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JT PRESENTS & THEATRE RHINOCEROS PRESENT
Goat Blood
by Mark-Eugene Garcia
A West Coast Premiere
4229 18th St. in San Francisco
June 25 - July 19, 2026
Pablo and Owen thought they were in for a simple double date with two women they’d just met at a bar. Instead, under the cover of night, something ancient is watching them. Something hungry.
Cast: Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez, Raye Goh, Adrian Nava, and Casey Spiegel.
Directors Note
Borrowing from our writer, his words are a wonderful jumping-off point.
“You decided the name was yours. You grabbed it like you grabbed the land, then decided everyone else was an outsider, a threat, contamination.”
Mark-Eugene’s words hit so poignantly at a time of extreme division and animosity among the populace of our nation. At a time in which state-sponsored horror and violence are being enacted on the most vulnerable in our society, and no one, not even those with the most privilege, is safe. A time when our most marginalized: the undocumented, the asylum seekers, those pursuing immigration to our country via “the right way”, those profiled due to their name, their tongue, the color of their skin, our transgender siblings, those (especially women) seeking reproductive healthcare, and others are targets of this authoritarian regime and are being stripped of their dignity and humanity. For our protagonists, Pablo and Owen, their fear will last all night as they attempt to survive, and for our most marginalized, their fears are day-to-day.
Though it would be disingenuous of me to say this was the United States’ first rodeo with this behavior, it still feels disorienting experiencing what they described in the history books in real time.
Pivoting from my ruminations on current events, the American tendency to other is so fascinating sociologically and psychologically speaking. Let’s take the concept of immigration and being an immigrant, an identity that virtually all of us who are U.S. citizens share in this country. In other words, if you’re reading this, you are either an immigrant yourself or are here because of an immigrant, full stop (with exceptions to our indigenous siblings, of course).
With each new wave of immigration to this country comes a new scapegoat for society. A new group of people who are mocked for their tongue, criticized for their appearance, customs, foods, music, perceived as alien, and a threat to the so-called American way. In a desperate struggle for assimilation and acceptance, some new immigrants attempt to leave their old ways behind, change their names, and don’t pass on their language and traditions to their children in an attempt to keep them safe. While some of those who may be second, third generation, or more, were either spared the struggles faced by their parents/grandparents or have conveniently forgotten how their own predecessors were treated, and now engage in the same cycle of xenophobia. For some of those in the latter camp, they’re now “Real Americans” and are quick to slam and lock the door behind them. It’s happened for decades upon decades in this country, and there’s no sign of slowing down. I am shocked, for example, by the Latin Americans here for only a few years and who are now U.S. Citizens who voted for our current administration, those who would be profiled by simply how they look or how they speak, from these unchecked and cruel immigration policies, those who faced discrimination themselves but now feel superior due to their newfound citizenship.
So, what causes people to do this? I don’t have a single answer because I think there are many. We all want to be liked, to be accepted, to belong; we all want safety, and no one wants to be the target of the ire of society. Some of us want to be extravagantly wealthy, or socially powerful, influential, or to get ahead, and so some ally with wherever they perceive the power to be in a hope they’ll either be spared or will get a slice of the pie for themselves. This behavior isn’t unique to the U.S., of course, and it probably is something ingrained in our human animal instincts to survive in environments of real or perceived scarcity.
Our protagonists, Pablo and Owen, have discourse over this very topic, “Who is American” and “What does America really mean?”. I love the mention of the names of the two continents (North and South America) having been hijacked by the U.S. and the term “American” repurposed to be exclusionary to anyone outside the country, when in reality everyone in the Americas is an American. Latin Americans make a point of this in Spanish by referring to a U.S. citizen not as “Americano” but as “Estado Unidense” (literally "United Stater”). The conversation becomes more interesting: Pablo, having been born outside the country though having lived here for years, muses on not being quite this or that, a conundrum faced by many Latin Americans in the U.S. While Owen reminds Pablo that he also has an immigrant heritage and isn’t devoid of roots and culture in spite of his initial “America-first bravado”.
In all these conversations, Mark-Eugene also explores queerness as another othered identity and how this community is pitted against each other via homophobia and transphobia. Queer people in many cases (and not unlike immigrants) are thrown into a hostile society from the day of birth. For Pablo and Owen, socialized in a homophobic and queerphobic culture and orbiting being “down-low”, they treat queerness as an accusation, as a witch hunt, but it is also as a beckoning siren, and a monster within. It’s fear and a perceived lack of safety that drives some closeted or confused queer people to this behavior. An attachment and a desire to be what is considered “normal” or homogenous cause many people like Pablo and Owen to push these truths down deeper and deeper (not unlike the immigrant or child of immigrants who wants to belong or wants to deny their same privileges to others). Let’s not also forget that some of those members of the LGBTQIA+ community, that have experienced more mainstream acceptance in society can be guilty of denying that same queer liberation to those either less accepted or currently under attack. It’s disturbing to hear someone say “I’m a normal gay, I’m not like them” in an attempt to put down let’s say our transgender and other queer communities. As if they’ve forgotten what it is like to be rejected, stripped of their dignity, or to simply be allowed to exist.
Examples of people turning on each other are not new to our history, again, I think it may be an animal instinct that has been warped and exacerbated as we’ve developed complex and sophisticated societies through millennia. We can only hope to eventually end this traumatic cycle of othering and abusing each other, much like the victims of the monster in this play hope to be eventually free of their curse.
I think I’ve written enough to whet your appetite for the drama, the comedy, the lust, and the horror that Mark-Eugene’s powerful text will bring to you.
My final thought: How wonderful to unapologetically bring another play with both queer people and Latin Americans and their stories front and center at a time when our government wants to erase them. Because the stakes are so high, this work is urgent and necessary. Thank you for being part of this history and being present for our show. We hope to move you.
-Alejandro Emmanuel Torres
Cast/Crew Bios
Cyrus Buckley (Asst. Set Construction/Intern)
Goat Blood marks Cyrus’s first production with Theatre Rhinoceros. Previously, he has worked on shows with Oakland School for the Arts, including Metamorphosis as stage manager and Every 28 Hours as the lighting board operator. When he’s not helping out on set, he can be found practicing guitar or drawing. He is very glad to be working on this production and is proud to be a part of the team putting it together.
Mark-Eugene Garcia (Playwright)
Mark is a Chicano playwright and a proud member of the Dramatists Guild. He is a graduate of the City College of New York and studied book and lyric writing with the Academy of New Musical Theatre and the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop. Productions include Eight Tales of Pedro (The Secret Theatre, Queens Theatre), Shining in Misery: a King-Sized Parody (Capital City Theatre, 54 Below, The Other Palace, London), Goat Blood (Frigid NYC, Theatre Rhinoceros), and With Bad Breath - formerly Up In The Air! (Frigid NYC) Standby (Towle Theatre, New York International Fringe Festival, New York Musical Theatre Festival), The Whole Cows of Crendence South Dakota (Planet Connections Theatre Festival, Puzzle Theatre Festival) Facing East a New Musical (Jericho Arts Center) and Unmissed Connections (Planet Connections Theatre Festival) Other Plays include Flake Of Snow, Full Contact, What Friends Are For, One Night At The Golden Boot, Inscriptions, and Keys. In addition to his writing career, he co-hosts The Drama Book Show! on the Broadway Podcast Network. Love to Rodrigo Bolanos. Follow @storytellermg on Instagram for more.
Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez (Pablo)
Eric (he/him/his) is a San Francisco-based actor and Teaching Artist who has been working on stage and in the classroom around the Bay Area since 2012. He is thrilled to be in his first production with JT Presents and Theatre Rhinoceros. Recent credits include Becoming a Man (Z Space), No Llegamos Aqui Solos (Teatro Visíon), Bloom: A Sensory Adventure (Fuse Theatre), La Cucaracha (Playground Theatre), The Future Liberals Want, Or Resume Building Post-Apocalypse (Awesome Theatre), Native Gardens (Ross Valley Players), and Dreaming in Cuban (Central Works). To stay connected you can find him on Facebook @Eric A Esq-Guti and on Instagram @happy__himbo. He hopes you enjoy the show!
Raye Goh (Creature Creation)
Raye (pronouns: Raye or they/them) is thrilled to participate in this collaboration of JT Presents and Theatre Rhinoceros! Raye has had their claws in many Rhino productions, including performances in Billy, Fallin, and Gumiho. They are grateful to be linked (para siempre!) to everybody who came together to bring this story to the stage. And they would like to offer special thanks to the folx who continue to support and nurture their artistic being -- you know who you are! At aweta'm jas in!
Adriana Gutierrez (Costume Design)
Adriana is a costume designer and stylist whose work spans theater, film, television, commercial, and print. Her clients include Apple, Google, National Geographic, and the San Francisco Giants. She has worked on productions including 13 Reasons Why and Blindspotting. Adriana has taught costume design at College of Marin, Tamalpais High School (CTE), and CAFILM (Summerfilm). Theater credits include The Snow Queen (College of Marin), Beautiful (Spreckels Theatre Company), and American Song (Mercury Theater).
Colin H. Johnson (Video Designer)
Colin is an award-winning multi-hyphenate filmmaker, show-runner, and educator who has been operating in the Bay Area since 2008. He is the founding Artistic Director of Awesome Theatre and Creative Director of Troubleshoot Productions, LLC. His projects have been showcased across several mediums, productions, publications, and international festivals- including Z Space, SF Playground, The Clown Conservatory, Another Hole in the Head, Unnamed Footage Festival, Comic-Con International Film Festival, Crypticon Seattle, Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest, BAMPFA, Circus International Film Festival, and Image Comics. He strives to create collaborative, innovative, and inclusive environments within the arts space and takes the word “unproducable” as a personal challenge. He is currently pursuing his MFA in Film at California College of the Arts.
Noah Lucé (Intimacy Choreography)
Noah (he/they) is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Lake Superior State University, a Lecturer in Drama at the University of California, Santa Cruz, an Associate Artistic Director of New Canon Theatre, and an Assistant Faculty Member at Theatrical Intimacy Education. Selected intimacy, fight, and movement credits include: Betrayal, Proof, The Formula, and Taming of the Shrew (Santa Cruz Shakespeare); Born with Teeth and Lonely Planet (Mendocino Theatre Company); Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (City Lights Theater Company); Bright Star, I Will Be Gone, Head Over Heels, and A Comedy of Tenors (The Western Stage); Romeo & Juliet, Othello, Finding Chase, and Macbeth (NCTC); Orpheus in the Underworld, The Marriage of Figaro, The Wolves, She Kills Monsters, Eurydice, and Unibeauty & Her Wicked Daughters (UC Santa Cruz); Cabaret (University of Idaho); Pride of Lions, A Guide for the Homesick (Theatre Rhinoceros); Radicalization of Rolfe (JT Productions); and The Metromaniacs (Spreckels Theatre Company). Later this summer he will be directing I Am My Own Wife at Mendocino Theatre Company, opening in August. . To learn more about the artist’s work, visit: www.noahluce.com
Kyle McReddie (Fight Choreography)
Kyle is a fight choreographer and teaching artist native to the Bay Area, and is delighted to be working on his first production with Theatre Rhino. This will be Kyle’s first production since Swords and Roses (Left Coast Theatre Company) in 2023 and a brief hiatus in 2024. He is thrilled to work with such an amazingly talented and creative team, and is excited to bring the blood and horror to such an amazing show. When he is not teaching or crafting violence, Kyle serves as the Dungeon Master for multiple DND campaigns.
Adrian Nava (Mr. Sanchez)
makes his stage acting debut with Goat Blood. A San Francisco native, he has spent over fifteen years working both in front of and behind the camera, building a multidisciplinary career as an actor, writer, producer, and director. In 2011, while returning to school to study filmmaking, his school counselor encouraged him to take an acting class to better understand performance from the inside out. That advice proved pivotal. After helping fellow film students record auditions, he was asked to read for a lead role—and booked it—launching his ongoing work as a screen actor. Adrian’s film credits include roles in short films such as Downfall (2011), AntiHero (2012), and Take
Five (2013). He later appeared in A Father’s Journey (2015) and continued expanding his range through independent features, commercials, product launch videos, and voice work for radio. Recent credits include portraying an immigrant in the Best Picture Oscar
winner One Battle After Another and roles as a bouncer and basketball scout in the upcoming SF-based Lionsgate crime drama Splash City. His filmmaking background continues to inform his approach to character, story, and collaboration. Adrian lives in
San Francisco and remains committed to developing work that reflects the communities and stories of the Bay Area.
Noah Rojas-Domke (Set Design)
Noah is thrilled to be making his Theatre Rhinoceros debut as Scenic Designer for Goat Blood. A Bay Area theatre artist and business manager, Noah is grateful that his work allows him to support the arts both administratively and creatively. His experience spans scenic design, lighting design, stage management, education, performance, and music. Selected credits include La Comedia of Errors, Into the Woods, Outside Mullingar, The Addams Family, Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief, Les Misérables, Carrie, Legally Blonde, Rent, Newsies, and River Bride. In addition to his work in production and design, Noah has taught youth theatre and technical theatre throughout the Bay Area and remains an active performer as a choral singer. He has enjoyed collaborating with the talented team behind Goat Blood and thanks you for supporting live theatre.
Aracely Sohom (K'iche' Language Consultant)
Aracely hails from the Sololá department in Guatemala and is a bilingual K'iche'/Spanish speaker who expertly assisted our production with translation work. She currently works as an early childhood educator in San Francisco. We are so grateful to Aracely for sharing this beautiful language and adding this linguistic dimension to the production.
Casey Spiegel (Owen)
Casey is so excited to make his Theatre Rhino debut! Previous credits include Bloodline and Awesome High with Awesome Theatre, Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road at Counterpulse and Hollywood Fringe, Between the Sheets with Left Coast Theatre Co, and Adventures in Tech with Pianofight. He leads the cast of the experimental horror film Tauto, written and directed by Bobby Alonzo, which streams later this year. Casey received his BA in Drama from SFSU in 2017. Follow him on Instagram @thisiscasey!
Alejandro Emmanuel Torres (Director)
Alejandro is a proud San Francisco native. He holds a B.A. in Dramatic Art and Film Studies from UC Davis, with additional training at the Moscow Art Theatre School. He’s excited to return to the Rhino and JT Presents after having directed the U.S. premiere of Jake Brunger’s Four Play. Some of his most favorite productions as a director include: Vaclav Havel’s The Garden Party & Eugene Ionesco's The Bald Soprano (Overcast Theatre), Emmanuel Romero’s Good Boys (Queer As Fuck 2018), Allison Page and Stuart Bousel’s Vampire Christmas (The Exit), Alan Coyne’s adaptation 2ELFTH Night (2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival), and Marc Abrigo’s The Path (Awesome Theatre).
He is deeply excited about realizing this contemporary piece of queer and Latin American theatre and hopes it speaks to you. Lastly… ¡Viva México! ¡Viva Guatemala! ¡Chilango y Chapín por vida y orgulloso de presentar esta obra de teatro!