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Overview
Synopsis
An old barn that has been converted into a scantily-furnished home in the most remote part of Alaska is the singular setting for Cindy Lou Johnson’s one-act Brilliant Traces. But what the home lacks in external furnishings, it makes up for in the internal chaos cascading through the play’s two characters. Henry Harry is very content to live a life of isolation, but when Rosannah Deluce arrives at his home in the middle of a whiteout blizzard, the bubble he’s built for himself suddenly constricts. What follows is an unraveling of two complex psyches. Richly atmospheric, the play’s mise en scene is at once haunting and comforting. Brilliant Traces is a relatively short play, but contained within it is a raw and poetic exploration of lasting pain as two isolated people are flung together to confront their psychological scars.
Show Information
- Book
- Cindy Lou Johnson
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 1989
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Unit/Single Set, Fantasy/Imaginary
- Time & Place
- A remote cabin in Alaska. Present day.
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- College/University, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Star Vehicle Female, Includes Adult Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
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
A work of art that creates a specific mood or feeling
Being physically away from others, with minimal contact
The overall visual design and placement of actors in a play.
All of the things that make up a person's personality
A weather phenomenon in which blowing snow make it very difficult to see and identify the contours of a landscape
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Kevan Dunkelberg
Oklahoma-based drama teacher, actor and playwright