It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Exal Iraheta and their play They Could Give No Name as a finalist for our 2020 National Playwrights Conference. This particular work emerged from a highly competitive, anonymous, and multi-tiered selection process to become one of 63 finalists out of more than 1,500 submissions. This enthralling piece galvanized the hearts and theatrical imaginations of our reading teams and is fully championed by our offices. We are honored to put our enthusiastic support behind this writer and their ongoing contributions to the American Theater.

This is a haunting and powerful play about identity, immigration, grief, and family. I so appreciated the cross section of people represented in this play, particularly the distinct ways Nellie, Terry, Ana, and Victoria navigated their Latinx identities within themselves and around one another. Araceli was a haunting presence and her arrival prompted some of the most potent surprises. Not to be left out, Nick was intriguing as well, and his arc satisfying and complex. I also love the visual/aural world Iraheta creates here. It is uniquely theatrical and I would love to see it realized onstage soon!

This play is an excellent example of magical realism. In an insane world, all that's left is the monstrous. When all that remains of a person is their remains, how do we stay true to ourselves?