Overview
Synopsis
Dominique Morisseau’s hard-hitting drama, Pipeline takes a deep look into the American educational system for underprivileged students. Nya is an inner-city high school teacher whose son, Omari, is educated at a private boarding school. She is desperate to give him opportunities that her students will never see and she is determined to fight for his future. When he gets into an altercation with a teacher, Nya and Omari are forced to deal with the reality of the pitfalls of a divided education system, the social prophecy that surrounds them, Omari’s sense of righteous rage, and the uncomfortable tensions within their family dynamic. Nya wants to save her son, but first she must confront her own choices as a parent.
The title of the play refers directly to the US ‘school-to-prison pipeline’, whereby underprivileged and disadvantaged students are funneled out of public education and into juvenile and criminal justice systems.
Show Information
- Book
- Dominique Morisseau
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 2017
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Simple/No Set
- Time & Place
- Inner-City America, Present Day
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Female, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters
Context
Pipeline was commissioned by Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company. It premiered at the Lincoln Center’ Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in New York City in June 2017, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz and featuring Karen Pittman, Namir Smallwood, and Morocco Omari. Pipeline was nominated for five 2018 Lucille Lortel Awards, including Outstanding Play.
Pipeline runs at 90 minutes long with no intermission.
to read the context for Pipeline and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
The lights go up on Nya, who is leaving her ex-husband, Xavier, a cell phone message. She falters as she tells him that their son, Omari, has been in a fight at school and faces possible expulsion and charges. Nya is struggling to cope and, in a moment of desperation, she admits she misses Xavier. Realizing her error, she deletes the message and replaces it with a short, impersonal message asking him to call her instead. As she smokes a cigarette, the school bell rings and the morning public
to read the plot for Pipeline and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher