HOTEL HAPPY takes place inside the hotel of the same name, a high-end erotic resort that caters to foreign men. A place where reality fades away and the promise of pleasure and escape lingers. The play has comedic, absurdist, and magical realism elements, creating a unique and captivating experience.
Sofia, a former Colombian beauty queen who works in the hotel, rescues a displaced donkey named “Chocorramo,” protecting him from being exploited by greedy landowners. She plans a rescue mission with her co-workers Candela and Lulu, and they bring him to the hotel, where they must hide him from their supervisor, Madame Carlota, a force to be reckoned with. When three American "Security Specialists," John, Ron, and Bob, visit the hotel on a covert mission, the girls must protect Chocorramo at all costs because he is no ordinary donkey, as they will soon discover when the ancient curse of el guaquero is unleashed.
HOTEL HAPPY is a powerful story exploring home, resiliency, survival, and how war affects humans and animals. Through the story of Sofia and her beloved Chocorramo, the play delves into the idea that the history of conquest doesn't necessarily repeat but perhaps rhymes in many shapes and forms.
Awarded a grant by NYSCA in 2018, and currently in development with the love and support of Houses on The Moon Theater Company.
I spent the summer of 2019 in Colombia, completing my initial research for the piece. In early June 2021, HOTM produced a week-long development workshop directed by Estefania Fadul with seven actors and puppet master Matt Acheson (War Horse). Echoes of Incarceration (an organization that works with youth affected by the criminal justice system) filmed a scene from that workshop.
The team behind the play has worked tirelessly to bring these important themes to life, and our efforts have paid off with a successful workshop in May 2023 that focused on script development. The play will be published in the upcoming issue of Fleas On The Dog literary magazine (November 2023) and will receive an off-Broadway premiere in February 2024. Directed by Estafania Fadul. Keep an eye out for this hilarious and thought-provoking production!
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