A one-act play in seven scenes, Gary Soto’s Novio Boy is set in a Mexican American neighborhood in a small Central Valley community in California.
The novio of the work’s title means “boyfriend” or “sweetheart,” in Spanish. Novio Boy tells the story of ninth grader Rudy’s first date with eleventh grader Patricia.
The play focuses on his concern about what to say and how to behave during the date, obtaining the money to pay for the date, her anticipation, and his family’s responses to this milestone in his social maturation.
Mixed in with its treatment of typical teenage concerns are allusions to Chicano culture, referencing food, music, and radio programs.