CÓN!

BO
B Y : L I S A L O O M E R
 AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE

STNETNOC FO ELBAT
3

PLAY SUMMARY
4

MEET THE CHARACTERS

5

DIVING INTO THEMES

questions for before and after the play
6

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT

Lisa Loomer
7

DRAMATURGY ON LA LORONA

ACTIVITY: FACING FEARS

9

ACTIVITY: VOICES NOT ALLOWED

10

ACTIVITY: LEARN THE LULLABY

11

ACTIVITY: SONG AND DANCE

12

THANK YOU

13
 AUDIENCE

ETIQUETTE

Thank you for coming to our show! To

make this a fun Time for everyone, there
are a few rules for watching a
performance.

REMINDERS
KEEP IN MIND

When you come to watch Turn off your cell phne: In a

Bocon, you are watching a live 01
dark theatre a bright light
performance. This is unlike
from your phone can
watching a movie or TV show,
distract others in the
you are sharing an experience
audience. In the case of an
with the actors on stage. Each
nights performance is different emergancy, please step
and can depend on the energy outside to use your phone.
of the audience. Be a supportive
audience member by respecting Arrive on time:If everyone
the actors 02
is seated and the show has
already begun, you may
distract others from the
show by arriving late

MOST

Be aware of yourself and

IMPORTANTLY: 03
your surroundings and be
Enjoy the show! considerate of other
audience members
 About the
Play
Synopsis
Bocón! tells the story of Miguel, a young big mouthed boy, who is telling a
United States judge about his home country. He recounts that people are
filled with fear from soldiers of the government. His story opens to him
selling wares in the town with his family. He begins to sing, which is why his
family calls him Bocon, but is cut short as the soldiers do not allow it. a
neighbor and man who is connected to the Mayan culture, Kiki El loco begins
to dance. the sound of boots scares everyone away and Miguel's parents are
taken away by the soldiers and his parents yell for him to go to Los Angeles
and to get as far away as possible. in this interaction, Miguel's voice flies
away.
On his journey to a new land, he runs into a Duende Coyote, and all his
money os taken. Later he has an interactions with La Lorona, where she
attempts to scare him back home. She accepts that he is not going home
and reveals her she as trying to help children all over the world. She agrees
to help Miguel find the border of Lights by pointing him in the right direction.
On his journey he runs into The Voice Keeper, who hypnotizes Miguel. La
Lorona helps Miguel out and is then meet with the Voice Picker who agrees
to help him find his voice. Miguel drops his voice in fear of soldiers finding
him and all is seemed to be lost. La Lorona reminds Miguel with a story
thathis journey is reliant on him and that his parents and people will always
be with him at heart.
The Calavera, the leader os the soldiers, enters and tries to remove Miguel's
memories of hid parents and his home. However, Miguel riens triumphant
and La Lorona shows him to the border. At the border he is caught by patrols
and is taken to court. The judge says that he can only return back to his
village where soldiers are waiting. Migeul contests and says that he hols the
voices of his people with him. the play ends with Miguel interacting with the
audience and reminding them that their voices will always be with them
 MEET THE
CHARACTERS
A young boy who crossed from his home country to the United States. Before

his parents were taken by soldiers, he was known as a “Bocon”, or big-mouth, but

Miguel after,

his voice was scared away. During his journey he shows his bravery, courage, and

kindness, but also his fear of being alone.

Known as the "The Weeping Woman." Tales of this spirit is known in many Latin

American countries. She is perceived as vicious and terrifying in her tales.

La Lorona However, she

shows to be someone who wants to help all of the children in the world stay safe.

She

helps Miguel along his journey, showing him what he should do next.

He holds onto all of the voices the soldiers take. He teaches them how to smile
Voice Keeper
and be civil to the terror that happens around them

She gathers all of the voices together after the soldiers scare them away from
Voice Picker
their owners. She fears the soldiers, but helps Miguel in getting his voice back.

A leader of the soldiers. He is a skeleton in a military outfit, who keeps Miguel’s

La Calavera
parents locked up. Miguel must battle him for his own freedom.

Deunde An elf-like being who gets kids lost. He is a coyote in the play, which is someone

who smuggles others over the U.S. border.

 DIVING
INTO
THEMES
THEMES TO QUESTIONS TO
LOOK OUT FOR: GUIDE AFTER
Displacement SHOW
Othering 1. How do perceptions of the story of La
Lorona impact the first interactions
Immigration
bewteen her character and Miguel?
Loss/Grieving
2. Why do you think that Miguel's voice flew
Power of Voice/Communication
away after his parents were taken? What
La Lorona does his voice represent in the play?

3. How did the judge's words impact your

QUESTIONS TO view of his character? Do you think it was

ASK PRE-
right for hi to say that Miguel had to go back
to his village even though there were

SHOW harmful soldiers waiting there?

Ask students if they have any child 4. .“You must find your voice! Porque…who
can live without a voice in this world?
hood stories that helped them get Without a voice, you have no story…no one
knows where you come from, why you are
through a hard time in their life, or a
here…without your voice, you disappear." La
story that reminds them of their Lorona reminds Miguel of the power of his
voice, why do you think fidning our own
parents.
voice is important?
Have you ever felt like your voice or

story was being over looked? 5. La Lorona uses fear to help save children
from the soldiers, is there a time where you
Describe a scenario where you have felt scared but later realized that what you
were doing was right all along or that
had to overcome barriers.
benefitted you?
 About the
Playwright
Lisa Loomer
Lisa Loomer is an american playwright and
screenwriter who has also worked as an
actress and stand up comic. Many of her
plays deal with immigration and the Latinx
community. She was born in New York and
later moved to Mexico with her family.
List of plays: Living Out; The Waiting Room;
Homefree; Café Vida; Expecting Isabel; Two
Things You Don’t Talk about at Dinner; Birds;
Bocón!; Maria! Maria, Maria, Maria; Broken
Hearts
Awards: American Theatre Critics Award
(twice), Kennedy Center Fund for New
American Plays Award, Lurie Foundation
Award, Edgerton Foundation New American
Plays Award, Imagen Foundation Award,
Jane Chambers Playwriting Award (twice)
and the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize,
among others. Currently, she is writing the
book for a musical for Broadway.
 DRAMATURGY ON LA LORONA

The Story of La Lorona

“LEGEND HAS IT THAT SHE WAS AN INDIAN WOMAN WHO

DROWNED HER CHILDREN AFTER THEIR FATHER, A
SPANISH CONQUISTADOR, LEFT HER FOR A RICH SPANISH
LADY. THEY SAY SHE STILL GOES ALL OVER THE WORLD
CRYING, “AY, MIS HIJOS!”, “OH MY CHILDREN!” IN MEXICO
AND PARTS OF CENTRAL AMERICA, SHE’S THOUGHT OF AS
A WITCH, A BOOGIE WOMAN…. BUT MAYBE SHE’S BEEN
MISUNDERSTOOD." -LISA LOOMER
"LA LORONA'S ORIGIN IS UNKNOWN, BUT HER FIGURE IS
SEEN IN VARIOUS INCARNATIONS. USUALLY TRANSLATED
INTO ENGLISH AS ‘THE WAILING WOMAN’OR THE
"WEEPING WOMAN", SHE IS OFTEN SEEN AS A BANSHEE-
TYPE: AN APPARITION OF A WOMAN DRESSED IN WHITE,
OFTEN FOUND BY LAKES OR RIVERS, SOMETIMES AT
CROSSROADS, WHO CRIES INTO THE NIGHT FOR HER LOST
CHILDREN, WHOM SHE HAS KILLED. THE DEATH OF
CHILREN IS OCCASIONALLY CARRIED OUT WITH A KNIFE,
BUT MOST OFTEN THE CHILDREN ARE DROWNED. HER
CRIME IS USUALLY COMMITTED IN A FIT OF MADNESS
AFTER HAVING FOUND OUT ABOUT AN UNFAITHFUL LOVER
OR HUSBAND WHO LEAVES HER TO MARRY A WOMAN OF
GREATER STATUS. AFTER REALIZING WHAT SHE HAS DONE,
SHE KILLS HERSELF. SHE IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS A LOST
SOUL, DOOMED TO WANDER THE EARTH FOREVER. TO
SOME SHE IS A BOGEYWOMAN, USED BY PARENTS TO
SCARE CHILDREN INTO GOOD BEHAVIOUR."-HISTORY
TODAY

Lullaby
This is the song La Lorona sings to Miguel in the
play They say that I don't grieve, crybaby,
a dicen que no tego duelo, llorona, porque
because they don't see me cry, they
no me ven llorar,dicen que no tego duelo,
say that I don't grieve, crybaby,
llorona, 
They say i dont duel you, weeping
woman, because they dont see me
porque no me ven llorar,hay muertos que
cry There are dead people who
no hacen ruido, llorona, y es mas grande su
make no noise, weeping woman,
pena
her grief is greater
 Facing Fears
students will be able to solve a problem using a diagramto overcome their fears

Materials: Pre-Activity Assessment"

1) To set students up for success, have
Paper them share individual stories about times
Pencil they have been afraid. Before the students share, establish a
set of classroom
Crayons or Colored Pencils norms.
Story of La Llorona (Included) 2) Tell the students: “Today, we will be
sharing stories about ourselves with the
Fishbone Diagram (Included) class. In order to do the activity for today, we need to make
sure that we are
respectful of our peers. Today, no one’s
Activity story will be more important than another’s, we will not laugh
1. Talk about some examples of fears with the at any student
classroom. For example, heights, talking in front in the class, and we will share positive
feedback.”
of 3) Then ask specific discussion questions:
people, clowns, etc. -When was a time you felt afraid?
2. Give each student a fishbone diagram -How did you feel in this situation
-What was the outcome?
(included) or have them draw their own, based on
the
one in the worksheet. Post Assessment
After everyone is done writing information into the
3. On the left side of the fishbone, the students fishbone diagram, have a discussion with them
should write their own personal fear, or choose about Miguel and his fears.
one that was mentioned in class. Ask the class:
- What was Miguel afraid of?-
4. Talk about some solutions in class to help the
- Who helped Miguel get over his fear in Bocon?
students thinking of their own solutions. For - Explain what Miguel’s outcome of overcoming his fear
example, if my fear were talking in front of was.
people, I might try practicing a speech for my Explain that La Llorona actually helped Miguel overcome
his fear of losing his voice, and that while
mom or my her story is scary, and is meant to have children stay in
stuffed animals. doors, she ended up helping Miguel on his
-You can ask the students things like: journey.
The class will then create a Quetzal feather out of their
-What can I do to get over my fear of talking to
fishbone diagram:
people? 1. Around the fishbone diagram, have the students draw
-Who might be able to help me? the outline of a feather, just like the one
Miguel carried.
5. On each line coming off of the middle line, the
2. The students should then decorate their feather
students should write down one way to however they like.
overcome their fear. 3. Have some students present if they like, or hang the
6. After each line is filled, have the students feathers around the classroom.

brainstorm a possible positive outcome that

could Modifications
arise out of overcoming your fear, which will go • Have the students work in a group.
on the right side of the diagram. • Give your student a fear to work with
• For students who struggle with writing,
they can verbally share their story.
Voices Not Allowed
The student will be able to identify the power of voice and explore group communication using external
communication and writing skills

Materials Activity
A sign displaying the words 1. Place a sign outside of the door that says
“Voices Not Allowed” “Voices Not Allowed” as the students
2 pieces of paper enter the classroom. Make sure that the sign is
Markers/crayons visible to all students but do not
vocally draw attention to it.
2. Once all of the students are in the classroom
the teacher should enter, then one

Post Assessment
The class is now allowed to speak. Gather all of the
by one pick out students based on the color of
their shirt and ask them to stand
students in a circle. Ask off to different sides of the room because they
questions about:
are now your two groups. Don’t
How was the performance different between each group?
Group 1: Did it feel like everyone had a chance to give tell them the reason behind your selection. This
their voice when you all should create confusion
were coming up with ideas? among the groups
Group 2: What were some ideas about Miguel that you
weren’t able to get across
3. Grab the sign from outside and restate what it
because you didn’t have a voice? says. Ask each group to come
How do you think Miguel in Bocón! felt when he lost his up with three moments in the play when Miguel
voice?
needs a voice most. Group 1 is
How did Miguel’s voice help him to get to The City of
Angels able to speak while planning their three
What is a voice capable of doing? moments; Group 2 must prepare their
Using peices of paper, have each student write “VOICE” presentation in complete silence. Each chorus
on one side. Now, ask the students to write on the back
of the paper how their own
must keep in mind that there cannot be
voice will help them to overcome a “wall” or obstacle in sound incorporated in the presentation of the
their own life. three moments.
Ask the students to decorate the side with "Voice" written
4. Each group of students is allowed one piece of
on it with colors that each of them imagines their own
voice would look like paper to brainstorm ideas for five
minutes, then present. Group 2 should present
first.
 Learn the Lullaby
The students will be able to learn the lullaby MIguel's mother starts to sing to him.

The Lullaby
A la ru-ru niño A la ru-ru ya Duérmete mi niño Duérmete mi
amor.Este niño lindo Qué nació de mañana, Quiere que lo lleven
pasear en carcachaEste niño lindo Qué nació de día Quiere que
lo lleven A la dulceríaEste niño lindo Qué nació de noche Quiere
que lo lleven A pasear en coche.Este niño lindo Se quiere
dormir, El pícaro sueño No quiere venirEste niño lindo Qué
nació de noche Quiere que lo lleven A pasear en coche
English Translation
To the ru-ru baby To the ru-ru now Go to sleep my baby, Go to
sleep my love.This pretty baby Who was born in the morning
Wants to be taken For a clunker ride.This sweet baby Who was
born during the day, Wants to be taken To the candy shop. This
pretty baby Who was born at night, Wants to be taken For a
stroller ride..This pretty baby Wants to go to sleep But the
naughty sleep Doesn't want to comeThis pretty baby Who was
born at night, Wants to be taken For a stroller ride.

Youtube link to play during: https://youtu.be/1lJGkYECQUg

Post-Activity Assessment Pre-Activity Assessment

As a class, Students will sing the original -Read excerpt of the play.
Spanish version and then the English -Ask the students where have they heard
version of A la ru-ru Niño. this from? Who sang the song?
• What do you think Miguel was feeling and keep the answers a secret from those
before his mother sang the lullaby? who do not. Tell them that at the end of the
• How do you think he feels after his lesson they can reveal it to the class.)
mother sang the lullaby? -What do you think Miguel was feeling
• What does the lullaby mean to Miguel and before his mother sang the lullaby?
his family? -How do you think he feels after his mother
Ask students if they have any lullabies sang the lullaby?
from when they were younger
 Song and Dance
The student will be able to analyze dance and movement in Bocon and discuss why
it’s an integral part of the play

Pre-Activity Assessment Materials

Discuss with students about: Lightweight items to use as props
-Much of Central America is made up of
former Mayan civilizations. The Mayans
would tell stories through lengthy dances
that could last from hours to days.
-Storytelling through movement is an
Post-Activity Assessment
integral part of Bocon Have the students gather in groups with
-Who are the characters that dance at students from a different group. Give them
some point in the play? How does their a few minutes to discuss what they learned
dancing affect about storytelling and expression through
the action in the play? movement and emotion.
-Kiki El Loco’s dancing in the play is After a few minutes, gather as a class and
described as “part folk dance, part wizardry, share.
part protest.”
-If dance is a part of Miguel’s culture, in
what way is Kiki El Loco’s dance a protest?

Activity
1.) Separate the students into groups or have them work alone.
2.) Each group/individual must choreograph a dance based on a
short scene in the
play that has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
3.) Each dance must incorporate one prop.
4.) Give them 15 - 20min to work on their own.
5.) Bring everyone back together and have everyone present
their dance.
6.) After each dance, the rest of the class guesses which scene in
the play the dance
was based on and discusses what movement that
group/individual used to illustrate
the scene.
 Online resources:
https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/wailin
g-woman
https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/authors/pr
ofile/view/url/lisa-loomer

GRACIAS

FOR ANY QUESTIONS CONTACT:

[email protected]