Acts of Kindness

ACTS OF KINDNESS is based on a true event. On August 3rd, 2019, at approximately 10:40 am, a man armed with an AK-47 rifle began firing at innocent victims in the parking lot and inside the Walmart Store on West Gateway Blvd. in El Paso, Texas. A total of 23 victims were lost in the massacre and scores of others were injured. The shooting is one in a continuing story of mass shootings in the U.S. But this event was unique, targeting a specific group. When apprehended by police, the shooter stated his intention was to “kill Mexicans,” a goal that was written in a manifesto posted online 18 minutes prior to the shooting. Acts of Kindness is inspired by interviews conducted with community members in El Paso, Texas after the shooting. The play also includes public statements made by community members and public figures. Some of the characters are real life people. Others are composites of various interviewees.

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Early versions of ACTS OF KINDNESS: The El Paso Play, were presented as readings in 2021 and 2023 at Company of Angels in Los Angeles. The play was a finalist in the 2021 Latinx Voces National Play Competition sponsored by the Miranda Family. That version was produced by Repertorio Español and was presented as a virtual reading.

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A 2024 version of the play was performed as a co-production between the University of Texas at El Paso and the Mexican-American Cultural Center to commemorate the loss of victims five years after the shooting.