Overview
Synopsis
In References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, Gabriela, the wife of a soldier recently returned from the Gulf War, wrestles with loneliness, desire, and the fragile process of reconnection as she waits in her desert backyard beneath a haunting full moon. While her husband Benito struggles to shake off the brutality of combat and readjust to civilian life, Gabriela seeks solace, conversation, and escape in surreal encounters with the Moon, her pet Cat, and a roaming Coyote—each embodying her imagination, unspoken desires, and inner conflicts. These magical and symbolic figures mirror the intensity of her emotional world, contrasting the stark realities of military life with the lush possibilities of fantasy. As Benito and Gabriela clash over their needs and expectations, the play blends magical realism with searing drama to explore love, passion, and the alienation that can grow between partners divided by war, trauma, and unfulfilled dreams.
Show Information
Context
José Rivera’s References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot premiered in 2000 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California, and quickly gained recognition for its bold blend of realism and surrealism. Written during a period when Rivera was already acclaimed for plays like Marisol and Cloud Tectonics, this work reflects his signature use of magical realism, heavily influenced by writers such as Gabriel García Márquez. By juxtaposing ordinary human relationships with dreamlike encounters,
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Character Portrayals
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Themes
Love and Alienation – The play examines the distance that can grow between partners, especially when shaped by war, trauma, and diverging desires. Gabriela and Benito’s struggle reflects the fragility of intimacy and the yearning for deeper connection.
War and Its Aftermath – Benito’s inability to leave the battlefield behind underscores how military service reshapes identity, relationships, and personal peace. Rivera highlights the unseen costs of war on both soldiers and their
to read about the themes, symbols and motifs from References To Salvador Dali Make Me Hot and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Key Terms
Absurdism is a 20th-century theatrical style that reflects the belief that life lacks inherent meaning. Playwrights such as Samuel Beckett and Eugène Ionesco used illogical dialogue, repetition, and surreal situations. The genre emphasizes the futility of human struggle and the breakdown of communication.
Anthropomorphism is when animals, objects, or natural forces are given human qualities, such as the ability to speak, think, or act like people. In drama, this technique allows playwrights to express human emotions and conflicts through non-human characters, often highlighting instincts, desires, or struggles in symbolic ways. By watching animals or objects behave like people, audiences can explore human issues from a fresh, imaginative perspective.
A non-literal theatrical scene representing a character's inner thoughts, fears, or desires, often surreal in style.
A literary and theatrical style blending realistic narrative with fantastical elements to explore complex truths.
Meta-theatre refers to drama that draws attention to itself as a play, reminding audiences that they are watching a performance. This may include breaking the fourth wall, plays-within-plays, or showing the mechanics of stagecraft. By highlighting its own theatricality, meta-theatre often creates humor, irony, or deeper reflection.
A literary device comparing two unlike things without using 'like' or 'as,' used in theatre to add symbolic meaning. Metaphors enhance subtext and deepen character understanding.
Poetic dialogue is language in a play that goes beyond everyday speech, using rhythm, imagery, or musical qualities to express deep emotions and abstract ideas. Instead of plain conversation, characters may speak in heightened or lyrical ways that reveal the intensity of their feelings or the dreamlike quality of the world around them. This style encourages audiences to focus on the beauty and meaning of the words, not just the plot.
A 20th-century artistic movement that sought to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind, often manifesting in dreamlike or illogical theatrical elements.
A movement and technique using symbolic imagery and metaphors to express abstract ideas and inner experiences.
Guide Written By:
Jason Engleman
Humming show tunes day and night.