José Rivera

José Rivera is a Puerto Rican–born playwright and screenwriter whose work is celebrated for its lyrical language and inventive blend of realism and the surreal. Born in 1955 in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Rivera immigrated with his family to New York City at a young age. Growing up in Brooklyn, he discovered writing as both an artistic outlet and a means of exploring his bicultural identity. Deeply influenced by Gabriel García Márquez and the traditions of magical realism, Rivera became known for theatrical works that merge ordinary human experiences with dreamlike or fantastical elements.

Over the course of his career, Rivera has emerged as one of the most prominent Latino voices in American theatre. His plays frequently grapple with questions of love, war, family, and displacement, while weaving in poetic imagery and mystical transformations. Among his most acclaimed works is References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot (2000), a play set in the Mojave Desert that juxtaposes the harsh realities of war with surreal encounters between a woman, her soldier husband, and anthropomorphized animals. The piece earned Rivera an Obie Award for Playwriting and cemented his reputation for daring, genre-bending theatre.

In addition to References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot, Rivera has written numerous other plays, including Marisol (1992), which won the Obie Award for Best New American Play, Cloud Tectonics (1995), Adoration of the Old Woman (2003), and Sonnets for an Old Century (2001). These works often reflect his fascination with the mystical and his deep concern for social and political issues, particularly those facing marginalized communities. Rivera’s writing blends personal intimacy with cosmic questions, allowing audiences to confront human vulnerability in imaginative and unsettling ways.

Rivera has also had a successful career as a screenwriter. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), the film chronicling Che Guevara’s formative travels across South America. His film and television work demonstrates his versatility and ability to translate his poetic sensibility into different mediums, reaching a broader audience while maintaining his signature voice.

Throughout his life and career, José Rivera has continued to be a pioneering figure in American theatre, championing stories that amplify Latino perspectives while challenging the boundaries of dramatic form. His influence extends beyond his own writing, as he has also served as a mentor and inspiration for younger playwrights. Rivera’s enduring legacy lies in his ability to intertwine the magical with the political, creating works that are at once deeply personal, socially resonant, and profoundly theatrical.