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Overview

Synopsis

Lester Mason is twenty years old and the future is his -- until he is denied a scholarship because of the color of his skin. He cries out, “Seems like the world ain’t nothing but a big white fog, and we can’t see no light nowhere.” The year is 1922, and racism is rampant in the United States of America. Despite the challenges, Lester’s father, Victor, has a dream. He is a Garveyite, and he wants to move his family to Africa, where his forebearers originated. Not everyone in his family, however, wants to leave America. Nonetheless, Victor persists, pursuing his dream with a single mindedness that, combined with the Great Depression and the racism of the time, drives his family to a tragic fate. With drama and poignancy, Theodore Ward’s Big White Fog challenges our preconceptions of what it means to live the American Dream.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1938
Genres
Drama
Settings
Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
the home of victor and ella mason on dearborn street, chicago’s south side, 1922-1932
Cast Size
large
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Licensor
Nick Hern Books
Ideal For
professional theatre, university / college theatre, community theatre, amateur theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Early Teen, Late Teen, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast

Context

Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Victor Mason (Vic)

Lead

Male

Spoken

Ella

Lead

Female

Spoken

Lester (Les)

Lead

Male

Spoken

Wanda

Lead

Female

Spoken

Daniel Rogers (Dan)

Lead

Male

Spoken

Juanita

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Martha Brooks

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Nathan Piszer

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Caroline

Featured

Female

Spoken

Phillip

Featured

Male

Spoken

Percy Mason

Featured

Male

Spoken

Claudine

Featured

Female

Spoken

Marks

Featured

Male

Spoken

Count Strawder

Featured

Male

Spoken

Count Cotton

Featured

Male

Spoken

Sister Gabrella

Featured

Female

Silent

Bailiff

Featured

Male

Spoken

Lieutenant

Featured

Female

Spoken

Patrolman

Featured

Male

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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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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