah Benson guides the production to blend cabaret elements with documentary content, including raw archival footage of the Greensboro Massacre itself. This imagery, so intense that audience members are offered an opportunity to exit, underscores the event’s enduring pain. However, some critics note that the show’s pacing and structure feel uneven, with the emotional peak occurring around intermission and the latter acts diminishing in impact.

“The Potluck” also wrestles with the concept of revolution. While it incorporates stirring moments such as a marching band parade, the narrative ultimately presents a subdued vision of change. Through song, César characterizes revolution as patient yet melancholic, rejecting violence and immediate action in favor of a slow, uncertain unfolding. This tempered message may leave audiences contemplating the complexities of activism, mourning, and artistic expression rather than rallying for direct political engagement.

Overall, Alvarez’s musical blends historical reflection, personal history, and queer identity into an ambitious theatrical work. It raises challenging questions about the intersections of memory and art, and the limits of both political and creative certainty in the face of trauma.