Overview

Synopsis

In this verbatim play, pioneering theatre-maker Anna Deavere Smith explores civil rights, slavery, and the press through the lens of the American presidency. Equal parts performer and documentarian, Smith interviewed more than 400 people from politics, pop culture, history, and the media for House Arrest. The play is a tapestry of 43 of those people. Smith weaves the past and the present together, presenting her living subjects’ words verbatim from her interviews and using historical texts for others. The props, costuming, and set can be minimal or ornate, and the characters can be performed by a single actor or an ensemble. The gender and race of the actors do not need to match the characters they play. In the original production, Smith played all the roles.

Show Information

Book
Anna Deavere Smith
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1997
Genres
Historical/Biographical
Settings
Simple/No Set
Time & Place
A bare stage
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Dramatists Play Service
Ideal For
Star Vehicle Female, Star Vehicle Male, Small Cast, Ensemble Cast, Diverse Cast, Includes Adult Characters

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

The Speaker

Lead

Either Gender

Non-singer

Songs

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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

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

    Documentary Theatre

    A genre that dramatizes real-life events using interviews, transcripts, and factual materials.

    Ensemble

    A group of performers who function as a unit in a production rather than as individuals with leading roles.

    Star Vehicle

    A production created to showcase the talents of a specific star performer, often tailored to their strengths.

    Verbatim theatre

    A form of documentary theatre that uses exact words from interviews and transcripts to portray real-life events on stage.

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Kevan Dunkelberg

Kevan Dunkelberg

Oklahoma-based drama teacher, actor and playwright