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Theater Review, New England Theatre Geek
In the early 2010s, when Mermaid Hour was written, trans visibility was on the rise and Internet discourse was largely concerned with pronouns and representation. In David Valdes’ play, Pilar and David are searching for information about terminology and puberty blockers to support their trans daughter, Vi. Their efforts are earnest; they make mistakes; then they learn and adjust and move on. They love their kid, and that’s enough.
Had Mermaid Hour been written today, Pilar and Bird’s journey would likely feel more desperate. In the last decade, the political landscape has shifted in demonstrably terrifying, material ways, as anti-trans legislation threatens the wellbeing and lives of trans teens across the country, and queer youth are at despairingly high risk for self-harm and suicide. Transphobia was present in 2010, but in 2024, it’s being codified in such a way that Mermaid Hour – a play about family, not systems of power – feels almost surreally low stakes.
about me
I'm a writer, reader, and theater-dabbler; a feminist, queer, utopian-driven weirdo. As an essayist and theater critic, my work has been published in Severance Magazine, Howlround Theatre Commons, OnStage Blog, and The Journal for Dramatic Theory and Criticism. As an educator and dramaturg, I've taught courses on play analysis, musical theater, Shakespeare, and multicultural theater history. I currently live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where I spend much of my time kickboxing, singing, thrifting, and writing about writing.
MFA - UMass Amherst, Dramaturgy (2021)
Certificate in Advanced Feminism - UMass Amherst (2021)
BA - Washington College, Theater & English (2013)