Destiny of Desire

November 11 – December 20, 2026

Destiny of Desire

Destiny of Desire 
A Telenovela Play with Music 
By Karen Zacarías 
Directed by Marcela Lorca  

A co-production with Denver Center Theatre Company 

Ticket Price (all-in pricing including fees)

Starts at $35.65

Run Time

2 hours and 20 minutes, including one intermission.

Friends Ticket Presale

Presale: Wednesday, July 29

Amex Presale Tickets®*

Presale: Wednesday, August 5, 2026 10AM PT

Priority Access

On sale: Wednesday, August 12

Single Tickets

On sale: Thursday, August 13

A DELIGHTFULLY UNAPOLOGETIC HOMAGE TO TELENOVELAS

On a stormy night in Bellarica, Mexico, two baby girls are born—one into outlandish wealth, and one into a life of poverty. When the newborns are swapped by a ruthless ex-beauty queen, the stage is set for two outrageous misfortunes to grow into an extraordinary destiny. Brimming with energy, Karen Zacarías’ hilarious hit, Destiny of Desire, takes you on an emotional rollercoaster sprinkled with the melodrama and wild antics that make the telenovela the most popular form of storytelling in the world.

"You don’t have to be an expert on telenovelas to enjoy Destiny of Desire, the hilarious and affectionate homage to Latin American TV soap operas."

The San Diego Union-Tribune

"Engaging and wonderfully funny."

BroadwayWorld

Showtimes & Tickets

Click on the button below to view a calendar with all of our available performance dates and times.

Calendar
10% or more discount:

CLUE at the Ahmanson Theatre from September 8-11.

DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL at the Kirk Douglas Theatre from September 12-October 18.

THE MUSIC MAN at the Ahmanson Theatre from October 27-November 8,

OH, MARY! at the Ahmanson Theatre from November 10-29

DESTINY OF DESIRE at the Mark Taper Forum from November 17 - December 13.

CHRISTMAS CAROL GOES WRONG at the Ahmanson Theatre from December 12 - January 3.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE 2026/27 SEASON

Get the best that CTG has to offer! 

Join us for the full season at the Ahmanson and Taper with the One CTG 8-show package! One CTG subscribers will receive tickets to The Turning, Oh, Mary!, Destiny of Desire, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, Fiddler on the Roof, John Proctor is the Villain, August Wilson's Fences, and BOOP!® The Musical.

You’ll secure full subscriber benefits including:

  • FREE PARKING for all eight shows ($80 value) 
  • Free and unlimited ticket exchanges when your schedule changes 
  • Additional discounted tickets for friends and family throughout season 
  • Restaurant and merchandise discounts 
  • And more! 
One CTG
A performer pointing at something off screen.

Show Details

Promotions & Events

Enhance your theatregoing experience with one of these special events

A gathering of excited theatregoers under a canopy and string lights at the Music Center Annex.

The Backyard Series: Café y Chisme

Come for the café, stay for the chisme! Join us for the first performance of Destiny of Desire with an evening of light bites, drinks, and local Latino-owned vendors at our CTG Backyard before the show. Come hungry, come thirsty, and bring your best chisme (and your comadres!) as we celebrate community and the hilarious hit by Karen Zacarías.

Use code CHISME for special pricing

Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Event: 6PM
Performance: 7:30PM

Buy Tickets

A Night at DESTINY OF DESIRE presented by American Express

Join us for a special post-show conversation. Terms apply.

Thursday, December 3, 2026 at 7:30PM 

Buy Tickets

A panel of actors sit on the set of 'A Strange Loop', one of them is speaking into a mic.

Stage Talks

Stage Talks offer an opportunity for theatregoers to come together after select performances for engaging conversations with cast members and/or the creative team.

Tuesday, December 1, 2026 at 7:30PM
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 at 7:30PM
Sunday, December 13, 2026 at 1PM

Destiny of Desire Casting

Cast

Victoria María del Río/Nurse 1/Ensemble

Victoria Gómez

Sebastián José Castillo/Paramedic 1/Ensemble

Adam Enrique Hollick

Dr. Diego Mendoza/Paramedic 2/Ensemble

Adrián Javier

Pilar Esperanza Castillo/Nurse 2/Ensemble

Jessica Lopez

Fabiola Castillo/Ensemble

Bianca Marroquín

Armando Castillo/Ensemble

Zeus Mendoza

Hortensia del Río/Ensemble

Francisca Muñoz

Ernesto del Río/Ensemble

Elijah Reyes

Dr. Jorge Ramiro Mendoza/Casino Dealer/Cop/Ensemble

Al Rodrigo

Sister Sonia/Ensemble

Cheryl Umaña

Musician/Ensemble

Ge Enrique

u/s Armando Castillo/Dr. Jorge Ramiro Mendoza/Ensemble

Robert Almodovar

u/s Ernesto del Río/Sebastián José Castillo/Dr. Diego Mendoza/Ensemble

James Frederick Everts

u/s Victoria María del Río/Pilar Esperanza Castillo/Ensemble

Isabella Bria Lopez

u/s Hortensia del Río/Fabiola Castillo/Sister Sonia/Ensemble

Sandra Ochoa Rice

Creative Team

Directed By

Marcela Lorca

Music Direction By

Deborah Wicks La Puma

Choreography By

William Carlos Angulo

Scenic Design By

Takeshi Kata

Costume Design By

Raquel Barreto

Lighting Design By

Pablo Santiago

Sound Design By

Lindsay Jones

Original Compositions By

Aldo Max

Dramaturgy By

Ken Cerniglia

Voice and Text Coaching By

Elisa Gonzales

Fight Direction and Intimacy Choreography By

Samantha Egle

Casting By

RBT Casting (Ryan Bernard Tymensky, CSA)

Grady Soapes, CSA

Production Stage Manager

Jill Gold

Assistant Stage Managers

Abigail Peterson

Miriam E. Mendoza

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Destiny of Desire

Destiny of Desire

Mark Taper Forum

November 11 – December 20, 2026

Brimming with energy, Karen Zacarías’ hilarious hit, Destiny of Desire, takes you on an emotional rollercoaster sprinkled with the melodrama and wild antics that make the telenovela the most popular form of storytelling in the world.

Learn More

*Amex Presale Tickets®:

American Express® Card Members have access to purchase Amex Presale Tickets® for select events and select seats, during a specified period prior to the general on-sale dates for those events. Tickets must be purchased using an American Express Card. An American Express Prepaid Card cannot be used to purchase tickets. Amex Presale Tickets® are sold by and fulfilled by third party ticket sellers (not American Express), and such tickets are subject to the rules, terms and conditions, prices and fees set by the ticket seller, event promoter and/or the venue. Amex Presale Tickets® are subject to availability and supply may be limited. Not all seats may be offered; purchase limits and blackout dates may apply. Refunds, exchanges, and resale may be prohibited by the ticket seller. For more information, please visit americanexpress.com/entertainment.