In a short time, José Luis Alonso Mañes went from being a child obsessed with theater to become one of the great professionals of the national scene. The Madrid native grew up in the velvety seats of the Teatro Calderón, where his uncle worked.
Such was the influence of the stage on the young man that when he finished his studies at the Lycée Français (at the age of twenty) he decided, instead of going to university, to start directing plays by Cocteau, Iriarte and many other writers on his own.
The capital pays tribute to the director with an exhibition at the El Águila Complex (Cristóbal Portillo Hall) that reflects his tireless work through correspondence, costumes and scenographies. Many of the pieces found here have been in the custody of the Regional Library of Madrid until now.
The exhibition is free and can be visited from Monday to Saturday all day long (from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm) and on Sunday mornings (from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm). It will be in the Cristóbal Portillo Hall until May 25.
In addition to the exhibition, the director will have a play in his honor: the Subdirección General del Libro de la Comunidad de Madrid will present José Luis, a show by Ana Carril that will be performed in the auditorium of the Regional Library, between March and May 2025. All performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be free admission until full capacity is reached.