Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Jesús I. Valles’s SPREAD is a achingly candid glimpse into the fragile psyches of adolescent high school boys

• By drediman
• March 19, 2026
• No Comments

One of the things I value most about going to the theater is the opportunity to be among the first to be exposed to works by up-and-coming playwrights, as well as talented, fresh-faced actors on the rise. Both of these were the case in INTAR Theatre’s Off-Broadway production of Spread by Jesús I. Valles. In essence, the new work — which is set in Austin, TX — is an episodic and unexpectedly moving play about four ninth-grade boys basically shooting the sh*t during their lunchtime breaks. Much like Alan Bennett’s award-winning History Boys, the play is an achingly candid glimpse into the fragile psyches of adolescent high school boys during a key crossroad in their lives.

In turn heartrending and riotously funny, the play finds poignancy in these students’ seemingly mundane and irreverent interactions, organically revealing their vulnerabilities and resilience along the way. Throughout, Valles’ writing is uncannily convincing and rings with authenticity. The play is particularly affecting as clear-eyed character studies of young adults dealing with various challenges, like their developing sexuality, difficult home life, and the harsh realities of their socio-economic situations. Despite their volatility and aggression — the seeds of budding toxic masculinity are definitely there — one nevertheless can’t help but cheer for these sensitively-drawn young men and their growth. The playwright also draws parallels between attending inner city high schools and adult incarceration that’s both illuminating and unsettling (“spread” refers to a prison-style food consisting of dry ramen, hot chips, beef jerky, beans, and hot water — all mashed up and cooked in a plastic bag).

The production has been directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo with complete honesty and stealthy attention to detail. She elicits some very fine acting from her dynamic and youthful ensemble cast — particularly Jaden Perez, Daniel Bravo Hernandez, Danny Gomez, and Ishmael Gonzalez — which is especially impressive when witnessed in INTAR’s exceedingly intimate space, where every small detail of their performances is visible to the audience, who spectate like flies on the wall. Their highly physical portrayals somehow find depth, complexity, and sweetness within the chaos of the characters’ rage, hopes, and fears — additionally, their collective depiction of adolescent friendship comes across as raw and unvarnished. At the performance I attended, Spread clearly touched a real chord with the high school students with whom I saw the show. That’s high praise.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

SPREAD
Off-Broadway, Play
INTAR Theatre
1 hour, 40 minutes (without an intermission)
Through March 29