CYNTHIA: I didnt expect you to understand, babe. Beyond that, however, Mara doesn't project the character's humanity, which leads a character meant to propel the story to instead fall flat. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. [25], The play won the 2017 Obie Award for Playwrighting for the production at the Public Theater. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Free shipping for many products! Tensions rise as Cynthias new position pits her against her friends. The second date is today's Tracey and Jessie grow bitter. 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. Ive got twenty-four years on the floor. 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. ', 'Come From Away', and 'Anastasia' Lead 2017 Drama Desk Award Nominations", "2017 Tony Award Nominations: 'The Great Comet' and 'Hello, Dolly!' Similarly, O'Keefe plays the barkeep as one-note and frequently flubs lines. What statements does this play Sweatmake about racism and racial tension in the United States? Fred Mazelis. She used these substances as coping mechanisms which also led her to say racist comments about her own friend. At Donmar Warehouse, London, until 26 January. 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. 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. [4] The play was produced off-Broadway in 2016, and on-Broadway in 2017. The three friends' names are Tracy, Cynthia and Jessie. But I meancmonyou guys coming over here, you can get a job faster than. 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. If there are three dates, the first date is the date of the original Moving up the corporate ladder results in a loss of friendships and social exclusion. [13] The production closed on June 25, 2017, after 105 performances. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. 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 100% plagiarism free, Orders: 7 Library [8][12] The production began previews on Broadway at Studio 54 on March 4, 2017, before opening on March 26. He finds out through his Latino network that the plant is hiring, which the owners have hidden from the other workers. -Graham S. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. New York, NY 10007 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. To understand how we got here, Nottage takes us back to the year 2000. Get professional help and free up your time for more important things. 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. School of Performing Arts News|Science, Technology, and Society News|Sociology News, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences 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. [] Im not prejudice, I say, you are who you are, you know? Both mother and son are shocked to see the other's transformation, wrought by painful experiences of the past eight years. But the sense of pride they've had over their work is being stripped away as the company begins to disassemble. In the scenes from 2000, before the young men get into trouble, Nottage sets much of the action in a fictional bar in the characters' working-class town of Reading, Pennsylvania, where people who. For online purchase, find ticket links here. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Background. you can use them for inspiration and simplify your student life. Unfortunately, that kinetic energy is all on one level, high, so the audience feels distanced from the characters. Ultimately, Sweat shows the interpersonal costs of raising ones station: when desperate people strive for more out of life, fellow desperate peopleeven, and especially, dear friendswill often respond with resentment rather than support. TRACEY: You want us to feel sorry for you? samples are real essays written by real students who kindly donate their papers to us so that I cant think of any recent play that tells us so much, and so vividly, about the state of the union. This in-personevent will take place in BMCCs Theatre II. 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. You hear from the old gang? Jason and Chris are Tracey and Cynthias sons respectively. This kind of intimate friendship seems to be the norm rather than the exception in Reading: Traceys son Jason and Cynthias son Chris are also best friends who work at Olsteads and who depend on each other for solidarity and camaraderie. Text-only Version, Information for: Two hostile men sit in separate rooms with the same parole officer after being released from an eight-year prison sentence. You can order a custom paper by our expert writers. publication in traditional print. 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. Human Development News|Languages and Literatures News|Philosophy News|Political Science News I hope a lot of people come to see it.. Essay Example: What Is The Theme Of Sweat By Lynn Nottage Sweat was a meaningful production as there are many important themes to take away from the story. date the date you are citing the material. The. CYNTHIA: [] I dont deserve the things youve been saying. (including. The BMCC Theatre Department invites you to enjoy the performance of SWEAT by Lynn Nottage, directed by Diane Dowling. Complimentary and Deeply Discounted Shows. eNotes.com [26], Sweat received three 2017 Tony Award nominations: Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for both Johanna Day and Michelle Wilson. John Earl Jelks is heartbreaking as Chris's father, a maddened drug addict who has lost the respect of his family. LitCharts Teacher Editions. [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. . She cannot stand the way Reading has been changing over the years. They get tax breaks or something. What Nottage captures brilliantly is the way work, however hard or demanding, gives people an identity and purpose. Sweat is preceded by an excerpt from Langston Hughess Let America Be America Again, a poem that critiques the false promise of the American Dream and encourages poor and working-class Americans (among other marginalized groups) to rise up and make America againessentially to redeem the oppression theyve faced and the opportunities theyve been cheated out of. Management is for them. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." This review of Lynn Nottage's "Sweat," which opened on Broadway Sunday with the same cast, first appeared in November with the opening of the original Public Theater production. 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. Characters are saddened and enraged in the face of wage cuts, and conflicts erupt between them as they struggle to navigate their lives in the face of diminishing opportunities. As a community already steeped in tradition and resistant to outsiders, this downturn causes Readings white working class to become downright hostile toward black and Latinx peopleeven individuals they once called friendsbecause they believe minorities are stealing their jobs away. 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. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs The employees work lives and decisions about organizing likewise affect their children. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Sweat [TCG Edition] Good Book 0 paperback at the best online prices at eBay! It highlights serious problems in society such as racism, economic strain, drug abuse, and toxic relationships. Find additional parking information here. Centered on the working class of Reading, Pennsylvania, Sweat tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. There are a group of friends that work for the steel factory. 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. A lot of wrong things can be said under the influence, and I believe most of their arguments all began with the abuse of alcohol. Since the twenties, okay? The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Youve always been cool. 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. In a world deemed as free, there are still so many disparities within that statement. Note: When citing an online source, it is important to include all necessary dates. The kind but stalwart officer (Kevin T. Carroll) hopes a reunion between the two will help heal their wounds. 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. Themes and Colors LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Sweat, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Doheny Library: PS3564.O795 S94 2017 o Nottage, Lynn. Lead the Pack", How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sweat_(play)&oldid=1127802853, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia introduction cleanup from May 2022, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from May 2022, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 December 2022, at 19:00. The Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by American playwright Lynn Nottage focuses on race, class, prejudice and friendship. 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. 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. 1 Mar. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance In Sweat, Tracey was adamant that Cynthia only got the promotion because she's black and that Oscar could only get a job at the Warehouse out of pity. "Sweat," Lynn Nottage's 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama set in a faltering factory town in Pennsylvania, magnificently answers the call for more far-ranging American playwriting. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. By showing how people, Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Note: All essays placed on IvyMoose.com are written by students who kindly donate their papers to us. [2] The play premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015; it was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. 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. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contactSusan Sanders prior to the event. Event Calendar The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. Teachers and parents! It highlights serious problems in society such as racism, economic strain, drug abuse, and toxic relationships. Tracey and Jessie grow bitter as their job security is threatened and their wages cut, while their friend Cynthia receives a promotion. Refine any search. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. This website uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Download the entire Sweat study guide as a printable PDF! I do. Directory, News Oscar, the busboy at a bar, is viewed as a traitor when he begins working at the factory the friends and their union are protesting. Already a member? Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Although such connections are often indirect, they arise through tangible realities such as corporate downsizing and non-union hiring practices. Tracey talks about an upcoming promotion at work and how there is a rumor that they want to promote someone from the floor to a manager position. Try it today! 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. This Study Guide consists of approximately 52pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - Synopsis for SWEAT: SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. "Sweat - Summary" eNotes Publishing eNotes.com, Inc. Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. This contributed to the story of the play, as we continually see different scenes centered around drinking, especially after work or on stressful days. Jason finds that Tracey has a significant pill addiction. Oscar and his coworker Stan (the bartender at the bar where the characters all hang out) are attacked in a demonstration. 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. 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