←Recommendations of Even Flowers Bloom in Hell, Sometimes

What a magnificent play. Beautiful, poignant, haunting. There is so much great dialogue and content that I can't do it justice in a single recommendation. In its immersive format, Gonzalez brings the audience into the inmates lives in a way that is so intimate and real. It is just a must read. Bravo!

What an absolute magnificent piece of art. Beautiful, gorgeous, funny, unique. I encourage you to stop whatever you're doing right now and take the time to read this show. It's powerful, it's moving, it's painfully honest. It's suspenseful and dramatic, but more than anything, it's incredibly real--so real that it hurts to read. Gonzalez has purposefully not named any of the characters. He has structured the show so the audience feels part of it--maybe even complicit. He has taken an issue that is HUGE and not talked about and pushed it towards us. You can't ignore this play. Highly recommended.

It takes a writer of great skill to make you understand and empathize with these people in the prison system. Gonzalez tackles the issues of systemic racism in the prison system while examining the souls and wants of the men inside. A huge play, something that could be produced by a company like Cornerstone to reach out to the families of the incarcerated to uplift them and to advocate for their loved ones. I feel like this play would make some people deeply uncomfortable, the way great theatre is meant to do.

This play exemplifies why theatre is necessary. It elicits empathy for Prisoner and other inmates while exploring them as minorities within a racist 'System' (Prison). They're locked-up, but their reflections on Life, Liberty, Happiness -- American Identity -- and Time, Death, Love -- their individual philosophies -- free them. And empower the audience outside the Prison to think about making the best use of Time and Life. A BIG play like the plays it references - Beckett's, Genet's, Baldwin's; it's stellar playwriting, the dialog between Prisoner, Sister and son some of the best I've read on NPX! PRODUCE THIS!!!!!!

I had the pleasure of being a part of a staged reading for this show. Upon reading it preemptively, I fell in love with each character individually in a unique way. I assumed that the rose-colored glasses I had for this show would come off after hearing it out loud, but I was wrong. This show is packed full of fascinating content. Gonzalez gives a nuanced and thoughtful message about the state of the US and our penal system, but never compromises his enticing storyline to do so. I highly recommend this script for any reader.