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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

Jackson Moore

Lead

Male

Spoken

Valerie Johnston

Lead

Female

Spoken

Brian White

Lead

Male

Spoken

Ginny Yang

Lead

Female

Spoken

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

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Videos

Quizzes

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Guide Written By:

Becca Ballenger

Becca Ballenger