I Don't Speak Spanish

by David Ramón Zayas

*Finalist - SparkFest '25, Amphibian Stage
*Quarterfinalist - ScreenCraft Stageplay Competition 2025

Full-length. I Don’t Speak Spanish follows a Mexican-American family line across the last 100 years and seeks to reframe that statement, "I don't speak Spanish," in the context of generations of struggle with assimilation, race, and class. It closely looks at three chokepoints--a dinner in 2019, a street fight...

*Finalist - SparkFest '25, Amphibian Stage
*Quarterfinalist - ScreenCraft Stageplay Competition 2025

Full-length. I Don’t Speak Spanish follows a Mexican-American family line across the last 100 years and seeks to reframe that statement, "I don't speak Spanish," in the context of generations of struggle with assimilation, race, and class. It closely looks at three chokepoints--a dinner in 2019, a street fight in 1943, and an impossible choice in 1915--where the inherent duality of the family's Latine experience is forced to be contended with. All of the stories told in the play are based on true historical events. The research into those events began with Zayas looking into his own family history and subsequently conducting personal interviews with over 30 people about their own family's experiences with language, identity, and race.

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I Don't Speak Spanish

Recommended by

  • Amphibian Stage : I Don't Speak Spanish by David Ramón Zayas
    “

    "Extremely nuanced and gripping. Really tight. Flows nicely and the nontraditional transitions are thematically beautiful."

    "A great non-linear, intergenerational story exploring themes of identity, belonging, and cultural history. The characters all have a strong and unique voice even as the play moves through different eras, reveals their shared history, and tackles the aforementioned themes with authenticity and genuine nuance."

    Quotes pulled from our staff & readers for SparkFest 25.

    "Extremely nuanced and gripping. Really tight. Flows nicely and the nontraditional transitions are thematically beautiful."

    "A great non-linear, intergenerational story exploring themes of identity, belonging, and cultural history. The characters all have a strong and unique voice even as the play moves through different eras, reveals their shared history, and tackles the aforementioned themes with authenticity and genuine nuance."

    Quotes pulled from our staff & readers for SparkFest 25.

    ”
  • Jaymes Sanchez: I Don't Speak Spanish by David Ramón Zayas
    “

    This exceptional play captures the identity crisis and general in-betweenness that many Mexican-Americans and other Latin-Americans who were raised in the US experience. By examining key moments across multiple generations, locations, and time periods, David evocatively portrays the racist violence of colonization as the source of our identity crisis while still staying grounded in the reality of relationships between characters. This play deserves to be seen far and wide.

    This exceptional play captures the identity crisis and general in-betweenness that many Mexican-Americans and other Latin-Americans who were raised in the US experience. By examining key moments across multiple generations, locations, and time periods, David evocatively portrays the racist violence of colonization as the source of our identity crisis while still staying grounded in the reality of relationships between characters. This play deserves to be seen far and wide.

    ”
  • J. Clark Nicholson: I Don't Speak Spanish by David Ramón Zayas
    “

    David debuted this play as a staged reading at our theater when we were hosts of the international Shakespeare Theatre Conference in January of 2022. It was received with great enthusiasm by a full house that gave it a standing ovation. We have since added a full production to our 2023-24 season, and look forward to seeing this fine work fully realized. The play is not only notable for its examination of cultural dynamics, but also those of generation, and sexual orientation. It is, by turns, comedic, dramatic, educational, and thought provoking.

    David debuted this play as a staged reading at our theater when we were hosts of the international Shakespeare Theatre Conference in January of 2022. It was received with great enthusiasm by a full house that gave it a standing ovation. We have since added a full production to our 2023-24 season, and look forward to seeing this fine work fully realized. The play is not only notable for its examination of cultural dynamics, but also those of generation, and sexual orientation. It is, by turns, comedic, dramatic, educational, and thought provoking.

    ”

Character Information

The play is written for six actors who each play multiple characters. With a few exceptions, actors play one character per act.
  • Actor 1
    Plays LA MALINCHE, SAMANTHA, ADELA, and MARIA REFUGIO.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Actor 2
    Plays TONY, BUNDY, and DESIDERIO.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Actor 3
    Plays MICHAEL, AYRES, SAILOR, and CREAGER.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Actor 4
    Plays YOMARIS, RAQUEL, GOVERNOR, and MARTINA.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Actor 5
    Plays GUSTAVO, CLEO, and MANUEL.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Actor 6
    Plays ROBERT, SILVERIO, and TOMÁS.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Gamut Theatre Group, as part of the Shakespeare Theatre Association Conference, 2022

Production History

  • Professional, Gamut Theatre Group, 2023