After Multnomah County Circuit Judge Xiomara Torres shared her life’s story with The Oregonian/OregonLive in fall 2017, she wondered if she had shared too much.

Judges are a famously private bunch.

But Torres – who entered the country without permission at age 9 and ended up a foster child at age 13 – had opened up to show younger people facing similar, trying life circumstances that people like them can and do succeed.

The response to Torres’ story has been overwhelmingly positive, from heartfelt thank-yous from members of the community to an invitation from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to meet.

And now, Milagro Theatre – a center of Latino arts and culture in Portland – will bring Torres’ astonishing story to the stage later this month through a play titled simply “Judge Torres.”

The play details the inspiring journey of Torres:

Her birth and early childhood in El Salvador. Her escape from a 12-year civil war that left more than 75,000 dead. Her entrance into the United States by crossing a river between Mexico and California under the cover of night.

Her courage in coming forward about being a victim of child abuse, then her introduction into the U.S. foster care system. Her perseverance in earning a sociology degree from University of California, Berkeley and later a law degree from Lewis & Clark College.

Torres ultimately became a U.S. citizen and worked 14 years as a family-law attorney. In spring 2017, Governor Kate Brown appointed Torres as a judge, bringing a diversity to the bench that the state had not previously seen.

In the 15 months since The Oregonian published her story, Torres has decided to share another, more personal piece of her history, which will be a part of the play: She was not only abused by a relative, but sexually abused. Torres says brave women -- and some men -- who’ve told their stories of sexual abuse as the #MeToo movement gained steam have encouraged her to share that she was molested as a child.

“It’s very important for society to see these very strong women speaking out ... to see these women who succeed in their careers, succeed in motherhood,” said Torres, 47. “It changes the perspective from ‘victim’ to 'you are someone who has overcome.’”

The real-life Xiomara Torres is pictured here, on the Multnomah County Circuit Court bench. (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian)

Torres said while it’s “uncomfortable” to be in the spotlight, she agreed to sign off on the play after learning it also will be performed at some high schools and colleges, where she hopes it helps encourage young people who’ve also faced daunting challenges in life.

The play bills itself as a “modern day fairy tale rooted in Salvadoran folklore.” It begins in small-town, mountainous El Salvador, where Torres is watched over as a child by a spirit guide, the long-haired La Siguanaba. After Torres confides in a middle-school friend and later a school counselor, police and a judge, the spirit guide takes the form of her Court Appointed Special Advocate. In real life, her volunteer advocate held Torres’ hand for 3 ½ hours as she testified in court and has remained a pillar of support in Torres’ life today.

The performance weaves in some common aspects of the young immigrant experience: for one, the desire to fit in. Shortly after the theatrical Torres crosses the border, she and her brother enjoy some Coca-Cola and marvel at how it’s so readily available.

“There’s so much Coca-Cola here that we can even get it from a machine!” exclaims Torres’ brother.

Their sister admonishes them, telling them to act like other American kids.

“Even if you’ve never seen a machine like that, you don’t act like it,” their sister says.

Playwright Milta Ortiz says she was drawn to Torres’ story in part because she can relate to the experience of starting one’s life anew. At age 8, Ortiz also fled the civil war in her homeland of El Salvador to the United States.

“I think it’s important for our stories to be reflected in the media, especially a triumphant story like this,” Ortiz said. “Sometimes we are portrayed as delinquents or gangbangers, but there are so many others who are doing wonderful things in the United States.”

Ortiz said telling stories such as Torres’ “can plant seeds for compassion and understanding” in a time of heated political debate about immigrants from Central American countries.

Ortiz says Torres’ story depicts the beauty of human determination.

“There’s this Salvadoran grit: ‘By hell or high water, we’re going to make it,’ ” Ortiz said. “‘Against all odds, we are going to make the best of ourselves.’”

Torres will attend the opening night performance, along with a group of judges who have shown their support for her. Torres’ court advocate – as well as her middle-school friend in whom she first confided in about being abused – will fly up from California to also attend showings.

What’s more, a law school friend has bought out all the theater’s seats one night. Lewis & Clark Law School will host a reception another night.

Although Torres said she has continued to be open about her life because she wants to help others, she has felt so much encouragement in return.

“It’s been very touching,” she said. “It’s surreal.”

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

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“Judge Torres”

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 10-12 and 17-19; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13

Where: Milagro Theatre, 525 S.E. Stark St.

Tickets: $18-$40, $5 Arts for All tickets available, milagro.org or 503-236-7253

Note: This is a bilingual production, mostly in English with some Spanish.