
Overview
Synopsis
On the eve of Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential Election, four hyper-intelligent Cambridge residents find that -- despite their best intentions upon broaching the subject -- the topic of race is a treacherous one, full of stumbles and wrong turns. Brian, a neuroscientist, is studying the brain’s responses to race and its societal implications. Ginny, a psychiatrist, is studying low-income Asian-American women’s reaction to stress. Jackson, a young doctor, has opened a clinic for low-income patients. Valerie, a talented actor, is struggling to make ends meet by working as a maid. Through bright, funny dialogue and fast-paced vignettes, playwright Lydia Diamond (Broadway’s Stick Fly) sets brings her quartet of complicated characters to vibrant life. As they each bull-headedly pursue their professional and personal goals, they find that issues of self-awareness, identity, and race are stumbling blocks that even “smart people” can’t seem to avoid.
Show Information
- Book
- Lydia Diamond
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2014
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy, Dark Comedy
- Settings
- Contemporary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- 2007 - 2009. cambridge, ma.
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Ideal For
- Includes Young Adult, Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
---|---|---|---|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
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
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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