You dont know what its been like to walk in my shoes. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves at the best online prices at eBay! TRACEY: Yeah? The play opens in 2008. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2017. ', 'Come From Away', and 'Anastasia' Lead 2017 Drama Desk Award Nominations", "2017 Tony Award Nominations: 'The Great Comet' and 'Hello, Dolly!' On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. CYNTHIA: Ive stood on that line, same line since I was nineteen. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. She bitterly tells Oscar, the busboy at the bar, that she know[s] the floor as good as Cynthia does, and Jessie confirms that Cynthias promotion has pissed off a lot of people even though she earned it fairly. You can order a custom paper by our expert writers. She . Tempted by the opportunity to finally work at the factory, where he will receive higher wages than at the bar, Oscar crosses the picket line. [15] A five-star review of the production by Peter Mason in the Morning Star newspaper described Sweat as "a tension-filled drama with a turbulent, consuming plot and a cast of highly engaging characters who demand attention from the off," adding of the Donmar cast that "it would be difficult to imagine a better set of players to take on the difficult task of portraying such complex individuals". date the date you are citing the material. Sweat, Lynn Nottage's play about discrimination at the workplace and the effect of economic downturns, returns to Philadelphia, courtesy of the Old Academy Players. She cannot stand the way Reading has been changing over the years. It normalizes the common habit of many working-class individuals who come home exhausted or agitated from working extraneous jobs. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), read analysis of Working-Class Disillusionment, read analysis of Relationships, Status, and Resentment, read analysis of Economic Strain and Race Relations, read analysis of Shame, Regret, and Forgiveness. Nottage researched her work in Reading and while there, gathered material for her play Clyde's, now extended through March 12 at Arden Theatre Co. Tensions between friends come to a head when Olsteads begins making changes and floor workers face the threat (and, eventually, the reality) of a lockoutand the newly promoted Cynthia comes to be seen as a traitor. But when . The sheer amount of time that characters spend together in the lived-in and comfortable bar after work emphasizes just how important a similar sense of familiarity and comfort is in their relationships with one another. [5] She has compared her time talking to former steelworkers in Reading with the occasion when she stayed in the town of Mansfield in the English Midlands and interviewed workers during the 1984 miners' strike. [4] The characters portrayed were associated with Trump's election campaign phrase of "the forgotten people". [] Im not prejudice, I say, you are who you are, you know? The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. I dont think you get it, but if I walk away, Im giving up more than a job, Im giving up all that time I spent standing on line waiting for one damn opportunity. [8] Reviews of the play have described the characters as representing blue-collar workers who voted in Donald Trump as president. Oscar reiterates how he was born here as well, yet Tracey was too blinded by the difference in ethnicity to see her wrongdoing. Oscar and his coworker Stan (the bartender at the bar where the characters all hang out) are attacked in a demonstration. The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. To get a high-quality original essay, click here. Ive taken orders from idiots who were dangerous, or even worse, racist. This revealed that the play was not just about economic stress and angry intoxicated individuals, instead, it was about the extreme violence there is towards people of color. The management/worker division begins to separate the friends, and racial tensions separate them further. It opened my eyes that racial slurs used in this production are still used today, and I believe that should've scared anyone in the audience. Teachers and parents! The bartender in the play is Stan. Be angry, but dont make it about this(Points to the skin on the back of her hand) Look at me, Tracey. The play is centered on the working class of Reading, Pennsylvania. eNotes.com, Inc. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. She loves to hang out at the bar with her friends and she has a gruff kind of humor. Based on extensive interviews with residents of the rustbelt town of Reading, Pennsylvania, it shows the anger and despair that helped fuel the election of Donald Trump. Everyone tries to stay positive, but as the strike goes on, they begin to get desperate. In this breathtaking new play, premiered in 2015, she tackles the devastating impact of loss of work and of de-industrialisation on modern America. Registered About 3 Years Ago. [7], The play has been described as "a powerful and emotional look at identity, race, economy, and humanity. Similarly, O'Keefe plays the barkeep as one-note and frequently flubs lines. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Pietz portrays Jessie as a lonely woman hiding in a glass of alcohol. Free shipping for many products! North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Accessibility The plays setting offers an appropriate stage on which to explore this theme. For a thoughtful portrait, turn to playwright Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat', "The First Theatrical Landmark of the Trump Era", "Lynn Nottage: 'Nostalgia is a disease many white Americans have', "Review: Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat' Examines Lives Unraveling by Industry's Demise", "Off Broadway Review: Lynn Nottage's 'Sweat', "Lynn Nottage's SWEAT Headed to The Public Next Year; Broadway on the Horizon? Ed. L ynn Nottage's Sweat is a play set in 2000 and 2008 that explores the tension in a group of friends in the midst of layoffs at a factory in Reading, Pennsylvania. The three friends' names are Tracy, Cynthia and Jessie. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Oscar, the bus boy at the bar, is Latino and is not acknowledged often by the people who go there. Jason Oscar asks Tracey about job openings on the floor, and Tracey says he must have heard wrong because Olsteads is not hiring and you have to know someone to get in anyway. The play was directed by Lynette Linton, and featured Clare Perkins and Martha Plimpton as the mothers and Osy Ikhile (Chris) and Parick Gibson (Jason). The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood friends and had worked in the same factory. The main themes in Sweat are race and class in the workplace, the effect of work life on the family, and economies and individuals. Jason and Chris are involved in a fight with Oscar and serve time in prison. Based on interviews with residents of small-town Pennsylvania, Lynn Nottage's play vividly describes the betrayal and resentments of striking female factory workers in an era of industrial decline An immediate divide is created between Cynthia and her friends. She is on and off with her husband, Brucie, who is addicted to drugs. Tickets, which are $12 for general admission and $10 for seniors and students, may be purchased through the Moss Arts Center ticket office in person or online. They built the house that I live in. One of the reasons that I wanted to write Sweat is that I really wanted to put this very fractured city a city in which everyone was hurting in isolation I wanted to put those people into dialogue so they all recognized that they all shared this one central narrative. by Lynn Nottage. Sweat. Donmar Warehouse, LondonBased on interviews with residents of small-town Pennsylvania, Lynn Nottages play vividly describes the betrayal and resentments of striking female factory workers in an era of industrial decline. samples are real essays written by real students who kindly donate their papers to us so that Try it today! Tracey? Working with this diverse cast of student actors to climb inside this story has been a gift. CYNTHIA: [] You know after everything. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. Nottage addresses the theme of social status, specifically in how the characters' lives and relationships are shaped based on job position, socio-economic class, and education. Sweat by Lynn Nottage Directed by Matt J. Bannister TICKETS: www.ssstage.org November 1 - 23, 2019 Fridays & Saturdays @ 8pm Matinees: November 10 and 17 @ 2pm A play in a bar like none other. Due to a lot of anger and resentment throughout the production, there were various racial slurs that stuck out to me because of our current problem of racism in society today. -Graham S. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. There are many scenarios that lead to this violent event, but I believe they are all significant in showing that, big or small, these racial attacks need to end. This is shown in many of the bar scenes. But I meancmonyou guys coming over here, you can get a job faster than. Beyond that, however, Mara doesn't project the character's humanity, which leads a character meant to propel the story to instead fall flat. CYNTHIA: Fuck her. Portia is stiff as Cynthia, talking at the characters instead of speaking her peace. Well, my familys been here a long time. Stan, a middle-aged white man with a limp, bartends, and when the two women invite him to dance with them, he refuses. Club members can see a different show every night of the week. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. During the play Cynthia applies for a managing job at the plant which causes some problems. You got a problem, you tell me to my face. No matter if it was during Jessies birthday celebration, Traceys birthday celebration, or just a casual hangout at Stans bar. Martha Plimpton as Tracey and Clare Perkins as Cynthia suggest a lifetime of friendship, tragically sundered; Patrick Gibson and Osy Ikhile show the heavy prices paid by their respective offspring; and Stuart McQuarrie as the pacifying bartender and Leanne Best as a boozy dreamer reveal how everyone is blighted by a company towns decline. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Characters such as Jessie use alcohol to cope with their problems to the point of being out of control, which was an important symbol specifically used by Jessica Hightower, Scenic and Properties designer of Sweat. But when characters begin to distance themselves from the status quo and pursue different opportunities, these relationships gradually disintegrate as those left behind feel resentful of their friends new paths. Jason and Chris are Tracey and Cynthias sons respectively. Download the entire Sweat study guide as a printable PDF! The second is the date of The Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts will present Lynn Nottages award-winning Sweat for eight performances, opening on Nov. 9 in Squires Studio Theatre. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Try it today! Eventually in 2017, winning the Pulitzer prize award for drama. CHRIS: Cmon. (212) 220-8000 It highlights serious problems in society such as racism, economic strain, drug abuse, and toxic relationships. . 2023 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Do you know what its like, she asks, to get up and have no place to go? For the equally tough Cynthia, work is a means of advancement and her union card is a symbol of racial acceptance. Race and class in the workplace: Nottage explores the. [5] Nottage herself even spoke at the strike, which is what made her realize she had to do more. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. Director Lisa Peterson uses television screens to document major world events that led to the collapse of the American factory system, such as the financial crisis and bailout of 2008 and the election of George W. Bush in 2000, so that the audience can travel back to a precarious time not very different from 2018. Admissions Tensions rise as Cynthias new position pits her against her friends. As the months of 2000 pass, the relationships that create the foundation of Sweat begin to unravel and we come to see the events that led Chris and Jason, two best buds with exuberance for their future, to wind up in prison. It will unconditionally squander the time. To cover up how hurt he is, Jason mocks Chris and tells him hell never succeed in such a low-paying career before asking, But seriously, man, why didn't you tell me? Despite Jasons tough exterior, its clear that hes genuinely upset by Chriss attempts to leave their shared lot in life behind and pursue higher education. Directed by Kate Whoriskey (who also directed the earlier productions), the cast featured Carlo Alban (Oscar), James Colby (Stan), Khris Davis (Chris), Johanna Day (Tracey), John Earl Jelks (Brucie), Will Pullen (Jason), Miriam Shor (Jessie), Lance Coadie Williams (Evan), and Michelle Wilson (Cynthia). Lastly, although my point of interest related to the issue of diversity through the play, the violent hate crime towards Oscar was influential in the sense it led to a lot of reflection for the audience. Already a member? All rights reserved. Scene 1 of Act 2 shows Jason and Chris returning to visit their mothers. It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood friends and had worked in the same factory. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Order original paper now and save your time! [8][12] The production began previews on Broadway at Studio 54 on March 4, 2017, before opening on March 26. Not wanting to give up what theyve worked for, the floor workers vote against the deal and end up getting shut out. This in-personevent will take place in BMCCs Theatre II. First and only job. Who is the antagonist in the play Sweat by Lynn Nottage? The creative elements of the production fare better, with Christopher Barreca's set taking audiences to the neighborhood bar so one can almost smell the stale beer on the floor. 30 December 2016. Lynn Nottages 2015 play Sweat centers on the events in the lives of several people who all work at the same factory, Olsteads, and are facing layoffs and downsizing. This is highlighted by Brucie, who experienced a similar situation at a different mill. Moving up the corporate ladder results in a loss of friendships and social exclusion. One of the major plot points in this ensemble driven piece is Cynthia's promotion to management at Olstead's factory. In 2008, Chris and Jason both find themselves back at the bar to find some peace. John Earl Jelks is heartbreaking as Chris's father, a maddened drug addict who has lost the respect of his family. It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. eNotes Editorial. Unfortunately, that kinetic energy is all on one level, high, so the audience feels distanced from the characters. After what went down. Synopsis for SWEAT: SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. date the date you are citing the material. you can use them for inspiration and simplify your student life. It highlights serious problems in society such as racism, economic strain, drug abuse, and toxic relationships. We see how the plant uses ethnicity to divide workers in the case of Oscar, who is Latino. You hear from the old gang? online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. These are only the main characters. However, Sweats cast of characters is anything but empowered: rather than resist the hand theyve been dealt, they, The characters in Sweat have spent decades of their lives thanklessly laboring in Reading Pennsylvanias local steel and textile mills amid poor working conditions, disrespectful management, and union disputes. Call me selfish, I dont care, call me whatever you need to call me, but remember, one of us has to be left standing to fight. View our Privacy Policy. Tickets will be available at the door in the Squires Student Center beginning one hour prior to the performance. Overall, I believe that this production was truly eye-opening and although many problems are discussed, the awareness raised about racial tension was the most significant. We dont really. AHRM NewsASPECT News|Awards and Honors|Bookshelf|Communication News|English News|History News She has now become one of people working to undermine the union by hiring cheaper labor. Job Opportunities They get tax breaks or something. If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contactSusan Sanders prior to the event. As Chris 's father, a maddened drug addict who has lost respect! A color and icon to each theme in born here as well, yet was. One level, high, so the audience feels distanced from the article title my shoes this in-personevent will place! Guys coming over here, you tell me to my face back at the plant ethnicity., but as the strike, which is what made her realize she had to do.. Even worse, racist symbol of racial acceptance attacked in a fight with oscar serve! Same line since I was nineteen you dont know what its like, asks. A disability and desire an accommodation, please contactSusan Sanders prior to the performance 4 ] the characters all out... But I meancmonyou guys coming over here, you tell me to my face Nottage... Who has lost the respect of his family place to go door in the play is centered on working! 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