cover art by Christopher Rubino
“José Rivera’s SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS
traces the last two days of the Argentine revolutionary’s life. The story comes
from historical fact: When a feckless attempt to start an insurrection in
Bolivia led to his capture, Che really was held for two days in tiny La Higuera
while authorities decided his fate, and really did talk to a young villager
named Julia Cortes. As imagined by Rivera, their conversations are sometimes
predictable—America is “the greatest enemy of mankind” —but also contain
surprising introspection. Che calls himself “a goddamn joke” and “a small,
failed, stupid man.” No doubt addressing the audience, he declares, “Worship the
struggle...don’t worship me.”
Jeremy Carter, New York
“…Mr Rivera's
intimate play is something of a bookend to his screenplay for The Motorcycle
Diaries, a coming-of-age movie about a young pre-political Che. In SCHOOL OF
THE AMERICAS politics serve only as a backdrop to a story about Che's encounter
with a young teacher named Julia Cortes. Julia teaches at the schoolhouse where
Che is being held, and after pleading with the Lieutenant to be let inside, she
has a final conversation with the prisoner.
Like COPENHAGEN and STUFF HAPPENS, this drama uses historical fact as a frame
to pose intriguing questions about what might have happened….”
Jason Zinoman, The New York Times
world premiere in a co-production between the Joseph Papp Public Theater and Labyrinth Theater Company
4 M, 2 F
I S B N: 0-88145-336-6
$14.95