
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Guac: My Son, My Hero is on a national tour, local one-night-only performance, tickets now available</em> <em>($5 for students, $35 for the general public; all proceeds go to charity)</em>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>New Orleans, LA – “</strong><em><a href="https://www.guacmysonmyhero.com/">GUAC: My Son, My Hero</a>”,</em> a one-man performance by gun violence prevention activist and Parkland father Manuel Oliver, will take the stage at The House of Blues (225 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70130) on Thursday January 23 Tickets are available <a href="https://www.universe.com/events/guac-my-son-my-hero-new-orleans-tickets-YQ75ST">here</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The play combines a first-person narrative and theater to create an immersive emotional experience that inspires audiences to take a stand on gun violence. ;It incorporates storytelling, live painting, video and photography, and audience interaction. ;“The perception may be that this will all be sad. It isn’t. There are moments you will laugh, dance, cry and cheer, in the end you will feel a connection with my family that will motivate you to help make a change in our country” says Oliver.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The one-night-only New Orleans performance is part of a national tour that will continue through the 2020 election. The play was most recently in Orlando, Miami, New York City and Charlotte and has received rave reviews.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>“GUAC: My Son, My Hero” ;</em>is a social justice theater piece that tells Manuel’s story the year following his son’s Joaquin’s murder in the Parkland shooting. Joaquin, affectionately nicknamed “Guac”, was one of seventeen people killed on February 14<sup>th</sup>, 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Manuel and his wife Patricia turned their grief into bold activism and founded ;<a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fchangetheref.org%2F&;data=02%7C01%7Crwine%40tulane.edu%7Cc9de9010b9e84990fc8a08d79eb169da%7C9de9818325d94b139fc34de5489c1f3b%7C0%7C0%7C637152357126794681&;sdata=odmkRL%2BSK1Bzp27NJNADfPAVj1ALRqWLLAtCHL%2BFsgA%3D&;reserved=0">Change the Ref</a> ;to devote their lives to raising awareness about gun violence and advocating for reform<strong>. ; ;Proceeds from the show/national tour will support ;<em>Change The Ref</em>’s mission. ;</strong><strong><a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.changetheref.org%2F&;data=02%7C01%7Crwine%40tulane.edu%7Cc9de9010b9e84990fc8a08d79eb169da%7C9de9818325d94b139fc34de5489c1f3b%7C0%7C0%7C637152357126794681&;sdata=C6qasADaYQvJH0RCuKOw%2FslFbf3umIFC%2FYuhkf1Fmzk%3D&;reserved=0">www.changetheref.org</a></strong><strong></strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">(Trailer of play: ;<a href="https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DKghZbVFtovw%26t%3D7s&;data=02%7C01%7Crwine%40tulane.edu%7Cc9de9010b9e84990fc8a08d79eb169da%7C9de9818325d94b139fc34de5489c1f3b%7C0%7C0%7C637152357126804678&;sdata=%2BB9L8AFE%2FfAYxAlGF1ENPJ6gCLVUk0ovS1iD%2Fqg4MrI%3D&;reserved=0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KghZbVFtovw&;t=7s</a>)</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The play’s crew includes internationally renowned theater artist James Clements who is a co-writer and Director. The show is advised by <em>Hamilton </em>actor/singer Leslie Odom, Jr., <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> lyricist Benji Pasek, co-founder of Soze Michael Skolnik and political strategist Emily Tisch Sussman. Scenic and video design by Bryce Cutler.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cover Photo: openDemocracy</p>
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Father of Parkland Mass Shooting Victim Will Bring One-Man Play to New Orleans. Performance Connects Audience to His Family and Discusses Gun Violence Prevention
