Dorothea Puente Tells All! An Evening with the Magnanimous, Distinguished and Noble Lady of Sacramento

Dorothea Puente was a lifelong con-artist. Her abuse of the welfare system led directly to new federal legislation. In the Latinx community, she was loved as a pillar of the community though she herself was white. On November 11, 1988, police discovered 7 bodies buried in Dorothea Puente's yard, thanks in large part to the heroic efforts of a humble volunteer social worker. Mrs. Puente never stopped...
Dorothea Puente was a lifelong con-artist. Her abuse of the welfare system led directly to new federal legislation. In the Latinx community, she was loved as a pillar of the community though she herself was white. On November 11, 1988, police discovered 7 bodies buried in Dorothea Puente's yard, thanks in large part to the heroic efforts of a humble volunteer social worker. Mrs. Puente never stopped maintaining her innocence and some never stopped believed her. In unraveling the truth of Dorothea Puente, this play also shows the rest of us something about our own needs and vulnerabilities, and how we can protect ourselves from people who would exploit us.
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Dorothea Puente Tells All! An Evening with the Magnanimous, Distinguished and Noble Lady of Sacramento

Recommended by

  • Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend:
    13 Dec. 2021
    Wow! This play chronicles the (eventual) downfall of real life serial killer, Dorothea Puente, with Dorothea narrating and putting her spin on events. It's incredibly engaging and theatrical, and it does a wonderful job showing how everything happened and how Dorothea was able to get away with it for so long. One scene that stuck out for me was the split stage between Dorothea talking to her parole office on Monday and talking to social workers of a prospective tenant on Tuesday. There were so many elements like that which made this story uniquely suited for the stage. Great work!
  • Scott Sickles:
    1 Apr. 2020
    Rollercoaster designers could learn a thing out two from this wickedly dark thrill ride of a play! Loewenstern expertly presents the story of a sociopath and narcissist ensconcing her own subjecting point of view with the objective reality she weaponizes. Puente is endlessly complex both in her consistency and her contradictions. It’s the kind of role that sweeps awards. The same is true for Pat, the social worker who sees through Puente’s machinations. The non-chronological structure actively pressures and parses information as we need it, creating gripping suspense and relentless momentum! Masterful!
  • Elana Gartner:
    21 Mar. 2020
    This phenomenal play shows the complicated manipulation of a masterful con-artist from her point of view. Dorothea is both endearing and frightening. Loewenstern walks the tightrope extremely carefully, allowing the audience to trust Dorothea and then judge her based on their own observations from her presentation of "the facts". The characters are unique and well-drawn. This is a fantastic play that would give a great evening of drama to an audience!

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Sacramento Theatre Company - SOLD OUT RUN
    ,
    2023
  • Community Theater
    ,
    California Stage Company - SOLD OUT RUN!
    ,
    2020

Awards

Winner
,
Elly Awards for Best Lead Female, Best Supporting Female
,
Sacramento Area Regional Theater Alliance (SARTA) http://www.ellyawards.com/
,
2020