Domino Effect
By Marco Antonio Rodriguez
Directed by Mino Lora
People’s Theatre Project in collaboration with
Boundless Theatre Company and Latinx Playwrights Circle
April 4 – 26, 2025
Now extended through April 26th due to popular demand, Domino Effect is more than just a multigenerational queer immigrant story—it’s a layered exploration of how community, memory, and land shape our identities and connections. Co-conceived by Mino Lora and Marco Antonio Rodriguez, this intimate, soul-stirring piece is set around a domino table—a familiar cultural gathering point in many Latinx communities, particularly the Dominican diaspora. Through this simple but powerful setting, the play creates space for real, unfiltered conversations between four generations, uncovering the spiritual dimensions of queerness, intuition, and ancestral connection that often go overlooked.
Domino Effect invites audiences to reflect not only on the evolving landscape of queer identity across generations, but also on the deeper, often unspoken ties between us—those rooted in land, memory, and collective liberation. It reminds us that divine connection doesn’t exist in isolation; that we are not truly free until all of us are free. With a powerhouse cast featuring Willie the Genius, Angela Reynoso, Shadi Ghaheri and Tony Macy-Perez, this dynamic ensemble breathes life into a story that is as humorous as it is haunting, and as communal as it is confrontational.
In this interview, the creative mind behind Domino Effect delves into how dominoes became the perfect metaphor for cultural legacy, how the cast’s lived experiences shaped the play, and why intergenerational dialogue—especially in today’s political climate—is both deeply necessary and radically healing.
Allison Armijo
ALLISON ARMIJO: The titular Domino Effect—since dominoes is a game deeply embedded in Latino culture, encouraging conversation and socialization—how did this aspect influence the characters and their interactions?
MARCO ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ: That’s exactly why we centered dominoes in the play. When Mino approached me in 2023 about creating a piece on the intergenerational queer immigrant experience, we started reflecting on shared cultural spaces. I thought about visiting my father in Fort Tryon Park, where people were always playing dominoes. Mino shared similar memories of public games in the Dominican Republic — people gathered, gossiping, laughing, arguing. It was loud, loving, chaotic, and totally communal. That energy felt like the perfect container for real, messy conversations.
We knew early on the game had to be at the heart of the play. Dominoes offered a natural framework for bringing multiple generations together—baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, Gen Z—all with different worldviews, but in one space. It became a kind of truth-telling table: a place where things bubble up, where secrets slip out, where stories are shared and competition gets fierce. The title came easily—Domino Effect—because that’s exactly what the game sets off in the play.
AA: Can you talk about the role of competition and language in the play, and what the writing process was like?
MAR: Writing this play felt organic because it reflects the world I know. Growing up between the Dominican Republic and New York City, I was immersed in a vibrant, multicultural community, constantly surrounded by different languages, cultures, and generations. This environment shaped my storytelling instincts and my sense of community. The real culture shock came when I left New York and found myself isolated as the only Dominican or Caribbean person. This sense of cultural richness and the shift to feeling like an anomaly heavily influenced the lens through which I wrote this play.
While the writing came naturally, I was intentional about what to include. I didn’t want the play to be overly political, even though the current climate inevitably influenced the dialogue. The focus was on the humanity of the characters and the generational and cultural dynamics that shape their interactions. Extensive research, especially on intergenerational queer history and Black trans movements, informed the characters and structure, such as the symbolic use of dominoes. The cast, a mix of diverse voices, was crucial to the authenticity of the work. Their lived experiences brought depth to the play, revealing that, at the core, every generation—whether boomer, Gen X, millennial, or Gen Z—just wants to be heard and validated. This collaborative process allowed us to stay grounded in character, letting the real world seep in through experience rather than politics dominating the narrative.
AA: That’s exactly what I was going to ask—because I wanted to bring up not only Trump, but also ongoing ICE raids, the U.S. continued support and funding of the genocide in Palestine, and how polarizing language plays into all of this. So my question is: what do you hope audiences take away from the play’s approach—not just in terms of dialogue and generative conversation, but also in terms of accountability?
MAR: The play dives into the divisiveness of today’s world by presenting characters who are often polarizing, forcing the audience to see pieces of themselves in people they may not agree with. Whether it’s Pepper, the Black Transwoman with an axe to grind towards the baby boomer generation, Gisel, the incessant peacemaking Gen Z-er who is also a germaphobe, or Mandi, the baby boomer with an identity crisis, the goal is to open up space for uncomfortable but necessary dialogue. This play isn’t about offering solutions but about creating room for listening, something that’s increasingly rare in our culture. The play reflects the ego-driven divisiveness in politics and beyond, asking when we will remember that, at the core, we are all human.
At its heart, the play’s message is simple: stop and listen. Despite the shouting, fear, and misunderstanding, love is the universal thread connecting us all. The characters struggle to listen, and even when they begin to, the process is messy. The play doesn’t offer answers or push an agenda — it presents people who want to be heard, particularly immigrants who have been forgotten and dehumanized. The essence of the play is this: remember who you are, and recognize that the person you’re attacking shares the same pain. It’s a reminder that love is abundant and free, and it’s the real treasure we all need to exchange.
AA: How did the generational contrast in how queer identity is understood and represented shape both the characters in your play and the dynamic within the cast?
MAR: I wanted to highlight the generational divide in how people engage with queer identity, and one of the characters, a Gen Z ally, serves as a great example of how newer generations are more attuned and accepting. This character, deeply connected to the queer community, contrasts with the older Gen X and Baby Boomer characters, who have struggled more to adapt over time. I found it fascinating to watch how quickly the younger character absorbed and accepted queer culture, something that older generations had to fight for, making the story richer and more layered.
The actor who portrays this Gen Z character, Angela, wasn’t personally embedded in the queer community, but her openness and eagerness to learn from others brought a unique dynamic to the cast. She dove into understanding the language, history, and even voguing, and this eagerness created a healing atmosphere on set. It allowed for more dialogue between generations, breaking down tension that often arises when older people judge younger generations for being “too comfortable.” It was a powerful moment for me as a writer, seeing how this generational contrast enriched both the narrative and our personal interactions within the cast.
AA: How did the generational divide in how younger actors approach education and dialogue about identity impact the development of their characters in your play?
MAR: One moment that stood out during the devising process was when a younger actor expressed frustration with constantly having to explain things. She said, “We’re tired of having to explain things. The resources are out there. Why should I stop and teach you for the hundredth time?” This perspective really struck me, especially as it reflected a broader generational shift in how we approach education and conversations about identity. Her bold stance, which emphasized not wanting to forgive or educate those who weren’t doing the work themselves, felt like a real and powerful attitude, one I’ve seen a lot on social media and within younger generations.
This led me to shape her character with a defiant layer — she refuses to help someone who verbally attacks her, choosing not to keep explaining. However, I also questioned whether this is contributing to the division we feel today. Despite how much we’ve evolved, I wonder if we’re still not moving forward because of these barriers. On the other hand, the rehearsal process revealed so much more, helping me find a balance between research and real-time collaboration. There were constraints, too, like the need for the play to be 90 minutes and accessible to younger audiences. We had to be thoughtful about language, but we also included multiple languages like Spanish and Farsi to represent diverse perspectives in the limited time.
AA: What’s in store for you next?
MAR: I can’t talk about everything just yet, but I can share one exciting project because it’s already public. My English adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao will have its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in February of 2026. What’s interesting is that the Spanish version of my adaptation has already been running Off-Broadway at the Spanish Repertory Theater for five years now. You can get tickets for Oscar Wao, get tickets here!
*And don’t forget to purchase your tickets for Domino Effect today!
Marco Antonio Rodriguez is a bilingual writer born and raised in New York with roots in the Dominican Republic. He holds his first MFA in acting-Meadows School of the Arts, and a second MFA in television and screenwriting from Stephens College.
Allison Armijo is a writer and editor based in Boston, MA. They are the Web Editor for this magazine.
