USING ART TO COMBAT GUN VIOLENCE
GUAC at Woolly Mammoth is not traditional theater—it’s a powerful act of performance art that explores life and tragic loss in the wake of a mass school shooting. Manuel Oliver‘s deeply personal one-man piece concerns his son, Joaquin—nicknamed “Guac”—who was one of 17 students massacred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018, by a mass shooter with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
photo by Elijah Pelton
As a visual artist and activist, Manuel uses his talents to create public art installations, performances, and campaigns that demand change in gun laws. Oliver created this production—co-written by James Clements and directed by Michael Cotey—as one of many ways to keep Joaquin’s memory alive.
He and his wife, Patricia, channeled their grief into action by founding Change the Ref, a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to empowering young leaders to end gun violence in America through art, activism, and disruption. The organization’s name comes from a plea Joaquin—an avid basketball player—once made to his father, urging him to do something about blatantly unfair referees on the court. The Olivers transformed “Change the Ref” into a rallying cry against the gun lobby, pushing for sensible gun legislation in the U.S.
photo by Ron Donofrio
Manuel doesn’t hold back his political views. Addressing the audience directly, he poses the urgent question: “What can we do [about gun violence?” Then, he quips, “It’s too late to vote.” His family is from Venezuela and came to the U.S. for better, and yes, safer, opportunities. He uses humor as a coping mechanism, joking that he is now a U.S. citizen and can’t get carted away by ICE under Trump’s new immigration directives.
But he doesn’t shy away from the gravity of his story, recalling the tragic irony of families and survivors gathered in an auditorium after the shooting, receiving blankets and water as if they had just survived a natural disaster. “This was the most unnatural disaster possible,” he says.
photo by Peter Johnston
Through his art, Manuel shares his story. His wife, daughter, and dog appear as large-scale drawings on towering paper canvases, brought to life through vibrant storytelling that conveys a happy, close-knit family. Then, he unveils a drawing of Guac—accompanied by anecdotes that capture his son’s personality. Guac loved pizza, playing air guitar, and basketball. On that fated day, he had even bought flowers to bring to his girlfriend at school.
photo by Peter Johnston
As the performance unfolds, the weight of the story deepens. Manuel uses paint to fill in Guac’s figure, a poignant act of both creation and remembrance. He recounts the agonizing hours of waiting for news, first hoping his son had only dropped his phone, then hoping he was injured but alive—until the devastating reality set in.
photo by Ron Donofrio
In GUAC, there is no fourth wall. Oliver engages directly with the audience, encouraging participation. At one point, the lights come up, and he instructs us to take out our phones and call a loved one to tell them we love them. The audience complied. At another juncture, he had the audience hold up their programs which unfurled into protest signs with bold letters reading, “STRICTER GUN LAWS NOW TAKE THE STAGE.” At these times, the performance turned into a rally of sorts.
photo by Elijah Pelton
Manuel admits he isn’t a trained actor, which is evident. His delivery is raw, sometimes unpolished—he even borrowed a pair of glasses from an audience member after forgetting his own. But with this type of performance, his casual off-the-cuff style doesn’t hurt, but just reminds us he is a real person with a real-life story to tell.
GUAC isn’t for everyone. Its content is heavy, its format unconventional. But it delivers a powerful message. And even in the midst of depression and despair that Oliver has experienced in the wake of the tragedy, he inspires hope that change is possible.
GUAC
Woolly Mammoth
with Change the Ref and The Public Theater
641 D St NW in DC
ends on February 16, 2025
for tickets (starting at $30), visit Woolly Mammoth
for more shows, visit Theatre in DC
