Overview
Synopsis
Emma Joseph, a bright, hard-working, recent law school graduate descended from a long line of Marxists, is continuing her family’s business of fighting for progressive ideals. She founded the Joe Joseph Fund four years ago, named for her grandfather who was blacklisted during the McCarthy era for refusing to name names, and is currently working to free a man on death row who is being punished for his outspoken political beliefs in much the same way. A curveball comes hurdling Emma’s way, however, when she finds out that her grandfather may have been passing information to Russians while working for the US government; a fact that was hidden from her by her father for her whole life, and one that calls into question the whole ideological basis for the activist causes she’s engaged in. In this intellectual family drama laden with lively, entertaining dialogue and thought-provoking social themes, Amy Herzog and the Josephs force us to investigate questions of loyalty, citizenship, betrayal and freedom.
Show Information
- Book
- Amy Herzog
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 2010
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- may and june of 1999
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Young Adult, Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
After The Revolution originated at the Williamstown Theater Festival, where it was commissioned for a workshop that was helmed by director Tamara Fisch in 2009. It was subsequently produced by the festival in 2010. This production, directed by Carolyn Cantler, premiered Off-Broadway at Playwright’s Horizons in October 2010 and ran through December 12, 2010. Since then, After the Revolution has been produced by regional theaters throughout the country. According to playwright Amy Herzog,
to read the context for After the Revolution and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
ACT ONE
Lights come up on Vera Joseph’s apartment, in the West Village of Manhattan. It is June 1999 and Emma Joseph, Vera’s granddaughter, has just graduated from a top law school. The ceremony has just ended, and Emma’s father, Ben Joseph, stepmother, Mel, and uncle, Leo Joseph, are sitting around in the living room discussing the most recent ill-conceived social program that the superintendent of Ben’s high school (he is a history teacher) has devised to “serve” inner-city Boston
to read the plot for After the Revolution and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
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
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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