Meet the Emmy-Nominated Director Bringing “Triângulo,” a Bold New Theatrical Experience Blending Musical Theatre and Mixed Martial Arts Coming to Arizona Broadway Theatre Next April

Crystal Manich Will Lead the World Premiere Blending MMA, Musical Theatre, Contemporary Dance and Ballet

Long before global audiences have a chance to see “Triângulo,” a genre-blending new work merging mixed martial arts with musical theatre, Arizona theatregoers will get to experience it first. Tickets are now on sale for the show debuting Friday, April 16, 2027, at Arizona Broadway Theatre, with Emmy-nominated writer and director Crystal Manich set to direct the world premiere production.

The groundbreaking new musical will run from April 16 through May 2, 2027. Tickets are on sale now at AZBroadway.org.

Conceived as a modern MMA opera, “Triângulo” merges mixed martial arts with musical theatre and an original score infused with Brazilian rhythms and the pulse of early-1990s pop, rock and dance music. Performed primarily in English and infused with Spanish and Portuguese, the production tells the story of Esperança, a young woman determined to carve out a place for herself in the male-dominated world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts in the early 1990s. Part underdog story and part high-energy emotional drama, “Triângulo” blends competition, music and movement into a coming-of-age story about perseverance and belonging.

MMA Lab, Phoenix, AZ – From left: Former UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Maria Henderson. Photo by Erin Beaulieu for MMA Stalker.

Originally conceived and produced by Joseph Specter, the former president and general director of Arizona Opera and the current president and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, “Triângulo” has spent years evolving into a theatrical experience unlike anything currently seen on stage.

Crystal M. Manich – Photo by Zach Mendez.

That process has brought together a creative team with experience spanning multiple artistic disciplines, including director Crystal Manich, whose career spans theatre, opera, film and circus. Manich began directing at age 16 after discovering a love of theatre four years earlier. She earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Carnegie Mellon University before having a hand in more than 90 productions across the United States and abroad.

Recently named the new Interim Director of Opera Studies at Carnegie Mellon, Manich also served as artistic director for Cirque du Soleil’s “Crystal” and assistant artistic director for “Quidam,” experiences that strengthened her understanding of physical storytelling, movement and large-scale theatrical spectacle. Those efforts also influenced her work on “Triângulo,” where martial arts and movement are central to the storytelling. A former dancer who trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu herself in preparation for creating this show, Manich brings firsthand experience with movement both onstage and on the mat.

“I knew ‘Triângulo’ needed someone who understood movement as more than choreography and music as more than accompaniment,” Specter said. “Crystal sees how all of those elements can work together to serve a larger narrative and will bring this production to life in a way very few directors can.”

East Side Dojo, Dallas, TX – Photo by Sem Maltsev.

Manich first met Specter while both were with Arizona Opera, and “Triângulo” is set to debut almost 10 years to the day they first began discussing the concept. A longtime resident of Puerto Rico, Manich spent much of her childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will soon head to Arizona to direct the production that incorporates elements of opera, circus, dance and martial arts at Arizona Broadway Theatre.

“The response from the MMA community has been very encouraging thus far,” Manich said. “We haven’t seen MMA represented on stage in quite this way before, where it’s really the forefront of the story.”

Unlike productions that simulate combat, “Triângulo” incorporates authentic fight sequences performed by experienced martial artists using carefully choreographed techniques, making the physical action as central to the storytelling as the music, dance and dialogue. Manich believes the growing popularity of ambitious live productions, including those by artists like Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny, reflects a broader shift in what audiences are seeking when they leave home for entertainment.

From left: Leilani Miranda, Jorge Barranco and Crystal Manich. Photo by Erin Beaulieu for MMA Stalker.

“We’re in a moment where we’ve siloed theatre into so many different types and decided that this one fits in one space, and that one fits in another space,” Manich said. “What we’re interested in is showing how all these elements we call theatre can come together and create a bigger type of theatre that draws people who normally don’t go. People are craving live experiences right now. While blockbuster films and the advent of AI appeal to large audiences on one level, there’s also a shift toward people wanting to go to the theatre for more visceral experiences they can feel.”

From left: Fight and dance choreographer George Birkadze, performer Jorge Barranco, Crystal Manich and performer Leilani Miranda at Jackson Wink MMA. Photo by Erin Beaulieu for MMA Stalker.

Joining Manich on the “Triângulo” creative team are Latin Grammy-nominated composer Martin Bejerano; internationally renowned ballet director and martial arts expert George Birkadze, who serves as both dance and fight choreographer; legendary mixed martial arts coach Greg Jackson as fight consultant; and Tony, Grammy, Emmy and Olivier Award-winning orchestrator, music director, arranger and composer Alex Lacamoire as orchestration consultant.