Get a first look inside rehearsals of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao—Marco Antonio Rodríguez’s world-premiere English-language stage adaptation of Junot Díaz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, directed by Wendy Mateo. Rodríguez also adapted and directed the Spanish-language production—La Breve y Maravillosa Vida de Oscar Wao—at Repertorio Español, where it currently appears in selected dates. Leading the majority-Dominican cast is Humboldt Park native Lenin Izquierdo (NBC’s Chicago Fire) as the titular Oscar with Kelvin Grullon (Theaterworks Hartford’s Queen of Basel) as Oscar’s roommate Yunior. The company also includes Julissa Calderon (Netflix’s Gentefied), Rossmery Almonte (HBO's Gordita Chronicles), Yohanna Florentino (Intar Theatre’s Vámonos), Kelvin Grullon (Theaterworks Hartford’s Queen of Basel), Jalbelly Guzmán (A Christmas Carol) and Arik Vega (Clyde’s). Understudies for this production include Berny Balbuena (National Tour of On Your Feet!), Jasmine Bracey (Netflix’s His Three Daughters), Gabriela Furtado Coutinho (CLATA's No One Cares (About You)), Trey DeLuna (Marriott Theatre’s Cinderella), Melissa F. DuPrey (Hulu’s How to Die Alone) and Adriel Irizarry (Steep Theatre Company’s Our Dear Dead Drug Lord). Special events related to the production include College Night (February 25), Latine Affinity Night (March 6) and Roots and Recipes: A CONTEXT Event (March 13). More details below. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao appears February 21 through April 5 (opening night is March 2) in the 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre. For tickets ($34-94, subject to change), visit the Box Office (170 N. Dearborn), call 312.443.3800 or purchase online at GoodmanTheatre.org/Oscar. The Goodman is grateful for the support of The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust (Lead Sponsor of IDEAA Programming).
“Reading Junot’s novel cracked something open in me. I had never experienced our stories—Caribbean, Black, Indigenous, immigrant—displayed on such an iconic scale before,” said director Wendy Mateo, Producing Artistic Director of Teatro Vista. “We are obligated to tell our own story because it is the key to our liberation. From the moment I met this cast, I knew this would become a soul pact among us. By committing to this work, we are giving visibility to the ancestors who go nameless in our family trees. And we are becoming our ancestors’ wildest dreams.”
“When I was first faced with the pressure of adapting this beloved novel into a stage production, the question that helped me get started was, ‘Where do I find myself in this story?’” said playwright Marco Antonio Rodríguez. “And I found myself in Oscar. I wanted to emphasize his story, because in a lot of ways, it’s my story. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is not just about a curse from the past—it's about the power we give our traumas, and how we can break free from them through the power of love. That’s what saved me when I was growing up—always returning to love.”
Oscar (Lenin Izquierdo) knows that a nerdy Dominican college freshman isn’t anyone’s idea of a romantic hero. But with the encouragement of Yunior (Kelvin Grullon), his new roommate, he is determined to give love another chance. As Oscar sets out from New Jersey to Santo Domingo to prove his undeniable hope, can he shake the dark “fukú” that has haunted his family for generations? Junot Díaz’s novel comes to vivid life in this English-language world-premiere adaption—a celebration of risk and the power of perseverance against all odds.
SPECIAL EVENTS
College Night
February 25 | 6pm
Tickets: $13 (reception + show admission)
For less than the price of a movie ticket, college students are invited to experience The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao—along with a pre-show reception including all-you-can-eat pizza, soda and a discussion with a member of The Goodman’s Artistic Team. Use code COLLEGE when purchasing a ticket for this performance online; a valid college ID will be required to pick up tickets at will call.
Latine Affinity Night
March 6 | 6-7:15pm
Tickets: $45 (event + show admission)
At this pre-show event, Wendy Mateo will lead participants through a community art-making exercise to explore the concepts of fukú and zafa, the complexity of the Dominican experience and the joy of creation. Light refreshments and a specialty beverage will be provided.
Roots and Recipes: A CONTEXT Event
March 13 | 6-7:15pm
Tickets: $20 (event only)
This event invites participants to explore the rich tapestry of identity, diaspora and heritage through shared dishes and meaningful dialogue. Admission includes a Dominican-inspired tasting menu and guided conversation exploring culture and cuisine. All ages welcome. Beverages provided.
Company of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (in alphabetical order)
By Marco Antonio Rodríguez
Based on the novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
Directed by Wendy Mateo
Original Spanish production by Repertorio Español
Rossmery Almonte...La Inca
Julissa Calderon...Lola
Yohanna Florentino...Beli
Kelvin Grullon...Yunior
Jalbelly Guzmán...Jenni/Ybon/Trujillo Woman
Lenin Izquierdo...Oscar Wao
Arik Vega...Dionisio/Manny/Capitan/Goon
Understudies include Berny Balbuena (Oscar Wao), Jasmine Bracey (La Inca), Gabriela Furtado Coutinho (Jenni/Ybon/Trujillo Woman), Trey DeLuna (Dionisio/Manny/Capitan/Goon), Melissa F. DuPrey (Beli/Lola) and Adriel Irizarry (Yunior).
CREATIVE TEAM
Costume Designer...Raquel Adorno
Projection Designer...Stefania Bulbarella
Set Designer...Regina Garcia
Lighting Designer...Max Grano De Oro
Sound Designer...Willow James
Cultural Consultant...Rey Andújar
Dialect & Language Coach...Marco Antonio Rodríguez
Dialect & Language Coach Assistant...Yolanny Rodriguez
Intimacy and Violence/Movement Coordinator...Greg Geffrard
Intimacy and Violence Assistant...Tatiana Bustamante
Movement Assistant...Chels Morgan
Script Assistant...Octavio Montes De Oca
Assistant Director...Lo Williams
Assistant Dramaturg...Anna Rogelio Joaquin
Line Producer and Dramaturg...Kat Zukaitis
Casting is by Lauren Port, CSA. Isabel Patt is the Production Stage Manager.
ENHANCED AND ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
Visit GoodmanTheatre.org/Access for more information about The Goodman’s accessibility efforts.
ASL-Interpreted...March 13 at 7:30pm – An ASL interpreter signs the action/text as played.
Audio-Described...March 14 at 2pm; Touch Tour; 12:30pm – Action audibly enhanced via headset.
Spanish-Subtitled...March 14 at 7:30pm – Spanish-translated dialogue via LED sign.
Open-Captioned...March 15 at 2pm – LED sign presents dialogue in sync with the performance.
ABOUT REPERTORIO ESPAÑOL
Founded in 1968, Repertorio Español produces an unparalleled repertoire of contemporary and classical plays from Spain, Latin America and the Latinx/e diaspora. Its rich programming spans Spanish Golden Age masterpieces by Calderón de la Barca, Lope de Vega and Ana Caro de Mallén; nearly the complete works of Federico García Lorca, including the rarely staged The Public; acclaimed plays from Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Chile, Uruguay and Puerto Rico; original adaptations of novels by Gabriel García Márquez, Junot Díaz, Julia Álvarez and Isabel Allende; and groundbreaking works by contemporary Latinx playwrights such as Nilo Cruz, Carmen Rivera, Caridad Svich and Marco Antonio Rodríguez. Presenting approximately 200 performances each year, Repertorio draws diverse audiences from across New York and beyond. The Company’s artistic excellence has been recognized with five OBIE Awards, two Drama Desk Awards and two New York State Governor’s Arts Awards. For tickets and more information, visit Repertorio.nyc.
ABOUT THE GOODMAN
Since 1925, The Goodman has been more than a stage. A theatrical home for artists and a gathering space for community, it’s where stories come to life—bold in artistry and rich in history, deeply rooted in the city it serves.
Led by Walter Artistic Director Susan V. Booth and Executive Director John Collins, The Goodman sparks conversation, connection and change through new plays, reimagined classics and large-scale musicals. With distinctions including nearly 200 world or American premieres, two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards and nearly 200 Joseph Jefferson Awards, The Goodman is proud to be the first theater to produce all 10 plays of August Wilson’s “American Century Cycle.” In addition, the theater frequently serves as a production partner—with national and international companies to Chicago’s Off-Loop theaters—to help amplify theatrical voices.
But The Goodman believes a more empathetic, more connected Chicago is created one story at a time, and counts as its greatest legacy the community it’s built. Generation-spanning productions and programs offer theater for a lifetime; from Theater for the Very Young (plays designed for ages 0-5) to the long-running annual A Christmas Carol, which has introduced new generations to theater over five decades, The Goodman is committed to being an asset for all of Chicago. Education and Engagement programs led by Clifford Director of Education and Engagement Jared Bellot and housed in the Alice Rapoport Center use the tools of theater to spark imagination, reflection and belonging. Each year, these programs reach thousands of people (85% from underserved communities) as well as educators, artists and lifelong learners across the city.
The Goodman stands on the unceded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires—the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations—and acknowledges the many other Nations for whom this land now called Chicago has long been home, including the Myaamia, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox, Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, Kickapoo, and Mascouten. The Goodman is proud to partner with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (Gichigamiin-Museum.org) and the Center for Native Futures (CenterForNativeFutures.org)—organizations devoted to honoring Indigenous stories, preserving cultural memory, and deepening public understanding.
The Goodman was founded by William O. Goodman and his family to honor the memory of Kenneth Sawyer Goodman—a visionary playwright whose bold ideas helped shape Chicago’s early cultural renaissance. That spirit of creativity and generosity endures today. In 2000, through the commitment of Mr. Goodman’s descendants—Albert Ivar Goodman and his late mother, Edith-Marie Appleton—The Goodman opened the doors to its current home in the heart of the Loop.
Marsha Cruzan is Chair of the Goodman Theatre Board of Trustees; Diane Landgren is Women’s Board President; and Kelli Garcia is president of the Scenemakers Board for Young Professionals.