 Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez as “Pablo” (left) and Casey Spiegel as “Owen” in the Theatre Rhinoceros/JT Presents production of Mark-Eugene Garcia’s Goat Blood, June 25-July 19 at 4229 18th St., in San Francisco’s Castro District. Photo: Scott Sidorsky Borrowing from our writer, his words are a wonderful jumping-off point.
“You decided the name was yours. You grabbed it like you grabbed the land, then decided everyone else was an outsider, a threat, contamination.” Mark-Eugene’s words hit so poignantly at a time of extreme division and animosity among the populace of our nation. At a time in which state-sponsored horror and violence are being enacted on the most vulnerable in our society, and no one, not even those with the most privilege, is safe. A time when our most marginalized: the undocumented, the asylum seekers, those pursuing immigration to our country via “the right way”, those profiled due to their name, their tongue, the color of their skin, our transgender siblings, those (especially women) seeking reproductive healthcare, and others are targets of this authoritarian regime and are being stripped of their dignity and humanity. For our protagonists, Pablo and Owen, their fear will last all night as they attempt to survive, and for our most marginalized, their fears are day-to-day.
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 Adrian Nava (left) as “Mr. Sanchez”, and Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez as “Pablo” in Theatre Rhinoceros/JT Presents production of Mark-Eugene Garcia’s Goat Blood, June 25-July 19 at 4229 18th St., in San Francisco’s Castro District. Photo: Scott Sidorsky Horror is having a moment on stage. Earlier this year, a theater spin-off of the “Paranormal Activity” movie series shattered San Francisco box office records. It skulked onward toward Broadway, where it arrives next month, joining “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” and the musicalization of ’90s vampire flick “The Lost Boys.”
Here in San Francisco, at Theater Rhinoceros, another fearsome tale lurks in the wings: Playwright Mark-Eugene Garcia’s scary, sexy “Goat Blood,” a co-production of the Rhino and JT Presents, begins performances June 25. But unlike the brand name fright franchises that have jumped from screens to stages (arguably jumping the shark en route), “Goat Blood” is an original, written specifically for the theater. Particularly well-suited to the close confines of the Rhino, it’s intimate, shivery, and not at all dependent on big-budget effects. “A lot of my inspiration came from old radio programs and “Twilight Zone” episodes,” said queer playwright Garcia in a recent interview with the Bay Area Reporter. “I wanted to focus on what works best on stage rather than in a movie. It’s a lot about what you can’t see. What’s scary is what’s unknown.” “Goat Blood” seeps into you. Mark-Eugene Garcia’s play, Goat Blood, is a queer horror thriller must-see! - Bearworld Magazine6/10/2026  Get your tickets now for Goat Blood, a play written by Mark-Eugene Garcia that’ll have you on the edge of your seat!
Premiering on June 25th in San Francisco at Theatre Rhinoceros, Goat Blood is a queer horror thriller wrapped around a deeply emotional story about grief, masculinity, memory, and survival. In the heart of a dense forest, nestled in the bed of a pickup truck, two coworkers, Pablo and Owen, find themselves waiting for their dates. What starts as a casual debate about tacos, friendships, sexuality, and heritage gradually transforms into something deeper… an undeniable attraction simmering beneath their banter! However, their unexpected connection is soon overshadowed by the arrival of a menacing Chupacabra, threatening to shatter the tranquility of their evening. Owen’s terror at the creature’s appearance pales in comparison to his shock when he learns that the Chupacabra has been a constant presence in Pablo’s life.  Casey Spiegel (left) as “Owen” and Eric Esquivel-Gutierrez as “Pablo” in the upcoming Theatre Rhinoceros/JT Presents production of Mark-Eugene Garcia’s Goat Blood, June 25-July 19 at 4229 18th St. in San Francisco’s Castro District. Photo: Scott Sidorsky Following the critically acclaimed, sold-out run of A Guide for the Homesick in 2023, JT Presents and Theatre Rhinoceros bring Mark-Eugene Garcia’s hit play Goat Blood from New York to San Francisco. Garcia takes the legend of the chupacabra, a figure of fear in many Latinx and Southwest American cultures, and mixes it with the queer desire and ancient truths we carry inside. Goat Blood focuses on two coworkers, Pablo and Owen. In the heart of a dense forest, nestled in the bed of a pickup truck, they find themselves waiting for their double dates. What starts as a casual debate about tacos, friendships, sexuality, and heritage gradually transforms into something deeper – an undeniable attraction simmering beneath their banter. However, their unexpected connection is soon overshadowed by the arrival of a menacing Chupacabra, threatening to shatter the tranquility of their evening. Owen's terror at the creature's appearance pales in comparison to his shock when he learns that the Chupacabra has been a constant presence in Pablo's life.
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Mark-Eugene GarciaWriter/Actor/Storyteller. Theatre Maker. Husband. Bad Hombre. Cat Taunter. ContentsArchives
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