Morningside College will present a production of “Juanito and His Tales” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 7, and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, in Klinger-Neal Theatre on the Morningside campus. The show is free and open to the public.

Morningside College will present a production of “Juanito and His Tales” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 7, and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, in Klinger-Neal Theatre, 3700 Peters Ave., on the Morningside campus.

The show is free and open to the public.

The play explores the adventures of young Juanito, a prankster in his little Mexican village. Juanito pays the price for his pranks when he is imprisoned by a sorcerer and transformed into a toad. To break the spell, he must keep the sorcerer in his home for two days by telling him elaborate stories. The play blends lessons of positive self-image and empathetic social interaction with the textures and color of Mexican folk tales.

Lorenzo Sandoval wrote the play while completing a Master of Fine Arts in playwriting at the University of Iowa. As a Latino student in the playwriting program, Sandoval was approached by the University of Northern Iowa to write a play geared toward the large population of Latino students in the elementary schools in Waterloo, Iowa. Sandoval said the children found it empowering to see a play that reflected their own culture.

Sandoval will direct the production. Cast members include students Engels Perez Boscan of Caracas, Venezuela; Christina Vazquez of Clive, Iowa; Ashley Stone of Cedar, Minn.; Katelyn Stewart of Crofton, Neb.; Becca Whitaker of Richfield, Minn.; Johnny Culver of Ottumwa, Iowa; and community member Bill McKenny. Morningside senior Mackenzie Albright of Sioux City developed the choreography. Others assisting with the show include Randy Peters, masks; Betty Skewis-Arnett, costumes; and Taylor Clemens, sound and lights.

Sandoval is artistic director of the Iowa Shakespeare Experience in Des Moines. He is in residence on campus at Morningside College for the spring semester as part of the Dimmitt Fellows program. His fellowship is made possible by Morningside College, the Gilchrist Foundation, Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.