Waiting for Garbo by Dawn Moore, Desmond Price, Amy Gartner, Holly Collis Handford, Tim Howe, Casey Por, and Mariela Shuley

Waiting for Garbo introduces two radically different groups whose worlds collide. The Catadores, are garbage pickers at the world’s largest dump, on the brink of losing their livelihood. The dump is about to close, abruptly ending their jobs recycling discarded trash. In desperation they concoct a far-fetched scheme to relocate to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to cash in on a recycling “Gold Rush”. Jardim, their prophet-like leader, ominously states, “only the gods can save this situation." Enter The Three Magi, film moguls, mysteriously drawn to the dump on their quest to find the lost films of their goddess, The Divine Woman, Greta Garbo. “With a reincarnated Garbo, we can make millions!”

Waiting for Garbo is presented as a memory and memories are not always truly as they were. It is a light hearted musical about very serious subjects, a world that is dominated by consumerism, and our politics made up of a cult of personality. It questions the future of our planet by utilizing recycled material, not just the set but some of the dialogue, incorporating different theatrical styles and music genres in a funny, irreverent, poignant, whimsical, and thought-provoking musical play.

Keywords: climate change, consumerism, recycling, plastic pollution

Produced by Presentation House Theatre, North Vancouver BC, April 2022

Genre: Musical, Dark Comedy, Farce
Acts: 2
Run time: 110 minutes
Suitable for students 14+

Cast size: 8 actors
Male roles: 3
Female roles: 5
Casting note: Any of the roles could be cast with trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming actors. In the original production all musicians were cast members. They could, however, be a separate band. They should be onstage and be considered Catadores.

"What makes Waiting For Garbo stand out is its method of recycling dialogue, images, songs and characters, and piecing them together throughout the play...The atmosphere feels slaphappy and whimsical, and the lyrical numbers will definitely have you tapping your feet, an amused grin on your face."
- Jenna Diamante, Plank Magazine

"...funny, irreverent, poignant, whimsical, clever and thought-provoking."
- Entertainment Vancouver