“Fukú americanus, or more colloquially, fukú - generally a curse or a doom of some kind; specifically the Curse and the Doom of the New World.”
- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
By Junot Díaz
Adaptation and Direction: Elise Thoron
Performed by Kelvin Grullon
Appropriate for: high school, college, and community audiences. Please note: this title contains mature content and language.
Available for: pre-recorded, remote, or live performances
This Pulitzer-Prize winning novel presents audiences with an astonishing vision of Dominican-American history and explores the endless human capacity to persevere, and risk it all in the name of love.
The Story
Oscar de Leon, an overweight science-fiction enthusiast, dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien. Despite the endless taunting from friends, family, and foes, Oscar remains true to himself, as the curse that has plagued his family for generations declares its power, and the violence of Oscar's family history collides with his present.
In Performance
Dominican American actor Kelvin Grullon tells the story through the eyes of Oscar’s unlikely friend, Yunior. Through this exploration of brotherhood, fantasy stories, and what it means to be a “Dominican man,” this adaptation allows audiences to understand the culture of fear and violence that resulted from Trujillo's 30+ years dictatorship of the Dominican Republic, and the importance of facing fear with love.