Books Unite Presents Theater Adaptation of “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.”

Everyone is welcome to a free theater presentation for PCCC’s Fall 2026 installment of BOOKS UNITE, an initiative to promote community spirit and literacy through book reading and discussion.

Join us for an unforgettable one-man performance of  “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,”  by Junot Diaz, the Dominican-born novelist who grew up in New Jersey and received the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for this story about a lonely, overweight young man, Oscar de Leon, who is growing up in New Jersey obsessed with science fiction and with finding true love, a dream he fears is out of his reach. Complicating Oscar’s life are turbulent family tensions as well as a mysterious curse that haunts his family.

Jean Perez, a Dominican-American actor and filmmaker from New York City, will take the stage to narrate Diaz’ novel by portraying all the characters of the book, creating for the audience a dynamic experience of the novel’s engrossing story. 
Mr. Perez is a co-founder of Altagracia Productions, a New York-based film production company that celebrates Black and Latino artists, independent cinema, and community storytelling.

Following the performance, Mr. Perez and members of Books Unite team will share in a discussion with the audience about the performance and the themes of the novel, which include personal insecurity, especially of youth who do not fit in, immigrant challenges, and tense family dynamics.

Performances will be offered on Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2 from 1:15 to 2:30 pm and on Saturday, October 3 from 12 noon to 1:30 pm. All performances are in the PCCC Theater on the Main Campus in Paterson. Entrance is at Ellison Street and Memorial Drive.

Books Unite is an initiative of Literature to Life, a non-profit organization that promotes literacy and a love of books through the magic of theater. For more information visit: literaturetolife.org/booksunite