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Overview
Synopsis
Los Angeles, 1942. The United States has entered World War II, and the patriotic spirit is running high. At the same time, racial tension in L.A. are boiling over, aggravated by the biased racism of the news media that has branded young Mexican-American men, dressed in zoot suits and the pachuco style, as criminals, thugs, and an infestation. Within this turmoil, Henry Reyna, the leader of the 38th Street Gang, is accused of murder. He and his co-defendants are set up to lose the trial, and while volunteers ardently work to overturn his conviction, Henry begins to lose hope. At the same time, the historic Zoot Suit Riots explode, where U.S. servicemen stripped young Mexican-Americans and burned their clothes in the street. If Henry is ever released, what kind of world will this young pachuco live in?
Inspired by both the Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial of Henry Leyvas in 1942 and the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943, Luis Valdez weaves a heartbreaking dramatization of history and social commentary. The message of 1942 was still relevant when Zoot Suit premiered in 1978, and its anti-racist message is still as vital as ever today.
Show Information
- Book
- Luis Valdez
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1978
- Genres
- Historical/Biographical, Drama
- Settings
- Period, Multiple Settings, Simple/No Set, Fantasy/Imaginary
- Time & Place
- Los Angeles, 1942-1944
- Cast Size
- large
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, High School, Large Cast, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters
Context
By the 1960s, playwright Luis Valdez had established himself and El Teatro Campesino as one of the strongest artistic voices for Mexican-American people throughout the United States. He had already composed several plays and El Teatro Campesino (The Farm Workers’ Theatre) won an Obie Award by the time he wrote Zoot Suit, a play inspired by the racial tensions of 1940s Los Angeles.
Zoot Suit chronicles two distinct, but intertwined, events. The first is the Sleepy Lagoon Murders. In August
to read the context for Zoot Suit and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Prologue A giant newspaper front page drapes across the proscenium. Suddenly, a switchblade tears through the print, and El Pachuco slips through. He reaches for his long coat and his pork pie hat; after putting them on and completing the outfit, he strikes a pachuco pose for the audience. He begins to speak, first in Spanish, then in perfect English, introducing them to the Pachuco Style, both in zoot suit clothing and a way of life. The story they are about to see is a
to read the plot for Zoot Suit and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Tenor, Baritone |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Featured |
Either Gender |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
A portmanteau of "agitation" and "propaganda," a type of political propaganda used in art, literature, and performance.
A mode of storytelling and performance, often using non-traditional or experimental styles, that dramatizes people's real-world experiences around an event.
A genre of play that is based on the narrative of true historical events and people, often considered a subgenre of tragedy.
A term that encompasses identities and ethnicities from Latin-American ancestry, and includes Latino, Hispanic, and Chicano.
Biased or misleading information intended to promote a particular viewpoint or political cause.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress