‘Freestyle: A Love Story’ Brings 1987 Back to Life on a Los Angeles Stage

November 13, 2026

The Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, where Freestyle: A Love Story debuted

Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Los Angeles. Photo: BeenAroundAWhile via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Freestyle is officially going to the theater. Freestyle: A Love Story, a new musical-dance production set in the 1980s freestyle scene, made its Los Angeles debut on November 6 at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre, and two of the genre’s own legends are part of it.

The story: a freestyle show, then and now

The plot follows two middle-aged Caribbean Latinos who run into each other at a freestyle extravaganza at Radio City Music Hall. Seeing each other again sends them back to 1987, to the night they fell in love at a freestyle show. Anyone who spent their teenage years at an under-21 club, a roller rink or a Sweet 16 dancing to freestyle will recognize that setup right away.

The two former lovers are played by Justina Machado and James Martinez, who previously worked together on One Day at a Time. The production was created and directed by George Valencia. His wife, actor Judy Reyes (Scrubs), is an executive producer, and Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty) is a co-producer. The night was also a fundraiser for the Sound of GOL Foundation, which Valencia and Reyes started to support Latina soccer players.

Real freestyle royalty on stage

What makes this more than a nostalgia piece is who’s involved. Bronx-born Judy Torres (“No Reason to Cry,” “Come Into My Arms”) is a co-producer and appears in the show, along with K7 (Louis Sharpe), frontman of TKA. Their job is to bring the artists’ side of the story, not just the fans’.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Torres described freestyle as “the original Latin explosion.” Her point was that the music came straight from New York’s Latino neighborhoods, from kids who loved hip-hop, electro and Latin rhythms, and that it caught on so fast that many of them ended up with major-label deals and national tours. She also talked about the harder side: how the scene faded in the early ’90s as radio shifted toward hip-hop and R&B, how Latino artists were sometimes pressured to change their Spanish last names to get pop airplay, and how freestyle has never quite gotten the credit it deserves.

The songs behind the story

The Times piece points to the records that shaped that era, including Nayobe’s “Please Don’t Go,” Shannon’s “Let the Music Play,” Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam’s “I Wonder If I Take You Home” and “Head to Toe,” Soavé’s “Crying Over You” and George Lamond’s “Bad of the Heart.” Torres said hearing Nayobe’s voice on “Please Don’t Go” floored her as a young artist, and that Lisa Lisa was a key inspiration as a fellow Puerto Rican woman breaking through.

We play those records on Groove 106 every week. Want the playlist version of this story? Start with our 15 freestyle classics every old school fan should know, then tune in live.

Why this matters for freestyle

Between arena tours like Freestyle Explosion, casino shows from coast to coast and now a stage production with Hollywood names behind it, 2026 has been a strong year for the genre. A theater piece is a different kind of recognition, though. It treats freestyle as part of Latino and American history, not just a throwback party. We’ll keep an eye out for future performances or a run outside Los Angeles and update you here.

Did you go to a freestyle show in 1987? Tell us about it. Tag @groove106radio or drop a comment below.