The Mermaid Hour

by David Valdes

For Pilar and Bird, parenting a trans tween is all about guessing how to get it right when they’re not even sure what that means—and it doesn’t help that they’re not on the same page. Vi just wishes they would keep up: she’s busy navigating her first crush on super-cool Jacob, obsessing over her favorite YouTube vlogger, and just about ready to make herself an internet sensation. Fast-paced, funny, and...

For Pilar and Bird, parenting a trans tween is all about guessing how to get it right when they’re not even sure what that means—and it doesn’t help that they’re not on the same page. Vi just wishes they would keep up: she’s busy navigating her first crush on super-cool Jacob, obsessing over her favorite YouTube vlogger, and just about ready to make herself an internet sensation. Fast-paced, funny, and heartfelt, The Mermaid Hour finds all three confronting the gaps between who they are and who they wish to be.

Mermaid Hour is available from Original Works Publishing
https://www.originalworksonline.com/

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The Mermaid Hour

Recommended by

  • Nick Malakhow: The Mermaid Hour

    A lovely piece about the complexities of family. I especially loved how in this narrative we were presented with an ostensibly liberal and accepting family whose relationships and equilibrium were challenge by Pilar and Bird's unconscious and (and semi-conscious and conscious) biases. An important reminder that left-leaning politics don't make someone immune from the toxic forces that threaten marginalized communities and identities. Every single person in this piece was a nuanced and fully rendered human, and they kept my sympathy even as they bristled against and challenged one another...

    A lovely piece about the complexities of family. I especially loved how in this narrative we were presented with an ostensibly liberal and accepting family whose relationships and equilibrium were challenge by Pilar and Bird's unconscious and (and semi-conscious and conscious) biases. An important reminder that left-leaning politics don't make someone immune from the toxic forces that threaten marginalized communities and identities. Every single person in this piece was a nuanced and fully rendered human, and they kept my sympathy even as they bristled against and challenged one another. Beautiful, funny, poignant, theatrical.

  • Cheryl Bear: The Mermaid Hour

    A great play that captures parenthood and how to love your child for who they are. Well done.

    A great play that captures parenthood and how to love your child for who they are. Well done.

  • Patrick Gabridge: The Mermaid Hour

    This play is just lovely. Yes, it’s about a trans kid, but it’s also about the challenges of parenthood (any kid) and what happens when your kid isn’t the kid you dreamed about, but you love them anyway (loved Bird’s Fenway story). The writing is sometimes just so beautiful—I’ve gone back and reread Vi’s mermaid hour speech several times. There’s so much love and hope here. I hope it gets done again and again.

    This play is just lovely. Yes, it’s about a trans kid, but it’s also about the challenges of parenthood (any kid) and what happens when your kid isn’t the kid you dreamed about, but you love them anyway (loved Bird’s Fenway story). The writing is sometimes just so beautiful—I’ve gone back and reread Vi’s mermaid hour speech several times. There’s so much love and hope here. I hope it gets done again and again.

View all 9 recommendations

Character Information

The role Vi cannot be played by a cisgender actor. The role should be played by a self-identified trans, genderqueer, or non-binary performer. The Merperson may be played by someone genderqueer/gender-nonconforming and should not be construed as character in drag.

Pilar is Latinx. Mika is Japanese-American. Vi is mixed or fully Latinx and Jacob make be Japanese-American or mixed.
  • Merperson/Crux du May
    The Merperson is the YouTube name for Crux Dumay, a gender nonconforming performer and grad student. They may be of any race, but it is important that the role clearly be that of someone genderqueer, nonbinary, or otherwise gender nonconforming. Crux is not a drag queen.
    Character Age
    20s-30s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    gender non-conforming
  • Pilar
    Pilar is Latinx of any race, born and raised in the U.S.
    Character Age
    30's-40's
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Latina
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Bird
    Character Age
    30's-40's
    Character Gender Identity
    Cisgender Male
  • Vi
    Vi is a trans girl and may not be played by a cisgender actor. She may be played by self-identified trans, genderqueer, and nonbinary actors.

    If Vi is cast as the biological child of Pilar and Bird, she would be at least half Latinx. If Vi is cast as adopted, that distinction matters less.
    Character Age
    12
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Latinx or mixed-Latinx
    Character Gender Identity
    Transgender
  • Jacob
    Jacob is gay and either Asian-American or mixed.
    Character Age
    12
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Asian American
    Character Gender Identity
    Cisgender Male
  • Mika
    Mika is Japanese-American.
    Character Age
    30s-40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Japanese-American
    Character Gender Identity
    Cisgender Female

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization Actor's Theatre of Charlotte, Year 2016
  • Type Commission, Organization Sloan Project at Ensemble Studio Theatre, Year 2014
  • Type Reading, Organization Ensemble Studio Theatre, Year 2014

Production History

  • Type Professional, Organization Milagros, Year 2018
  • Type University, Organization University of California Riverside, Year 2018
  • Type Professional, Year 2017

Awards