←Recommendations of when a whale falls

Love how this play floats between conversations about science and the existential questions of life. I can see two actors really making a meal out of this short play.

There is nothing about this exquisite, hauntingly lyrical play I do not love. It’s just… perfect.

A beautiful short play about grief and loss. I loved the lyrical quality of the dialogue. It brought Gale's emotional journey into sharp relief. Well done!

Brilliantly structured. J. Chavez drags you through the unexpected poetry buried in scientific jargon. Not only are the metaphors striking and intratextually supported, they breathe with intently planned language. This small conversation calling for such audacious staging speaks to J. Chavez’s bravery and inspiring belief in the power of theatrical representation. When a Whale Falls sinks you to the bottom of the ocean, from where you are comforted to see that life can still be new.

I really appreciate the metaphor of the whale fall - something I never knew about - and grief is so deep that this makes perfect sense, and helps any of us dealing with grief's massive and whale-like dimensions! I highly recommend this short and satisfying play.

Chavez shows their ability to use poetry and imagery to tell this deeply moving tale of motherhood and grief. As an exciting new playwright, Chavez has a clear voice that shines through in this 10-minute.

Chavez packs a punch in a very short show, very moving and original.

WHEN A WHALE FALLS allows us to revel in the unavoidable cycles of loss, learning from it and grappling with it. A beautiful, beautiful piece.

This playwright’s radical capacity for empathy shows through brilliantly in this script. The characters that Chavez writes live. They breathe and exist with life of their own. The pros of this piece lends the dialogue a fierce beauty, while simultaneously offering illumination to those actors working on the text. Whale beautifully exhibits Chavez’s strength as a writer and would be a wonderful addition to any event where 10-minute plays are showcased.

A beautifully lyrical short play driven by a vivid and haunting metaphor unlike any I've read before. Chavez invites you to juxtapose lesser-known scientific facts with the instantly relatable experience of personal loss. In so doing, we consider both in ways we hadn't before or wouldn't have otherwise.