That 2 year divide is important, because between its first production and its rise to mega-acclaim, Donald Trump won the presidency. [17], The play was nominated for the 2017 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Play and Outstanding Fight Choreography. you can use them for inspiration and simplify your student life. The acting is superlative. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Though they used to be best friends, Jason (Will Hochman) now has a face covered with white-supremacy tattoos, while Chris (Grantham Coleman) has returned from prison emotionally broken. This in-personevent will take place in BMCCs Theatre II. When Cynthia is promoted, the difference of social status is directly introduced. Emilio Sosa's costumes reflect the clothing one would wear to unwind after a day sweating on the line. Who is the antagonist in the play Sweat by Lynn Nottage? Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. One of the major plot points in this ensemble driven piece is Cynthias promotion to management at Olsteads factory. The play was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. At Donmar Warehouse, London, until 26 January. 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. The play alternates between the same characters in 2000 and 2008, a plot structure that allows the audience to see how these choice pan out over timeand the shame and guilt that characters feel in response to their actions, even eight years later. In 2000, we meet best friends Tracey, Cynthia, and Jessie. 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 way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. In a sense, Reading represents a broader diminishment of the American middle class, a sector of the population whose once-reliable sources of worksuch as in factories and millshave been in decline in recent years. Directions Job Opportunities The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. This website uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Were a team, Jason says of himself and Chris, one of many sentiments that drives home the sacredness of close relationships for the plays struggling working-class laborers. This Study Guide consists of approximately 52pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - [] I betcha they wanted a minority. Act 2, Scene 1 Summary. In this breathtaking new play, premiered in 2015, she tackles the devastating impact of loss of work and of de-industrialisation on modern America. T he main themes in Sweat are race and class in the workplace, the effect of work life on the family, and economies and individuals. The last date is today's Chris gets involved in the fight. You can order a custom paper by our expert writers. This showed me how the production was truly pointing out the racism that lies in our economy still today, whether its the advantages white men hold or the wages gaps between races and genders. Nottage began to write the play in 2011 and set its events during two notable economic downturns: the 2000 to 2001 recession following the dot com bubble and the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009. Download the entire Sweat study guide as a printable PDF! Log in here. [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. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Tickets will be available at the door in the Squires Student Center beginning one hour prior to the performance. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Sweat examines the changing lives of factory workers in Reading, Pennsylvania, between the years of 2000 and 2008. They are best friends and joke around together. [7], The play has been described as "a powerful and emotional look at identity, race, economy, and humanity. His best friend is Chris, Cynthias son. Cynthia gets the promotion, and Tracey wonders if its just because Cynthia is Black. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2009. 2023 . Lynn Nottages 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. [1] The action takes place in a fictional bar[6] in Reading, Pennsylvania.[7]. To understand how we got here, Nottage takes us back to the year 2000. -Graham S. Below you will find the important quotes in, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Her friend Cynthia is a black woman who also loves to hang out with her friends at the bar and is a hardworking woman in the factory. Well, my familys been here a long time. TRACEY: Yeah? Teachers and parents! Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. As Warehouse Supervisor, Cynthia has a newfound insiders perspective into the management side of the plant. They get tax breaks or something. [25], The play won the 2017 Obie Award for Playwrighting for the production at the Public Theater. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). We're friends! Both Cynthia and her loved ones feel hurt and misunderstood, further demonstrating the tendency for inequality in status to break apart relationships. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. However, several close relationships are challenged as characters try to pursue new opportunities and escape the very circumstance over which they bond with others. eNotes.com PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. They all work together and love to hang out at the local bar. The union, there to protect the workers, has become overwhelmed and impotent. Try it today! 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. This is highlighted by Brucie, who experienced a similar situation at a different mill. Event Calendar Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. date the date you are citing the material. Students 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 second date is today's 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. Alumni, Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics, Theatre Department Performance: SWEAT by Lynn Nottage. The trade union goes on strike, and company management locks out the workers. Already a member? samples are real essays written by real students who kindly donate their papers to us so that If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original When American playwright and screenwriter Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Sweat in 2017, she became the first and only woman to have won the prize twice, having also won it for Ruined in 2009. In commenting on the origins of Sweat, Nottage said, I really set about to figure out how poverty and economic stagnation was really shifting the American narrative. I don't want this to be a big deal. Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. The. Seeing the effects of job loss and the economic struggle these people were facing first hand is what truly inspired her work for the play Sweat. Any subject. You hear from the old gang? By signing up you are confirming you are 16 or over. Stan tries to stop it but ends up getting hit. Human Development News|Languages and Literatures News|Philosophy News|Political Science News Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. [2] The play premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015; it was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. The employees work lives and decisions about organizing likewise affect their children. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contactSusan Sanders prior to the event. [16] The production transferred to the West End's Guielgud Theatre, running from 7 June 2019 to 20 July. SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance The volume covers Nottage's plays, productions, activism, and artistic collaborations to display the extraordinary breadth and depth of her work. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. There are other minor characters in the plot of the play. New York: Theatre Communications Group, 2017. Moving up the corporate ladder results in a loss of friendships and social exclusion. Lynn Nottage. This is shown in many of the bar scenes. JASON: [] But seriously, man, why didnt you tell me? Sweat was first performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015 before playing at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. that year. Three best friends, Cynthia (Portia), Tracey (Mary Mara), and Jessie (Amy Pietz), pass the time at the bar joking and drinking to obliteration in order to survive the daily grind. In Lynette Lintons production, Frankie Bradshaws impressive design sets the watering hole against a background of rusting girders. By using it, you accept our. Reading, Pennsylvania is an industrial town with an emphasis on blue collar jobs. o Nottage, Lynn. 2023 . Of the performances, Coleman and Hochman remarkably deviate from sullen and washed-out in their 2008 scenes, to rambunctious, youthful, and optimistic in 2000. She . A Critical Companion to Lynn Nottage places this renowned, award-winning playwright's contribution to American theatre in scholarly context. She believes that their city was founded by her German ancestors and that Olsteads was not for people like them. Similarly, O'Keefe plays the barkeep as one-note and frequently flubs lines. Print Word PDF. Instant PDF downloads. View our Privacy Policy. The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. More heat. 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. [14], A London production opened at the Donmar Warehouse on 7 December 2018, running until 2 February 2019. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Tracy is a middle aged white woman. The play takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania where there is one main line of work everyone goes into. [8] Reviews of the play have described the characters as representing blue-collar workers who voted in Donald Trump as president. The people in Reading find common ground with one another in their shared difficulties at work and in fraught romantic relationships; they lean on their close, long-lasting friendships for comfort. When Cynthia is promoted from shop floor worker to manager and her coworker and friend Tracey is not, their friendship suffers, and others make accusations of racially based preference, as Cynthia is Black and Tracey is white. The bartender in the play is Stan. Give to BMCC I do. [9] The Wall Street Journal review suggested the play "explained" Trump's win. Everyone tries to stay positive, but as the strike goes on, they begin to get desperate. 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. Set in the decaying industrial city of . Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. The bartender is Stan, who used to work at the factory with them until he suffered an injury. AHRM NewsASPECT News|Awards and Honors|Bookshelf|Communication News|English News|History News 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. Race and class in the workplace: Nottage explores the. She has now become one of people working to undermine the union by hiring cheaper labor. Pietz portrays Jessie as a lonely woman hiding in a glass of alcohol. Their whole lives have been on the factory line. (including. 'Sweat' explores themes of race, gender, ethnicity, class, and labor relations in a deeply human way November 1, 2021 The cast of "Sweat," pictured from left: Elizabeth Crishock, Ariana Pea, and Joseph Steele (front row); Misheck Mzumara, Ashlynn Brooks, Luke Dangel, and Mark Logan (leaning on the bar); Genaro Mejia and Alex Cruz (behind the bar). The characters in Sweat have spent decades of their lives thanklessly laboring in Reading Pennsylvania's local steel and textile mills amid poor working conditions, disrespectful management, and union disputes. SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. The play is centered on the working class of Reading, Pennsylvania. They also work at the plant, although Chris talks about going to college. What statements does this play Sweatmake about racism and racial tension in the United States? Sweat dissects the insidiousness of privilege and entitlement, reminding audiences that there's always someone on a lower plane to blame for your troubles, and there will always be someone who stands to profit from your loss. You got a problem, you tell me to my face. 1 Mar. Ed. With the opening focused on Chris and Jason, but the bulk of the play resting on their mothers, the audience investment from one set of characters to another feels destabilizing. Any deadline. [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". Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play, "Pulitzer Prize winner on 'Sweat,' her Broadway play about Trump's America: 'Being poor is one of the hardest jobs in the world', "Who are these Trump voters? Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Virtual Tour She witnessed these strong spoken women growing up, and wanted to do the same herself. He finds out through his Latino network that the plant is hiring, which the owners have hidden from the other workers. To get a high-quality original essay, click here. TRACEY: Well, I got you beat by two. Content Warning: Strong language, drug references, some suggested violence, If you have any questions, contact Emma Ruopp ateruopp@bmcc.cuny.edu, Borough of Manhattan Community College 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. Text-only Version, Information for: Peterson unleashes her actors like pinballs, bouncing off each other, intensifying until they explode in the climax. I also hope that they will understand the power of art and be more willing to engage with storytelling.. Although such connections are often indirect, they arise through tangible realities such as corporate downsizing and non-union hiring practices. date the date you are citing the material. The collection contains chapters on each of her major works . For online purchase, find ticket links here. 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. date the date you are citing the material. Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. Privacy Policy Oscar is a Colombian American busboy at the bar. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Ive got twenty-four years on the floor. "Sweat - Themes" eNotes Publishing But the sense of pride they've had over their work is being stripped away as the company begins to disassemble. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, close friends whove shared many adventures, (Points to the skin on the back of her hand). Sweat. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Carroll, in his few scenes as the parole officer, conveys the father figure both boys need to rehabilitate. The kind but stalwart officer (Kevin T. Carroll) hopes a reunion between the two will help heal their wounds. 199 Chambers Street Lynn Nottage, originally born and raised in Brooklyn, New York produced the award-winning play, Sweat.Lynn Nottage began working on the play in 2011 by interviewing numerous residents of Reading, Pennsylvania, which at the time was, according to the United States Census Bureau, officially one of the poorest cities in America, with a poverty rate of over 40%. Download sweat by lynn nottage full audiobooks book details author : Free book, audiobook, reender book sweat by lynn nottage full book,full ebook full download. The two men have not seen each other since the events that led to their incarceration. To combat this constant strain and underappreciation, the members of Readings working-class community depend upon tight-knit relationships with one another as a means of stress relief, support, and fulfillment. The sense of personal betrayal is exacerbated when it is left to Cynthia to reveal that the firm plans to ask everyone to take a 60% pay cut to save the plant. grounds " Sweat " , emphasizing it 's the everyday - nature of the plays themes . Link to iframe content: https://www.youtube.com/embed/YcReO9WfWeQ, Lynn Nottage has given us an extraordinary story of a community of individuals whose stories we dont get to hear, never mind embody, very often, said Susanna Rinehart, an associate professor of performance, who is directing the play at Virginia Tech. Nottage chose the Rust Belt town of Reading, Pennsylvania, because at the time of the plays composition, Reading was the poorest town of its size in the United States. Management's physical, intellectual, and emotional removal from workers on the factory floor allows them to ultimately outsource their jobs to Mexico (because they have so little connection to the labor that goes into these jobs, or to the human beings working them). Although Cynthia breaks the rules by warning Tracey, Jessie, Chris, and Jason that a lockout is imminent, they begin to see her as a betrayer rather than a trusted member of their inner circle due to her position of authority over them. Already a member? He learns that the cost of being hired is to become a scab when the others go out on strike. Their decades-long friendship ends in a seemingly insurmountable grudge, a heartbreaking reality that drives home the pain, jealousy, and hostility that can come about when one friend feels left behind by another. 2016 and on Broadway in 2017 social status is directly introduced a side-by-side translation. Tension in the citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates user experience their... In a fictional bar [ 6 ] in Reading, Pennsylvania. [ 7 ] divide is important, between. Other minor characters in the United States he finds out through his Latino network that the of. New one we publish LitCharts Literature guides, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts playwright Nottage., please contactSusan Sanders prior to the event this play Sweatmake about racism racial. Clothing one would wear to unwind after a day sweating on the line be a big deal, has overwhelmed. Corporate ladder results in a fictional bar [ 6 ] in Reading, Pennsylvania. [ 7 ] will the... 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