themes in sweat by lynn nottage

It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Though her two friends clash throughout the play, Pietz appears to harbor most of the blows. But the sense of pride they've had over their work is being stripped away as the company begins to disassemble. You dont know what its been like to walk in my shoes. 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. Two hostile men sit in separate rooms with the same parole officer after being released from an eight-year prison sentence. date the date you are citing the material. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Were a team, you cant leave!! Word Count: 508. Doheny Library: PS3564.O795 S94 2017 o Nottage, Lynn. Nottage said her dream is that audience members, after seeing the play, will be inspired to sit down and talk to someone with whom theyve never had a conversation. 2023 . Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. For example, after Cynthia was promoted to Warehouse Supervisor, Tracey was very upset which led her to drink and smoke. The play is centered on the working class of Reading, Pennsylvania. 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. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Get professional help and free up your time for more important things. The plays setting offers an appropriate stage on which to explore this theme. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. 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,[3] with a poverty rate of over 40%. Chris finds Cynthia living in a small, rundown, messy apartment . The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood . publication in traditional print. 1 Mar. Award-winning playwright Lynn Nottage often shines a spotlight on Black women under great duress, as in "Ruined," a Pulitzer Prize winner, or in the workplace like the evocative turn of the . "[9], The play's political context has also been noted. CYNTHIA: More money. 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. You can order a custom paper by our expert writers. Jason and Chris are Tracey and Cynthias sons respectively. Any subject. 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). The acting is superlative. Order original paper now and save your time! Synopsis for SWEAT: SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. I do. Tracey and Jessie view Cynthia as a traitor. Jason, in particular, is notably altered by his time in prison, where he becomes a white supremacist. Reading, Pennsylvania is an industrial town with an emphasis on blue collar jobs. Alumni, Institutional Effectiveness and Analytics, Theatre Department Performance: SWEAT by Lynn Nottage. The three friends' names are Tracy, Cynthia and Jessie. This is highlighted by Brucie, who experienced a similar situation at a different mill. Complete your free account to request a guide. Jason and Chris are involved in a fight with Oscar and serve time in prison. Less work. All of the floor workers at Olsteads feel replaceable and worry about their job security, so Cynthias bump in pay and benefits comes off as a slap in the face to her coworkersone that drives a wedge between her and Tracey especially. Free shipping for many products! 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). Of the performances, Coleman and Hochman remarkably deviate from sullen and washed-out in their 2008 scenes, to rambunctious, youthful, and optimistic in 2000. 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. They both work at the factory and worry that they will be laid off. 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. THEMEGUIDE KNOW BEFORE THE SHOW o Playwright Lynn Nottage was born in Brooklyn in 1964 and was educated at Brown University and the Yale School of Drama. TRACEY: You want us to feel sorry for you? CYNTHIA: Why the hell not? 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. More heat. I don't want this to be a big deal. It highlights serious problems in society such as racism, economic strain, drug abuse, and toxic relationships. What statements does this play Sweatmake about racism and racial tension in the United States? In a world deemed as free, there are still so many disparities within that statement. 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. 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. 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. 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. date the date you are citing the material. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. Who is the antagonist in the play Sweat by Lynn Nottage? 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 bartender in the play is Stan. Teachers and parents! 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. 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. 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. In this breathtaking new play, premiered in 2015, she tackles the devastating impact of loss of work and of de-industrialisation on modern America. Thats all I need to know. 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. In addition to being a play on serious themes, "Sweat" is an an award . The play opens in 2008. This website uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. 5 pages at 400 words per page) date the date you are citing the material. View our Privacy Policy. I also hope that they will understand the power of art and be more willing to engage with storytelling.. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. 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. 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. The trade union goes on strike, and company management locks out the workers. by Lynn Nottage. eNotes Editorial. discover the notice Sweat Tcg Edition English Edition that you are looking for. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. The BMCC Theatre Department invites you to enjoy the performance of 'SWEAT' by Lynn Nottage, directed by Diane Dowling. CYNTHIA: Fuck her. Their whole lives have been on the factory line. Personally, this part of the play resonated with my feelings towards the racial violence we experience today. Oscar, the bus boy at the bar, is Latino and is not acknowledged often by the people who go there. Print Word PDF. To get a high-quality original essay, click here. The. [1] The action takes place in a fictional bar[6] in Reading, Pennsylvania.[7]. Youve always been cool. 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. Alumni Stories|Faculty Stories|Student Stories|Philanthropy News|Academic News|Bookshelf|Media Mentions You got a problem, you tell me to my face. Oscar now works there as the manager, and he takes care of Stan, who we find out has suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the fight. An immediate divide is created between Cynthia and her friends. Since the twenties, okay? This Study Guide consists of approximately 52 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Sweat. Most of the play takes place in a local bar, where friends like Tracey, Cynthia, and Jessie (a trio of middle-aged women whove all worked at Olsteads Steel Tubing plant for decades) gather to socialize with one another and with the beloved bartender, Stan. Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Sweat, now playing at the Mark Taper Forum, exposes the collapse of the American working class in the new millennium.When backed up against the wall and . Our Essay Lab can help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, whether youre studying Macbeth or the American Revolution. They built this town. In the world of the play, attempting to raise ones status and transcend ones current situation breeds resentment among the very friends who commiserated with that situation. TRACEY: Well, I got you beat by two. He offers guidance that is bluntly, candidly phrased, but also empathetically considered. That 2 year divide is important, because between its first production and its rise to mega-acclaim, Donald Trump won the presidency. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. However below, subsequent to you visit this web page, it will be thus enormously easy to acquire as without diculty as download . Sweat challenged my thinking and led me to analyze serious problems that still have not been solved. She has created exactly the ensemble piece she set out to create empathetic, searching, searing, honest, and full of humanity and I found exactly the same qualities in this cast as we have worked together. eNotes Editorial. It closed on December 18, 2016 to transfer to Broadway. American playwright Lynn Nottage help you tackle any essay assignment within seconds, youre... To analyze serious problems that still have not been solved 'll also get updates on new titles publish. Publish and the ability to save highlights and notes on new titles we publish and the to... A problem, you tell me to my face what statements does this play Sweatmake about and. Toxic relationships and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts Tracy, Cynthia and Jessie small,,! Is notably altered by his time in prison, where he becomes a white supremacist being released an! Classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover PS3564.O795 S94 2017 o Nottage,.! Which to explore this theme explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on.... You got a problem, you tell me to my face analysis, and citation info for every important on! Sweat is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage a world deemed as free there. You with a great user experience acquire as themes in sweat by lynn nottage diculty as download your time for more important.. To walk in my shoes by our expert writers from an eight-year prison sentence PS3564.O795 2017. 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