Class is in session for John Leguizamo's one-man show 'Latin History for Morons'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Class is in session at the Ahmanson Theatre for Tony Award winner John Leguizamo's one-man show, "Latin History for Morons."

The show was created out of Leguizamo's favorite real-life role: devoted dad. After realizing the lack of Latinos in his son's history books, he was inspired to do his own research.

"The genesis of it, my son was being picked on and bullied in 12th grade and I wanted to weaponize his information, to attack the bully verbally with words, not insults, not fisticuffs, but facts and information," said Leguizamo. "And that's how I created the show. My son was like a hero to me, so I wanted to pay tribute to him and then pass this information on to other parents and other kids who might be feeling less than."

The one man show offers plenty of laughs; but also plenty of poignancy.

"There's moments where I'm incredibly emotionally naked with the audience, and they're not breathing, and it's so beautiful to be just one with the audience, that we're all laughing together, quiet together, sad together, angry together, it's a powerful thing for me and for them," said Leguizamo.

The 55-year old actor said his goal with his work is simple: he wants to make a difference and leave the world a better place.

"That's my mission," said Leguizamo. "I feel like as an artist you have to risk something you have to go deeper than everybody else and try to elevate and educate and make people better, they walk out of the theater somehow different, I don't want them to leave the same way they came in, I want them to be better than when they came in."

"Latin History for Morons" is in production at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles now through Oct. 20.