Tenerife-Born Actor Edu Díaz Brings 'Lipstick' to New York Stage

Tenerife-born actor and producer Edu Díaz is making his mark on the New York theater scene with his latest production, Lipstick, which recently premiered at Manhattan’s Chain Theatre. A 2019 Fulbright scholar, Díaz has successfully brought his unique storytelling to the American stage, building on the momentum of his previous work, A Drag Is Born, which toured Florida, Los Angeles, and Edinburgh.

Directed by Lil Malinich and featuring music by pianist Angelho Díaz, Lipstick is based on an original story by Peruvian writer Linda Morales Caballero. The play began as a short piece at FUERZAFest, where Díaz won the award for Best Performance, and has since expanded into a powerful one-hour monologue. Using cosmetics as a central metaphor, the play explores themes of identity, vulnerability, and visibility. The production is highly immersive, drawing on Díaz’s background in clowning to break the fourth wall and engage directly with the audience.

Following a successful premiere on April 5, the play has been praised for its honest look at the queer experience and the challenges of migration. Díaz emphasizes the importance of using theater to give a voice to minority groups, noting his desire to bring these stories to audiences who may find the subject matter challenging. Performances at the Chain Theatre continue on April 7, 16, and 19.

Díaz is already looking ahead to his next project, PETRUS, an ambitious theatrical biography of the historical figure Petrus Gonsalvus. This upcoming work aims to scale up his production style, incorporating more complex technical and narrative elements. For Díaz, Lipstick is more than just a performance; it is a deeply personal, evolving creative process that bridges the gap between fiction and his own life story.