A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

La Ruta

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  6w

Inspired by real testimonies, and using live music to evoke factory work and protest marches, La Ruta is a visceral unearthing of secrets buried in the desert and a celebration of the Mexican women who stand resiliently in the wake of loss.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary
To the U.S.-owned factories in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, La Ruta is just a bus. But to the hundreds of women who live, work and often disappear along the route, it's so much more than that. Inspired by real testimonies, and using live music to evoke factory work and protest marches, La Ruta is a visceral unearthing of secrets buried in the desert and a celebration of the Mexican women who stand resiliently in the wake of loss.
History
La Ruta premiered at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago on December 20, 2018. Directed by Sandra Marquez, the production featured Karen Rodriguez with Charín Álvarez, Cher Álvarez, Laura Crotte, Alice da Cunha, Sandra Delgado, Isabella Gerasole and Mari Marroquin.

YOLI – A mother, 40s
MARISELA – A mother, 40s
IVONNE – A friend, 26
BRENDA – A daughter, 16
ZAIDE – A maquila worker, 40s
DESAMAYA – A singer/musician, 50s

All the characters are Mexican and should be cast accordingly.

  • Time Period 1990s
  • Setting Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The late 1990s.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission, Play with Music
  • Duration 105 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • Intense Adult Themes
    • Strong Language

Media

“Haunting, harrowing... crescendos from a quiet whimper to an anguished cri de coeur. It's difficult to watch [but] impossible to look away.” – Daily Herald

“Filled with fraught, intensely emotional scenes. Despite being set in the past, La Ruta has plenty of contemporary relevance.” – Chicago Sun-Times

“Unrelenting tension animates the haunting, harrowing La Ruta, which crescendos from a quiet whimper to an anguished cri de coeur. It's difficult to watch [but] impossible to look away.” – Daily Herald

“Talented 27-year-old writer’s new drama with music... tells of the women of Juarez, murdered on their way to work. [Gómez] fulfilled his promise. He honors them with every word. Alive or dead, you feel them in the bones of this young play.” – Chicago Tribune

“Countless moments of sheer theatrical beauty.... With La Ruta, a play inspired by the true stories of the women of Juárez, Gómez has crafted an act of storytelling whose primary function is as noble as any act of pure human inspiration one can find in the theater: keeping these women and their daughters alive.” – Newcity

“Bold, beautiful and timely piece of art... La Ruta triumphs... an unmitigated dramatic victory. The setting may be Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, but the struggles of these poor, strong, beautiful women are universal. La Ruta is a must-see.” – Broadway World

Videos

  • La Ruta - Steppenwolf Theatre Company Trailer youtube thumbnail

    La Ruta - Steppenwolf Theatre Company Trailer

  • Isaac Goméz on La Ruta youtube thumbnail

    Isaac Goméz on La Ruta

  • La Ruta - Audience Response (Steppenwolf) youtube thumbnail

    La Ruta - Audience Response (Steppenwolf)

  • La Ruta - Select Scene (Steppenwolf) youtube thumbnail

    La Ruta - Select Scene (Steppenwolf)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Isaac Gómez

Isaac Gómez (they/them) is an award-winning Chicago and Los Angeles-based playwright and screenwriter originally from El Paso, Texas/Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. They identify as na’wi – the third gender marker of the Rarámuri, a Mexican indigenous community in northern Chihuahua, ...

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