a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)

A coyote howling. A home in disarray. A young woman alone. Soledad Vargas is in the city, fighting for her family’s right to live on their land. When hope starts to dwindle, how far will she go, and what will she be forced to leave behind? A modern myth drawn from the real life struggles of displaced communities around the globe, a home what howls... is a lyrically-rendered quest of youth activism standing against forces of injustice.
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a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)

Recommended by

  • Tom Moseman:
    30 Dec. 2023
    What is lost when something is taken but not given? What happens when sounds of progress overwhelm songs of longing? Matthew Paul Olmos creates a vast “American” space, inhabited by eternal characters; fictive yet real, spirits at once alive and long dead. This script is lyrical free-verse; a mythic opera for our dissociative times. These are theatrics that challenge the constraints of Theatre. Rationally, we understand that the myth of “progress” means marginalization. In America, it is white supremacy made manifest (destiny). Emotionally, the audience apprehends we are ghosts left longing for what was --
  • Brianna Barrett:
    15 Nov. 2023
    This lyrical, wispy, heartbreaking drama pairs music with powerful imagery to explore the trauma of native people displaced from their original lands. Poetic in its language and the way it plays with visuals. All of the characters feel larger than life, imbued with meanings and double meanings. A twist that leaves you with much to consider once the play is over.
  • Kitchen Dog Theater:
    27 Jul. 2023
    We are pleased to support this play! It was a Finalist for the 2023 New Works Festival at Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas, Texas.

Character Information

  • Soledad
    20s,
    Mexican American
    ,
    Female
  • Manuel Vargas
    late 30s - 40s,
    Mexican American
    ,
    Male
  • Frank/Male Conductor
    20s - 70s,
    Any (but probably white)
    ,
    Character identifies as male
  • Coyotl/Syera Loma
    Any Age,
    Latinx or Any Person of Color
    ,
    Character identifies as female
  • Abrana Vargas
    late 30s - 40s,
    Mexican American
    ,
    Female

Development History

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Steppenwolf Theatre
    ,
    2024

Awards

Finalist
,
Yale Drama Series Prize Short List
,
Yale Drama Series
,
2022