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ABOUT THE SHOW
What do you do when you lose a son? Take it from Manuel Oliver, the father of Parkland shooting victim Joaquin Oliver, you have to do what you do best.
Fearless, funny, and pulling zero punches, GUAC is a one-man tour-de-force theatrical experience about a father turned activist, his undying love for his son, and the story of an immigrant family in search of the American Dream only instead to be confronted by a uniquely American Nightmare.
PERFORMANCE HISTORY
RECENT
3/8, 9, 10/24 - New York City - United Solo Festival
2/17/24 - Lansing, MI - MSU Latinx Film Festival
11/03 & 11/11/23 - New York City - United Solo Festival, named BEST PRODUCTION of the Festival
08/05/23 - Chicago, IL - Greenhouse Theatre, as part of Guac's Magical Tour
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An early version of the play called Guac: My Son My Hero toured House of Blues venues in 2019.
A Father Stages the Unthinkable: Losing a Son in a School Shooting
By Christopher Kuo
Manuel Oliver had arrived at the point of his one-man show where it was time to re-enact the murder of his son, Joaquin, who was one of 17 people killed in a mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., in 2018.
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He donned a paper mask of the face of Joaquin, who was a 17-year-old senior when he was killed. He grabbed a hammer and turned to a life-size portrait of Joaquin and methodically banged it four times — once for each bullet that had struck him — creating a jagged hole. Then Oliver crumpled to the ground, as if lifeless.
CAST
Joaquin "GUAC" Oliver
Manuel Oliver
CREATIVES
Written and Performed By
Manuel Oliver
Co-Written By
Directed By
Sound Designer
Lighting Designer (NYC)
Developed as GUAC: My Son My Hero under the original direction of James Clements.
PRODUCERS
Change the Ref
Change the Ref was formed to amplify and support youth efforts and movement building, shifting America’s social response to gun violence, by uniting creativity, activism, disruption, and education. changetheref.org
ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence
ENOUGH! Plays to End Gun Violence calls on teens to confront gun violence by creating new works of theatre that will spark critical conversations and inspire meaningful action in communities across the country. Our mission is to promote playwriting as a tool for self-expression and social change, harnessing this generation's spirit of activism and providing a platform for America's playwrights of tomorrow to discover and develop their voices today. Now in its third year, ENOUGH! has received more than 500 short plays by teen writers and more than 100 organizations have participated in ENOUGH!’s two previous Nationwide Readings. enoughplays.com
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