page # term/allusion meaning/explanation

15 Marisol | Dramaturgy Packet

Glossary of Terms

Marisol Glossary of Terms Page # Term/Allusion Meaning/Explanation ACT 1

10 180th Street

An elevated express station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. It is located in the Bronx and is served by the 2 and 5 trains at all times

10 Uzi A type of sub-machine gun designed by Uziel Gal, an Israeli army officer

11 Van Cortlandt Park One of the major parks in New York City. It is located in the northern portion of the Bronx, a more middle class area. After the economic boom of the 1980’s, the New York economy began to falter and the park began to fall into disarray with clean-up staff having been cut 30% by 1990. Since then, the park has been renewed, but, during the writing of the play, the park was an area known for illegal dumping and pollution waste

11 Salt A biblical allusion to the story of Lot and his wife. Lot and his family lived in the city of Sodom. God saw how evil and wicked the people of Sodom were and decided to destroy it. He saw that Lot was good and told him if he and his family left the city and did not look back they would be spared. Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt as punishment for her disobedience

13 Crucifix A representation of a cross with a figure of Jesus Christ on it. In Christianity, it is believed that Jesus was killed on a cross and through his death and subsequent resurrection, humanity is saved from Hell


13 Horseshoe A symbol of good luck. Horseshoes were traditionally made of iron which was believed to ward off evil spirits. The superstition acquired a Christian element after a legend surrounding a saint. The saint was a blacksmith. The story tells that the Devil came to his shop asking for the saint to shoe his horse. The saint agreed but put the horse shoe on the Devil’s foot instead. He would not take it off until the Devil promised not to enter a house with a horseshoe on it ever again

13 Rabbit’s Foot An amulet believed to bring good luck. The belief has existed in Europe since 600 BC

13 Prayer Cards Cards depicting a religious scene or saint in an image the size of a playing card. The backside of the card contains a prayer

13 Milagros Religious folk charms of many different shapes and sizes traditionally used for healing and as offerings symbolizing or requesting the fulfillment of a vow in the Catholic faith. They are traditionally used in Mexico, other areas of Latin America, the southern United States, and parts of the Iberian Peninsula. The word milagros means miracles

13 Medicine Bundles A collection of sacred items wrapped together and held by a designated carrier. They are used in ceremonies by several different indigenous nations in the Americas

13 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Four of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ in the Christian Bible. They wrote the first four books of the New Testament. These books are also known as the gospels


13 Ave Maria purisima, donde esta el heat?

Purest Virgin Mary, where is the heat?

13 NO TENGO HEAT, CONO! I DON’T HAVE HEAT, CUNT!

13 Me vas a matar without el fucking heat!!

You’re going to kill me without the fucking heat!!

14 Linoleum A stiff, smooth material that is used for covering floors

15 Rosaries A form of prayer used in the Catholic church comprised of Hail Mary’s, the Lord’s Prayer, and Glory Be prayers. Rosary beads are used as an aid toward saying these prayers in the proper sequence

15 Urn A tall, rounded vase with a base (and usually a stem) that is most often used to store the ashes of a cremated person or animal

15 Arroz con Gandules A signature rice dish of Puerto Rican cuisine made of rice, peas, and pork. The base of the dish is sofrito (a sauce base in Latin American cooking consisting of aromatic ingredients that are sautéed in cooking oil). The dish is often served during Christmas or for other special occasions

16 Communion Wine Wine used in the Christian ceremony of communion. Catholicism teaches that the wine literally becomes the blood of Jesus Christ inside the body of the person who ingests it.

16 Gospels The first four books of the Christian New Testament. These books detail the basic teachings of Christianity and the stories of Jesus Christ and his ministry

17 Spik A racist term used in the United States that refers to a Hispanic person


18 Hemorrhage A rapid and uncontrollable loss or outflow (usually of blood)

18

Seraphim, Cherubim, Archangels

Hierarchies of angelic beings in Christian mythology

18 Senile Showing a decline of physical strength or mental function (especially short-term memory and alertness) resulting from old age or disease

18 “And there was war in Heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought-“

A verse from the book of Revelation in the Christian Bible. Revelation is a book that discusses the end times and apocalyptic events

19 New Millenium A biblical allusion to the book of Revelation. Christian mythology teaches in Revelation that a new millennium of peace and harmony on earth will occur before the final apocalyptic battle between good and evil takes place

19 Latin The language of ancient Rome and the traditional language of the Catholic church. It is considered a holy language by Catholics

20 East Village A neighborhood in Manhattan. It has become a center for art, music, and counterculture. It is known for its diverse community but has been victimized by gentrification in recent decades

20 Astroturf An artificial grass surface, usually used for athletic fields

21 IRT Number Two A New York City subway service that serves as an express line between Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx

21 Visigoths A western branch of the nomadic tribes of the Germanic peoples during the 300s AD. They invaded Italy and defeated the Romans in 378.


22 Fulgent Shining brightly

22 Pre-Millenium A Biblical allusion referencing the idea that there will be a seven-year time of great pain and hardship prior to the Millennium of Jesus’ peaceful reign on earth

22 Flat Vowels A reference to the regional accent of Ohioans. Flat vowels are a common characteristic of Midwestern accents. It is also typical of Bronx accents

23 Taxi Driver A 1970’s film set in a decaying New York City after the Vietnam war telling the story of a veteran working as a taxi driver who plots to kill a presidential candidate

23 Second A.D. A acronym standing for “Second Assistant Director”

24 Carvel An ice cream franchise

24 Formica A type of decorative product made of several different layers that are compressed and cured to make a hard, durable surface

25 Truncheons A short, thick stick carried as a weapon by police officers

27 Life and Growth Empowerment Practitioner

A type of New Age spiritual system that seeks to help coach and empower people through a connection with the spirit world

27 Brooklyn Spiritual Emergence Network

The Brooklyn branch of the Spiritual Emergence Network which provides individuals that are experiencing psychospiritual difficulties a referral and support service

27 Stones Short for the Rolling Stones, a band formed in the 1960s


27 Smegma, the Literary Magazine of Brooklyn

Potentially a reference to the magazine published in NYC between 1978 and 1981 that focused on art, poetry, and music of the emerging punk scene of the time

27 Greenwood Cemetery A historic cemetery located in Greenwood Heights in Brooklyn

28 Avenue D An avenue in the lower East side in Manhattan that is filled with housing projects

28 Lenox Hill A hospital located in Lenox Hill neighborhood in Manhattan

30 Madre que linda noche, cuantas estrellas. Abreme la ventana, que quiero verlas

Mother that beautiful night, how many stars. Open my window, I want to see them

31 Firing Squad A form of execution often used by the military or during times of war. An individual is placed against a wall opposite a group of armed individuals. When a call is heard, the individuals shoot at the person being executed

32 Bronx Botanical Garden A botanical garden and National Historical Landmark located in the Bronx that supports over 1 million living plants in extensive collections

32 Eunuch A man who has been castrated, often at an early age creating hormonal consequences, and often for the purpose of serving as a guard to an important woman (like a queen)

35 Military Fatigues The casual clothes that military personnel wear, these are the clothes that military personnel wear when they are engaging in battle rather than at an official ceremony

ACT 2 38 Bodega A small grocery store, especially in a

Spanish-speaking neighborhood


40 Cos Cob A neighborhood in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut. In 2015, it was ranked as the 287th wealthiest place in the US

43 Plutonium A dense silvery radioactive metal used as a fuel in nuclear reactors and as an explosive in nuclear fission weapons

43 East Tremont A residential neighborhood located in the West Bronx, New York City. It has one of the highest concentrations of Puerto Ricans in New York City. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 67.3% of the population in the 2010 census. Almost half the population of East Tremont lives below the poverty line and receives public assistance

43 Grand Concourse A major road connecting various locations to another in the Bronx. Some of the locations Grand Concourse runs through includes Tremont and Fordham

43 Fordham A group of neighborhoods in Western Bronx, New York City. It is now predominately Latin American and African American

43 Phi Beta Kappa The oldest academic honor society in the US. Often described as the most prestigious honor society due to its academic selectivity

43 Arcane Mysterious or secret, known to only a few people

43 Psyche The human soul, mind, or spirit

43 Saint Patrick’s Cathedral A neo-gothic style Roman Catholic cathedral church and a prominent landmark of New York City. Underneath the high altar is a crypt in which notable Catholic figures are


entombed. Many notable people have requiem masses here

44 Napalm A highly flammable sticky jelly used in bombs and flamethrowers. It was first used during WWII. It has since been used in the Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan

45 Air-Traffic Controller A person who is responsible for remotely monitoring and directing the movements of aircraft

45 Ay Dios, ay Dios mio, ay Dios Oh God, oh my God, oh God

45 DDT A synthetic organic compound used as an insecticide. It is toxic, dangerous to the environment, and likely carcinogenic. It persists in the environment and becomes concentrated in animals at the head of the food chain. It has been banned in many countries

46 Scimitar A short sword with a curved blade that broadens toward the point. It was originally used in Eastern countries

46 Jimi Hendrix An American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music

47 TRW An American corporation involved in a variety of businesses. In particular, it was involved in credit reporting. TRW went defunct in 2002

48 Mine harbors The process of placing explosive devices concealed under water in harbors designed to destroy or disable enemy targets

48 Germ bombs Bombs that employ biological warfare to incapacitate or kill humans.


Biological warfare is the use of toxins or infections agents like bacteria, viruses, and fungi as a form of warfare

49 Hemorrhoids A swollen vein or group of veins in the region of the anus

49 Apple An iconic image in many religious traditions (specifically Christianity) that is viewed as a mystical or forbidden fruit. Apples are symbols of knowledge, immortality, temptation, and sin. The apple is traditionally held as the fruit Eve ate in the Garden of Eden in the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. Adam and eve were told by God that they could eat from any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve was tempted by a serpent to eat from the tree and did. She gave some of the fruit to Adam. This is considered to be the original sin in the Christian tradition and is the reason that humans sin today

49 Greasing palms An idiom that means to bribe one discreetly, as by slipping money into their palm

49 Five-sided beast A name referencing the Pentagon, the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense

52 Frenetic Fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way

52 Angelitos A term of in Latin American culture that refers to a dead child. The word means “little angel” and can also be used as a term of endearment

53 Border babies An infant or young child who is abandoned or orphaned and left in a hospital for lack of a foster home


54 Upper West Side A neighborhood in Manhattan that is an affluent, primarily residential area. It has a reputation for being New York City’s cultural and intellectual hub. It is considered to be among New York City’s wealthiest neighborhoods

54 Citicorps An extremely influential bank headquartered in New York City. Citicorp (now known as Citigroup Inc.) has pioneered many of the ways we bank today

55 Port Authority A bus terminal in New York City that is the main gateway for interstate buses to enter Manhattan


Visual Glossary

Marisol Visual Glossary Page # Term/Allusion Image ACT 1

10 180th Street

10 Uzi

11 Van Cortlandt Park

11 Salt


13 Crucifix

13 Horseshoe

13 Rabbit’s Foot

13 Prayer Cards

13 Milagros


13 Medicine Bundles

14 Linoleum

15 Rosaries

15 Urn

15 Arroz con Gandules


16 Communion Wine

18

Seraphim, Cherubim, Archangels

20 East Village

20 Astroturf

21 IRT Number Two


21 Visigoths

23 Taxi Driver

24 Carvel

24 Formica


25 Truncheons

27 Stones

27 Smegma, the Literary

Magazine of Brooklyn

27 Greenwood Cemetery

28 Avenue D


28 Lenox Hill

31 Firing Squad

32 Bronx Botanical Garden

32 Eunuch


35 Military Fatigues

ACT 2

38 Bodega

40 Cos Cob

43 Plutonium


43 East Tremont

43 Grand Concourse

43 Fordham

43 Saint Patrick’s Cathedral

44 Napalm


45 Air-Traffic Controller

45 DDT

46 Scimitar

46 Jimi Hendrix

47 TRW


48 Mine harbors

49 Apple

49 Five-sided beast

54 Upper West Side

54 Citicorps


55 Port Authority

page # term/allusion meaning/explanation

Documents