Joe Barros & Hector Flores Jr.- Latino Leaders Revolutionizing Musical Theater [Podcast]

Meet Joe Barros & Hector Flores Jr. who are revolutionizing musical theater.

Joe Barros and Hector Flores Jr. are the co-founders of New York Theatre Barn, an organization created in 2007 and dedicated to amplifying narratives from underrepresented communities. The organization serves as a holistic incubator, providing a haven for artists to experiment, develop, and present their work. Their mission involves championing authentic storytelling, with initiatives like Theatre Barn Records and their Backstage podcast designed to support diverse narratives and perspectives. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Joe and Héctor to discuss their commitment to authentic storytelling through the medium of musical theater. 

Our conversation starts…

The beginning of our conversations starts with their individual journeys and how their Latino backgrounds and experiences fueled their desire to create a space where marginalized voices could be heard.

During Joe’s formative years, he lost his grandparents to AIDS. His grandfather contracted AIDS through a blood transfusion and subsequently transmitted it to his grandmother. This personal tragedy occurred when he was coming out and coming of age during the AIDS crisis. The loss of his grandparents to AIDS had a profound impact on Joe, as it connected him deeply to a musical called “Falsettos” that he discovered in high school. This musical, although based on a Jewish family, dealt with themes of family acceptance of queerness and the impact of AIDS. It resonated deeply, becoming a catalyst for Joe’s interest in creating theater that represents diverse stories and experiences.

Hector shares that his catalyst for theater musicals was seeing his first Broadway show at age nine. His mother had recommended they see “Rent”, and although he didn’t understand all the subject matter as a child, he found the experience amazing. This sparked his need for “more of this thing,” leading him to pursue musicals in high school and college.

As he grew deeper into musical theatre, Hector realized that “the art form that chose me was not made in my image or likeness since much of the canon was created for white performers”. Héctor acknowledges West Side Story as a landmark musical known worldwide that put Chita Rivera on the map and gave recognition to Puerto Ricans on stage. However, he criticizes it as an inauthentic representation of Puerto Ricans, noting it lacked authentic salsa music despite being about Puerto Ricans. He mentions that prior to shows like In the Heights (2008), On Your Feet (2015), Buena Vista Social Club (2025), and Real Woman Have Curves (2025), there were essentially no Broadway musicals about Latino experiences created by Latino writers. This realization about representation gaps led to his involvement with New York Theatre Barn.

Authenticity

One thing that is very clear is their commitment to authenticity. Joe and Héctor emphasize that each project they undertake has its own unique journey, its own set of challenges and opportunities. They also address a critical issue in the theater world: the exorbitant costs of staging full productions. Their solution, the creation of concept albums through Theatre Barn Records making musical theater much more accessible. Hector relates this concept to his earlier years, explaining that buying a CD for $20 was more affordable than spending $500 on Broadway tickets, which was how he personally accessed theater growing up. This approach also provides a global platform for stories that might otherwise go untold, giving artists a chance to share their work, connect with a wider audience, and possibly lead the artists to whatever the next step of their journey is.

In addition to Theatre Barn Records, they have also created other incubator initiatives, such as Choreography Lab, New Works Series, Barn on Fire, and Backstage Pass podcast – all designed to create space for developing writers, choreographers, and the people who want to hear these diverse narratives and perspectives.

Joe and Héctor stress the importance of feedback and community engagement in their creative process. Their incubation programs, designed to support new works and foster collaboration among artists, are a testament to their belief in the power of collective creativity.

Joe points out that traditional music theater systems often stifle creativity and progress. Their approach, in contrast, centers on tailoring the development process to the specific needs of each show, fostering a more adaptable and imaginative environment. He also shares how limitations, rather than hindering the process at New York Theatre Barn, often spark greater imagination within their small but mighty team.

Our conversation also highlights the unique stories they’ve brought to the stage, stories that deserve to be heard. “Sam’s Room,” which explores the perspectives of nonverbal teens with autism, is an amazing example of their commitment to giving voice to the voiceless. They spoke about the crucial need for authenticity in storytelling and how they collaborated closely with families to ensure that the narrative was both respectful and impactful. They also shared details about their upcoming project, “Songs for Hands on a Thursday,” inspired by Sarah Rule’s poems about her deaf father.

The authentic and inclusive nature of their work is truly unique in the theater industry. It’s not just about casting diverse performers; it’s a holistic approach that shapes each story. They point out that authentic stories have a universal appeal and acknowledge the financial challenges of prioritizing inclusivity, but remain steadfast in their commitment to creating a musical production that is inclusive from concept to final production meaning that principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are intentionally and actively integrated into every single stage of the musical’s journey. 

Looking ahead

Looking ahead, Joe and Héctor share their vision for future projects, including moving beyond their incubatory platform to produce full musical productions, expanding Theatre Barn Records projects to turn EP’s into full albums, fully developing two Latino focused musicals that they’re passionate about, “Ghost in the Machine” and “Café con Leche“, and also producing a fully realized musical about Latina actress, Rita Hayworth that will highlight her relatively unknown heritage and how she was “whitewashed” for Hollywood. The show will incorporate her early vaudeville career and her later public battle with Alzheimer’s exploring her life through the lens of her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. 

As we wrap up our interview Joe & Hector say, “theater is so magical and transformative and has such an impact on our lives. It has the power to change minds. It’s edutainment because audiences both enjoy themselves and get to learn something new”. For the full interview, check out our Cafecito with Latin Biz Today podcast.

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