Waiting for Godínez

by Daniel Olivas

"Why does it happen, over and over and over? Why do they take you, my friend, and put you in a cage in the hopes of deporting you? What harm have you done to them? You are as much of this country as you are of México. But you are not home in either place. Ni de aquí, ni de allá." With these words, Isabel describes the absurd reality suffered by her longtime friend, Jesús, who is kidnapped each night by...

"Why does it happen, over and over and over? Why do they take you, my friend, and put you in a cage in the hopes of deporting you? What harm have you done to them? You are as much of this country as you are of México. But you are not home in either place. Ni de aquí, ni de allá." With these words, Isabel describes the absurd reality suffered by her longtime friend, Jesús, who is kidnapped each night by immigration officials and thrown into a cage to await deportation. But each time, Jesús escapes and makes his way back to the park to be with Isabel and await the mysterious Godínez.

Inspired by Samuel Beckett’s iconic Godot play and our country's anti-immigrant policies, WAITING FOR GODÍNEZ explores the meaning—and absurdities—of identity and belonging.

WAITING FOR GODÍNEZ had its world premiere on April 5, 2024, at the Teatro Espejo in Sacramento, CA. Prior to that, it was selected for the Playwrights' Arena Summer Reading Series (2020), The Road Theatre Company's Summer Playwrights Festival (2021), the Garry Marshall Theatre's New Works Festival (2022), the Instituto Arte Teatral Internacional’s Cimientos Staged Readings Series (2023), and was a semi-finalist for the American Blues Theater's 2021 Blue Ink Playwriting Award.

The University of New Mexico Press will publish WAITING FOR GODÍNEZ in fall 2025. For that reason, I have now removed the full script from New Play Exchange though a sample is still linked to this page. If you are interested in reading the full script, please contact me through New Play Exchange or drop me an email at olivasdan@aol.com.

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Waiting for Godínez

Recommended by

  • Diana Burbano: Waiting for Godínez

    Beautiful wrought, about the waiting that happens when you are ni de aqui ne de alla. This is an outstanding piece, especially for audiences who need to see the humanity that is the actual "border crisis" Profound.

    Beautiful wrought, about the waiting that happens when you are ni de aqui ne de alla. This is an outstanding piece, especially for audiences who need to see the humanity that is the actual "border crisis" Profound.

  • Doug DeVita: Waiting for Godínez

    "But if I were a dog, I would not be deported each night and I would live in a beautiful casa at the beach."

    Brilliant aphorisms such as the one above abound in this gut-wrenching tragic-comedy from Daniel Olivas; taking Beckett's absurdist WAITING FOR GODOT and expertly weaving the current border crisis into the fabric of the story, Olivas has created a powerful work that stands as a heartbreaking piece of theatre on its own considerable merits. A must read, must produce play.

    "But if I were a dog, I would not be deported each night and I would live in a beautiful casa at the beach."

    Brilliant aphorisms such as the one above abound in this gut-wrenching tragic-comedy from Daniel Olivas; taking Beckett's absurdist WAITING FOR GODOT and expertly weaving the current border crisis into the fabric of the story, Olivas has created a powerful work that stands as a heartbreaking piece of theatre on its own considerable merits. A must read, must produce play.

  • June Carryl: Waiting for Godínez

    The play is searing and heartbreaking. People on repeat, reliving the trauma of being caged, and the stories they tell themselves and each other to get through. I love this play.

    The play is searing and heartbreaking. People on repeat, reliving the trauma of being caged, and the stories they tell themselves and each other to get through. I love this play.

Character Information

  • Piso
    Younger actor may play role but appropriate makeup needed to approximate older age.
    Character Age
    40 - 70
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Afortunada
    Character Age
    20 - 30
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Child
    Child is nonbinary and expresses in dialogue that it does not matter what gender they are.
    Character Age
    10 - 15
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Latinx
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Isabel (aka Chavalita)
    Younger actor may play role but appropriate makeup needed to approximate older age.
    Character Age
    30 - 50
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Latina
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Jesús (aka Chuy)
    Younger actor may play role but appropriate makeup needed to approximate older age.
    Character Age
    30 - 50
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Latino
    Character Gender Identity
    Male

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Instituto Arte Teatral Internacional, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Garry Marshall Theatre, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization Playwrights' Arena, Year 2020

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Teatro Espejo, Year 2024

Awards

  • Cimientos Staged Reading Series
    Instituto Arte Teatral Internacional
    Selection
    2023
  • New Works Festival
    Garry Marshall Theatre
    Finalist
    2022
  • The Red List (No. 7 ranking)
    Coverfly
    2020
  • Quarterfinalist, Screencraft Stage Play Contest
    Screencraft
    2020
  • Playwrights' Arena Reading Summer Series
    Playwrights' Arena
    Selection
    2020