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Josè Rivera

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BIO

Josè Rivera is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City, Rivera has become one of the most influential Latino voices in American theater.
Rivera's Broadway debut was in 2003 with his play "References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot," which was directed by Michael John Garcés and starred Rosie Perez. The play explores the relationship between a young woman and her soldier husband, who is stationed in the desert. Rivera's poetic language and magical realism elements make for a captivating and thought-provoking story.
Rivera's other notable works include "Marisol," which won the Obie Award for Best Play in 1993, and "Cloud Tectonics," which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1996. Both plays feature Rivera's signature style of blending the real and the surreal, and explore themes of identity, spirituality, and love.
In addition to his work in theater, Rivera has also made a name for himself in Hollywood. He wrote the screenplay for the 2004 film "The Motorcycle Diaries," which chronicles the journey of a young Che Guevara across South America. The film, directed by Walter Salles and starring Gael García Bernal, received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Rivera has also written for television, including the series "Eerie, Indiana" and "The House of Ramon Iglesia." He has also directed several films, including "The Visit," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2000.
Despite his success in Hollywood, Rivera remains committed to the theater. In 2018, his play "The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona" premiered at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. The play follows a woman who is given the opportunity to communicate with her deceased husband through a mysterious machine. The play explores themes of grief, loss, and the power of love.
Rivera's most recent work is the play "The Last Book of Homer," which premiered at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in 2019. The play tells the story of a group of soldiers who discover a manuscript written by Homer during the Trojan War. The play explores themes of war, heroism, and the power of storytelling.

Photos

Awards and Nominations


winner
Obie Awards - 2001 - Playwriting

José Rivera, References To Salvador Dali Make Me Hot


winner
Obie Awards - 1993 - Playwriting

Jose Rivera, Marisol

News


Chatham Playhouse to Host 30th Annual JERSEY VOICES: ONE-ACT FESTIVAL Starting This Month

The Chatham Community Players (CCP) will host its 30th annual Jersey Voices One-Act Festival with six performances between July 26th and August 4th. This year's production will include seven original short plays written by New Jersey playwrights.
SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS Will Make its Central Florida Premiere

The Central Florida premiere of the critically acclaimed play SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS by Bess Wohl will be presented from July 19 to July 27 at a new pop-up theater space in Orlando’s Fashion Square Mall.
Photos: First Look at FLORENCIA EN EL AMAZONAS at Opera San Jose

Opera San José concludes its 40th anniversary season with the Bay Area premiere of Daniel Catán’s captivating opera, Florencia en el Amazonas, marking its debut at the California Theatre as the company’s first Spanish language opera performed on its mainstage. Check out production photos below!
Photos: First Look at THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL at Orlando Family Stage

Get a first look at The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Orlando Family Stage. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Maggie Siff, Julie Halston & More to Star in BREAKING THE STORY at Second Stage

Second Stage Theater has revealed the complete cast for the world premiere production of a new play by Alexis Scheer, BREAKING THE STORY. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.
Brian Mertes To Helm Catherine Gropper's Drama Based On Actual Events: THE MEETING: THE INTERPRETER

Discover the untold story of a chance meeting that could have changed history in THE MEETING: THE INTERPRETER.
WAM Theatre Unveils 15th Anniversary Season

​WAM Theatre has unveiled its 2024 season centering new paths and brave futures, through four innovative theatrical stories and a special 15th Anniversary Benefit.
Second Stage to Present the World Premiere of Alexis Scheer's BREAKING THE STORY

Second Stage Theater will present the world premiere production of a new play by Alexis Scheer, BREAKING THE STORY.
The Inspired Acting Company to Present TALLEY'S FOLLY in December

Join The Inspired Acting Company for their captivating production of TALLEY'S FOLLY, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play that explores themes of love, identity, and human connection. Don't miss this unforgettable performance in Walled Lake, MI.
INTAR Unveils 2023/24 Season Featuring Two World Premiere Productions

Check out the exciting lineup of world premiere productions coming to INTAR Theatre for the 2023/24 season, including 'Sonnets for an Old Century.'
SABBATH'S THEATER Extended Through Mid December

Due to demand, The New Group has added two weeks for Sabbath’s Theater, adapted from the novel by Philip Roth by Ariel Levy and John Turturro.
Photos: On the Red Carpet at The Dramatists Guild Foundation 2023 Gala

The Dramatists Guild Foundation 2023 Gala took place last night, October 24. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out all the photos here!
Interview: Marissa Chibás, Clayton Cardenas, and Bobby Soto of CLOUD TECTONICS at Inner City Arts

Director Marissa Chibás encountered Jose Rivera’s Cloud Tectonics when it “first came into the world” 28 years ago, but feels the story about an apocalyptic storm is startlingly prescient for contemporary LA audiences. “The play is about mystery and magic,” she surmises, “how we miss the little moments in life that are actually the big moments.”
Review: OUR DEAR DEAD DRUG LORD at Center Theatre Group And IAMA Theatre Company

In the ways Angels in America embodies and reflects the zeitgeist of the AIDS epidemic, Our Dear Dead Drug Lord presents a story of four young women with a penchant for summoning spirits that somehow perfectly encapsulates the larger experiences of living in a terror-obsessed, post-9/11 world muddied by senseless shootings.
Review: Splendid Donizetti Rarity POLIUTO Showed Its Great Bones via Crutchfield's Teatro Nuovo

Usually, when long-neglected works somehow find their way to the forefront, we find there’s a pretty good reason for the lack of interest. Happily for us, this does not apply to Donizetti’s POLIUTO, which Will Crutchfield’s Teatro Nuovo performed last weekend at Montclair State’s Kasser Theatre and on July 19th at Jazz from Lincoln Center’s Rose Theatre. It’s filled with wonderful music that the current performers--particularly the suave tenor of Argentine Santiago Ballerini in the title role and the potent coloratura soprano Chelsea Lehnea--deliver with aplomb.
The New Group to Present World Premiere of SABBATH'S THEATER Adapted from Philip Roth's Novel by John Turturro & Ariel Levy

Immerse yourself in the world of 'Sabbath's Theater', a world premiere play adapted from Philip Roth's novel by John Turturro and Ariel Levy. Don't miss this provocative and profound exploration of mortality and celebration of life.
VÁMONOS Extended for Final Time at INTAR Theatre

INTAR THEATRE and the RADIO DRAMA NETWORK has announced the final extension of Julissa Contreras’ play Vámonos with tickets on sale now through June 11.
VÁMONOS World Premiere Extended at INTAR Theatre Through Early June

INTAR THEATRE and the RADIO DRAMA NETWORK announced the extension of Julissa Contreras’ play Vámonos with tickets now on sale through June 4th.
Cindy Peralta, Yohanna Florentino & More to Star in VÁMONOS World Premiere at INTAR Theatre

INTAR THEATRE and the RADIO DRAMA NETWORK announced complete casting for their Main Stage production of Julissa Contreras’ play Vámonos.
Industry Pro Newsletter: UK Extends Tax Relief, Room Won't Come to Broadway

While the UK grapples with unruly audiences (not an issue unique to the West End by any means), one critic makes the case that the way we are discussing unruly audiences doesn’t have the best interest of the art form in mind - that it gives it a sense of snobbishness that doesn’t invite more audiences in to enjoy a show.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many shows has Josè Rivera written?

Josè Rivera has written 7 shows including Each Day Dies with Sleep (Playwright), Marisol (Playwright), Cloud Tectonics (Playwright), Sueno (Playwright), References to Salvador Dali Makes Me Hot (Playwright), School of the Americas (Playwright), Standing On Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays (Playwright).

What awards has Josè Rivera been nominated for?

Josè Rivera has been nominated for the following awards: Playwriting (Obie Awards) for References To Salvador Dali Make Me Hot and Playwriting (Obie Awards) for Marisol.

What awards has Josè Rivera won?

Josè Rivera has won the Obie Awards for Playwriting for his works References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot and Marisol.

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