The Arizona Orphan Abduction

In 1904, forty Irish Catholic orphans were brought to Arizona so they could be placed with Catholic families. These families, like most Catholics in Arizona at the time, were Mexican. White people in the community, enraged at the idea of white children being placed in Mexican homes, formed a vigilante squad to “rescue” them, over the objection of both the children and their adoptive families. This violent mob kidnapped the children, nearly lynching the local nuns and priest in the process. When the Catholic church sued on behalf of the families to get their children back, the courts ruled in favor of the kidnappers. 

Rising Youth Theatre will use this moment in history as a starting point for an immersive theatre experience and community dialogue, drawing connections between this moment in history and the world we live in now. This project will begin the research phase with a youth and adult artistic team this year, with a workshop performance in spring 2023.  Produced with support from Arizona Humanities, Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, and the Arizona Commission on the Arts.