Just Like Us
by Karen Zacarias

Name: Just Like Us
Brand: Karen Zacarias
SKU: 9780573710360

Just Like Us Book Cover — Just Like Us Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

120 mins Present Day Role(s) for Teen(s) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes

Synopsis

Based on Helen Thorpe’s bestselling book, this documentary-style play follows four Latina teenage girls in Denver—two of whom are documented and two who are not—through young adulthood.

Their close-knit friendships begin to unravel when immigration status dictates the girls’ opportunities, or lack thereof.

When a political firestorm arises, each girl’s future becomes increasingly complicated.

Just Like Us poses difficult yet essential questions about what makes us American.

Press Reviews

"Insightful and important... the play has a ripped-from-the-headlines feel... viscerally captures the personal impact of U.S. immigration laws on people such as Marisela."
— The Munro Review (Fresno State)

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
HELEN THORPE 40s. The Reporter: Irish American Quaker, very smart, confident, unfussy woman with a penchant for interesting eye glasses. Highly educated, career woman married to the Mayor of Denver. Mother of one small child. Much more comfortable as a thoughtful observer than as the center of attention. Prefers being a reporter than First Lady of Denver. Has strong conviction of principles, is self-aware about her role, and is consistently fair-minded.	female	40s	40s. The Reporter: Irish American Quaker, very smart, confident, unfussy woman with a penchant for interesting eye glasses. Highly educated, career woman married to the Mayor of Denver. Mother of one small child. Much more comfortable as a thoughtful observer than as the center of attention. Prefers being a reporter than First Lady of Denver. Has strong conviction of principles, is self-aware about her role, and is consistently fair-minded.
MARISELA 18-22. Fully bilingual and bicultural Mexican. Colorful! Does not have legal status to be in the country. Emotional, sassy, intelligent, energetic, ambitious, yet sometimes insecure, a bundle of contradictions, attracted to bad boys yet a great student. She craves excitement, wears a lot of makeup, tight jeans, and loves loud music (Ranchera especially) and is an excellent student. Also plays	female	18-22	18-22. Fully bilingual and bicultural Mexican. Colorful! Does not have legal status to be in the country. Emotional, sassy, intelligent, energetic, ambitious, yet sometimes insecure, a bundle of contradictions, attracted to bad boys yet a great student. She craves excitement, wears a lot of makeup, tight jeans, and loves loud music (Ranchera especially) and is an excellent student. Also plays
RAUL GOMEZ GARCIA .	—	—	.
YADIRA 18-22. Fully bilingual-bicultural Mexican. Does not have legal papers to be in the country. Still waters run deep. Beautiful, lean, reserved, smart young woman who craves stability and security. Marisela’s best friend, yet polar opposite in manner and look. Wears skinny jeans and bare midriff shirts, yet isn’t a party girl at all.	female	18-22	18-22. Fully bilingual-bicultural Mexican. Does not have legal papers to be in the country. Still waters run deep. Beautiful, lean, reserved, smart young woman who craves stability and security. Marisela’s best friend, yet polar opposite in manner and look. Wears skinny jeans and bare midriff shirts, yet isn’t a party girl at all.
CLARA 18-22. Bilingual-bicultural Mexican. In the US legally. Innocent, religious, earnest girl. Good student. Hard worker. Discreet clothes, no make-up, wears a cross every day. The peacemaker and dreamer.	female	18-22	18-22. Bilingual-bicultural Mexican. In the US legally. Innocent, religious, earnest girl. Good student. Hard worker. Discreet clothes, no make-up, wears a cross every day. The peacemaker and dreamer.
ELISSA 18-22. Bilingual and bi-cultural. In the US legally. The go-getter, team captain of the group. Good student. Hard worker. Also plays	—	18-22	18-22. Bilingual and bi-cultural. In the US legally. The go-getter, team captain of the group. Good student. Hard worker. Also plays
ZULEMA , Yadira’s younger sister.	female	—	, Yadira’s younger sister.
FABIÁN 30-40s. Marisela’s hardworking, sometimes grouchy father. Spanish- and non-English-speaking. A janitor at a supermarket who loves his family and worries about Marisela’s wild ways. In the US without legal status. Also plays	male	30	30-40s. Marisela’s hardworking, sometimes grouchy father. Spanish- and non-English-speaking. A janitor at a supermarket who loves his family and worries about Marisela’s wild ways. In the US without legal status. Also plays
TOM TANCREDO , a 2nd generation Italian-American Congressman born in a working class neighborhood in Denver who now represents a very affluent neighborhood in Colorado. The leading voice in Congress against illegal immigration. Charismatic, smart, loud, affable, and very single-minded in his fervor against illegal immigration., Also plays:	male	—	, a 2nd generation Italian-American Congressman born in a working class neighborhood in Denver who now represents a very affluent neighborhood in Colorado. The leading voice in Congress against illegal immigration. Charismatic, smart, loud, affable, and very single-minded in his fervor against illegal immigration., Also plays:
RECRUITER (Tom Johnson),	—	—	(Tom Johnson),
CEZAR MESQUITA, CARLOS (Alma’s husband),	male	—	(Alma’s husband),
FEDERICO PEÑA ,	—	—	,
COP , ensemble.	—	—	, ensemble.
JOSEFA Late 30s, early 40s. Marisela’s Mexican mother. Spanish- and non–English-speaking. A devoted mother and hardworking cleaning lady who looks after her four kids in the US. Also plays	female	30s	Late 30s, early 40s. Marisela’s Mexican mother. Spanish- and non–English-speaking. A devoted mother and hardworking cleaning lady who looks after her four kids in the US. Also plays
MRS. SMITH ,	female	—	,
CAROL VIZZI and maybe	—	—	and maybe
LISA MARTINEZ .	—	—	.
YOLANDA early 30’s. Brassy bilingual hairdresser. Also plays	—	30	early 30’s. Brassy bilingual hairdresser. Also plays
ANA, CYNTHIA POUNDSTONE, LUCY, BUSINESS WOMAN and maybe	—	—	and maybe
LISA MARTINEZ .	—	—	.
JULIO 20s. Latino. Also plays	—	20s	20s. Latino. Also plays
RAMIRO, MIKE McGARRY , ensemble.	—	—	, ensemble.