sweat lynn nottage tracey monologue

ASHLAND, Ore. Sweat, the title of Lynn Nottages scorching new play, refers to the hard labor that its characters have put in for decades, only to find their modest livelihoods threatened by the evaporation of manufacturing jobs in America. Forget all that. After a long work shift at Olsteads mill, three middle-aged female friendsan African American woman named Tracey, an Italian American woman named Jessie, and a German American woman named Cynthiahang out at Stans bar. sweat by lynn nottage dramatists play service inc. sweat.indd 1 1/2/2018 9:40:28 am Weve just come Start: Every since her father hung himse Start: Not us. Want new monologue material three days a week? He tells Evan about how he recently saw Jason: the two men had hugged on the street despite their heightened emotions and Jasons offensive tattoos. No thank you. A.E. Actors Ensemble is an all-volunteer company. (The Nafta treaty is invoked with four-letter opprobrium.). Though Chris initially attempts to calm Jason and prevent an eruption of violent anger, he joins Jason as he beats Oscar. passionate and necessarya masterful depiction of the forces that divide and conquer usSWEAT communicates its points with minimal fuss and maximum grit. Well, my familys been here a long time. Certainly I found myself squirming in my seat as I watched the forces of fate, or, to be more specific, the mechanics of 21st-century American capitalism, bear down on these characters with the brutal power of a jackhammer smashing through concrete. Esther Intimate Apparel 3 Until the plays penultimate scene, Sweat keeps the nature of its climactic act of violence a secret, and the sense of mystery is underscored by questions posed and unanswered between mothers and sons, and the men and their parole officer, Evan (Lance Coadie Williams) in the 2008 scenes. I believe the arts should be fun and I just want to help my fellow theatre lovers in the neverending quest to find the perfect monologue! Lynn Nottage (born November 2, 1964) is an American playwright whose work often focuses on the experience of working-class people, particularly working-class people who are Black.She has received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice: in 2009 for her play Ruined, and in 2017 for her play Sweat.She was the first (and remains the only) woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama two times. The following month, Oscar tells Stan that hes taken on some temporary hours at Olsteads because it pays so well, but Stan warns him that doing so will anger the floor workers whove been locked out. We can suggest monologues, just ask. Want interviews with fellow actors? Waking up, going to the factory, working all day, and coming home. Oscar tells Tracey that him working at Olsteads isnt personal, but Tracey counters that to her, it is personal. Change). Changing the subject, Tracey tells Oscar that Cynthia only got the promotion because shes black and then makes an offhand comment about Latinx people like Oscar coming to Reading to get jobsbut Oscar says that he was born in Berks County just like Tracey was. Anyone can read what you share. The way the content is organized, Tracey is a middle-aged white woman of German descent; shes. STAN (Shouts): What the fuck do you want him to do? Nobodys going anywhere. Teachers and parents! Tracey's rude behavior toward Cynthia is driving a wedge in their decades-long friendship. This email address is being protected from spambots. Aspirations to another life may be common among these people, but such hopes are widely resented when they show signs of becoming reality. Cynthia (Kimberly Scott), the mother of Chris, has more pressing man trouble. In February, at the same bar, Jason, Chris, and Stan have a playful conversation about the motorcycle Jason wants to buy and about Chriss new girlfriend while Oscar listens in. But I meancmonyou guys coming over here, you can get a job faster than. Ms. Nottages sympathies clearly lie with the workers facing virtual if not literal extinction (there are swipes taken at the North American Free Trade Agreement), but the politics are embedded so deeply in the drama that we never feel the playwright is distorting the plays trajectory to score sociopolitical points. Then, Cynthia, Tracey, and Jessie enter, and Brucie harasses Cynthia until she agrees to talk to him. Eventually, everyone but Tracey shows up, and Cynthia and Jessie reminisce about their early days at the factory. They also discuss Freddy Brunner, an acquaintance who recently burned his own house down. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. "They white,". CYNTHIA: Fuck her. Cynthia sits alone in the bar, fantasizing about going on a . (including. var path = 'hr' + 'ef' + '='; You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. And to describe the play as a trenchant and insightful analysis of the consequences of the sharp decline in factory work in the country, and the gutting of once-mighty unions, may make it sound like a hortatory tract aimed at raising awareness of the human blight these trends have caused. Though the women are friendly with Stan, they do not acknowledge Oscar as he works in the background. After some urging from Cynthia, Tracey also agrees to apply (albeit with some misgivings). Tracey, Jessie, and Jason make racist slurs and comments at Oscar, and Jason stands up threateningly. She had unwisely let her ex-husband, Brucie (Kevin Kenerly), move back in for a few days around the Christmas holidays, only to wake up on the morning itself and find half the presents under the tree gone as well as her fish tank. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Cynthia says she plans to apply, hoping for better opportunities. But a little more indirection would be more dramatically satisfying. Sweat Character Tracey Gender Female Age Range Adult, Mature Adult Style Dramatic Act/Scene Act One, Scene Five Time & Place April 2000, Outside a bar Length Long Time Period Contemporary Show Type Play Tags worker working class memory nostalgia family legacy emotional Context Tracey is outside the bar smoking. CYNTHIA: More money. Tracey goes outside to smoke a cigarette, and Oscar comes out to ask her about working at Olsteadshe recently saw a job posting at the local Latino Community Center. But to get to the heart of the matter: Sweat opens with scenes set in 2008, depicting a parole officer (Tyrone Wilson) in meetings with two ex-convicts, imprisoned for their involvement in the same crime, who have come through the system with deeply divergent results. Lynn Nottage explains how a broken city gets a turn onstage in her play Sweat.. But Chris has his heart set on following his own pathits just something he has to do. [1] It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In 2000, Tracey and her best friends, Cynthia and Jessie, have worked at Olstead's Steel Tubing in Reading, Pennsylvania, for over 20 years. Since the twenties, okay? New York, NY, SM for Poor Yella Rednecks (LogOut/ I dont know why. There is a rich eloquence in his inarticulateness that this well-spoken play could use more of. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." JASON: Shit, I just kinda thought wed retire and open a franchise together. Tracey encourages her son, escalating his confrontation into violence. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Oscar doesnt care, thougheveryone in Reading others him, so he feels no loyalty to them. He thinks Jason and Chris should move on and get out of Reading. ISBN 978-1-55936-532-1 for edition reference. I got eyes. Nottages characters were based on personal research and interviews she conducted in Reading throughout 2011. The play flashes forward to October 2008, a couple of weeks after Jason and Chriss parole meetings. Mary Mara, left, as Tracey, and Portia as Cynthia in "Sweat," Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama at the Mark Taper Forum about a factory town in Pennsylvania. Struggling with distance learning? to save jobs, and Olsteads will lock them out if they dont accept. JASON: [] Eleven dollars an hour? Jason and Chris solemnly reflect that it is kind of Oscar to take care of Stan. Waking up, going to the factory, working all day, and coming home. 4) New to auditioning? Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Actors Ensemble of Berkeley - P.O. At this. She says that the U.S. plant has gotten too expensive to operate, and because of NAFTA, Olsteads can easily outsource labor to Mexico. Just as Jessie is vulnerably sharing her unrealized dreams of seeing the world as a young woman, Tracey bursts in. The scene switches to Evans parole meeting with Chris, a black man whos struggling to integrate back into society since his release because hes ashamed of being a felon and consumed with remorse over what he did. MONOLOGUE: Sweat Cliff Rooks 32 subscribers Subscribe 1.6K views 5 years ago This is a monologue from the play "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage We reimagined cable. If I had pompoms, Id be waving them now. This poignant play takes a look at the de-industrial revolution through the lens of a history play, but also delves into the issues of today: the economy, immigration, race-relations in America, and politics. TRACEY: [] It was back when if you worked with your hands people respected you for it. The characters in this play dont have money or options and the walls are closing in fast, so for the SWEAT monologues were looking for raw yet vulnerable portrayals. Sweat by Lynn Nottage marlenaeckel March 13, 2020 Drama, Medium, Men, Monologue, Short, Women Monologue, Monologues, Theater, Theatre What is it about? Note: We are restricted by licensing concerns to casting to type. Lynn Nottages Sweat gives us characters filled with the good and the bad and asks us to reflect on our own views and the views of others. The four men uneasily wait for the next moment, together yet divided. Tracey, a middle-aged white woman who works at the local Olstead's Steel Tubing plant, is adamant that German immigrants like her grandparents built Reading from the ground up and made it what it is today. A drunken Jessie is passed out at a table while Tracey and Cynthia dance; theyre clearly close with each other and with Stan, the bartender with whom they engage in flirtatious banter. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. More heat. Jacking aint for softies! But they know they can always find somebody willing to get their hands sweaty. Cynthia and Tracey worry that Jessies problem with alcohol could get her fired. If you don't have a resume, just put down whatever experience you feel might be applicable. Though it is steeped in social combustibility, Sweat often feels too conscientiously assembled, a point-counterpoint presentation in which every disaffected voice is allowed its how-I-got-this-way monologue. Tracey and Jessie show up and get into an argument with Cynthia, calling her a traitor. In April, Cynthia has gotten the promotion to Warehouse Supervisor, and she and her friends celebrate at the bar. At the same time, all the characters in Sweat are given to elaborate passages of exposition, laying out the histories of their families, their employers, their city. Three exemplary charactersTracey, Cynthia, and Jessieare all working class . The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. More vacation. The play flashes back to January 2000. Instant PDF downloads. They built the house that I live in. Those traits are definitely on display in Sweat, which is directed by Kate Whoriskey and features a sturdy nine-member ensemble. Sweat is a two-act play written by Lynn Nottage. And this thoughtful, careful play only seldom acquires the distance-erasing passion of Ms. Nottages Ruined, the 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner about female casualties of the Congolese civil war. I know its tough out there, I understand. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Suddenly, they hear a drunken commotion from the bathroom, and Cynthia and, him out after his 21st birthday last October. Shakespeare in the Woods 2023 Season These scenes depict Tracey struggling with pill addiction, and Cynthia living in a small, cluttered, low-rent apartment. Sweat is the first, properly muscular play of the Trump era, directly addressing the political and cultural bedrock of his presidency: Nottage has already won the 2016 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. to learn more about this monologue from Sweat and unlock other amazing theatre resources! 264 0 obj <>stream But they are passages that turn those delivering these monologues into social case studies, a status that the bluntly drawn performances do not always combat. [2] The play premiered at the Oregon Chapter-by-chapter summaries and multiple sections of expert analysis, The ultimate resource for assignments, engaging lessons, and lively book discussions. 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. LitCharts Teacher Editions. You dont know what its been like to walk in my shoes. Hugging. Lynn Nottage Monologues Monologues from shows associated with Lynn Nottage Start: There you have it! She tells him that she and Tracey no longer speak after everything that happened. The play was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. While they talk, Oscar comes into the bar to get his things from the back and say goodbye to Stan just as Tracey comes out of the bathroom. The plot briefly shifts forward to 2008 with separate scenes of Jason and Chris visiting their mothers. Less work. Tracey Sweat 1 All monologues are property and copyright of their owners. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Jason is uncooperative when Evan asks him simple questions about his living situation and employment, and their tense interactions culminate in an argument wherein Jason yells racial slurs at Evan. Presiding over Traceys informal birthday party and the subsequent, less festive birthdays of Jessie and Cynthia is Stan (Jack Willis), the bartender, though not the owner of the bar. Complex matters of race, class and culture are handled with impeccable deftness. hbbd``b`Y $+A H0@caqA,7 $&$$1&F: O ! Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. It makes mewhatever. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Join the StageAgent community But, a chaotic fight ensues. Well. 'Sweat' - Lynn Nottage scene: Daniel Oakley (JASON) and Aaron Moore (CHRIS) Daniel 'Joey' Isaac-Meir Oakley 125 views 8 months ago Another Round with SWEAT: Creating a Community On Stage. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. That includes not only Reading, Pa., the steel town where the play is set, but also a beleaguered part of the United States in which jobs are under siege and identity is fraying. "Sweat" is by no means a thinly dramatized op-ed piece. It aint his fault. Well. Well, my familys been here for a long time. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs Lynn Nottage explains how a broken city gets a turn onstage in her play "Sweat.". With its large cast of precisely drawn characters most of whom, when not riled by fear about their dimming futures, are great company Sweat brims with the kind of ripe, richly imagined life associated with the work of the great August Wilson (a comparison I do not make lightly). SWEAT is a blistering ensemble drama about lives and friendships devastated by the ongoing deindustrialization of working-class America. But this much-trafficked watering hole also exerts a dangerous gravitational force, the kind that holds people in place when they should be moving on. Clearly, Tracey is acting out because she feels jealous of Cynthia and left behind by one of her oldest friends. There will always be someone wholl step in, unless we say NO! TRACEY: You want us to feel sorry for you? But I stood on line, patiently waiting for a break. TRACEY: Yeah? In Reading, Pennsylvania a group of factory workers are living their lives. Jason is hurt that Chris didnt tell him until now, and hes adamant that Chris cant leave Olsteads because theyre supposed to be a team. In September 2008, Jason, a man with white supremacist facial tattoos, meets with Evan, his African American parole officer. The plays final scene returns to 2008. After what went down. With the use of distinct dialog, actions, and belief structures for each of the characters, the characters (on paper and on stage) stand out as unique individuals that the audience can identify with. We ask that you familiarize yourself with the story to prepare your audition. I don't want this to be a big deal. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Learn more. 239 0 obj <> endobj Sweat explores how industrial decline affected workers in the former steel and textile town. For full extended monologue, please refer to clips or the script edition cited here: Nottage, Lynn, Sweat, Theatre Communications Group, 2017, p. 49. College/University, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. The way the content is organized, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage spent two years visiting Reading, Pa., to research her new play. To laud them individually would require another review. For that reason alone, the arrival on Broadway of Sweat, which originated at the fertile Oregon Shakespeare Festival and was previously staged in New York at the Public Theater, warrants serious applause. Jason and Chris speak separately to their parole officer, Evan. Chris eventually becomes angry as well, and he joins Jason in beating Oscar. Changing the subject, Oscar notes the loud party in the bar, and, the counter. Welcome to the Actors Ensemble of Berkeley website! The two women begin talking about recent changes at Olsteads: theres an open position for Warehouse Supervisor, and to Traceys surprise, Cynthia is thinking of going for the job. If he was here I wouldnt stop you. At the same time, Chris goes to Cynthias apartment, where hell be staying. 308 qualified specialists online. to learn more about this monologue from Sweat and unlock other amazing theatre resources! The play opens in a Reading parole office in 2008, panning back and forth between Jason and Chris. Click on the name of the character in that box. 440 Park Avenue South It is foolish to underestimate the anger in places like these, as the most recent presidential election confirmed. So were Jasons mother, Tracey (Johanna Day), and Chriss mother, Cynthia (Michelle Wilson). var addy8a2f2e70f3ae0d82a8dceea5de10147e = 'auditions' + '@'; Ive got twenty-four years on the floor. In the plays opening scene, Chris tells his parole officer about his first encounter with Jason after theyve been released from prison. Cynthia spends her birthday alone in the bar, where she confides in Stan how stressed and guilty she feels about locking her friends (and her own son) out of the plant. Your computer should open a new tab with the monologue. Girl, hes a loser. Ms. Nottages colloquial dialogue doesnt approach or even attempt his singing lyricism, but Jessie delivers a beautiful monologue about the life she might have led had she not, when still a teenager, started working in a factory. Soon they are out of work and replaced by those who will work for less. Lynn Nottage, Tracey is outside the bar smoking. Oscar, the often-ignored Colombian American busboy, escorts her to the bathroom. Everyone complains about the factory, but the work it has provided for generations of Reading residents shapes the rhyme and reason of their shared world. So does the fact that it marks the belated Broadway debut of Ms. Nottage, a justly acclaimed dramatist of ambitious scope and fierce focus. Chris tries to break it up, but Oscar headbutts him, and, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. JASON: [] All Im saying is that he needs to understand the price of that dinner hes putting on his table. To access the monologues, click the highlighted link. On the national news, George Bush, the Republican presidential candidate, is traveling in the Midwest. Scene 2 pans back to 2000. Sweat is by no means a thinly dramatized op-ed piece. (The unobtrusively on-target set is by John Lee Beatty, with costumes in the same vein by Jennifer Moeller.). Sweat Summary. Cynthia begs everyone to stop yelling, but she eventually reveals that Olsteads is going to renegotiate the floor workers contracts: in order to save jobs, there will be a 60-percent pay cut and concessions on benefits. He struggles even with this basic task, and it is clear that Oscar employs him out of empathy, the desire to give Stan a sense of purpose. going to renegotiate the floor workers contracts, and theyre prepared to fight for significant concessions. Ms. Nottage, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Ruined, her terrific drama about the human cost of a civil war in Africa, has surpassed even that achievement with Sweat, which is making its premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival here in a blazingly well-acted production directed by Kate Whoriskey, who also directed the premiere production of Ruined. (Sweat, co-commissioned by Arena Stage in Washington, opens there in January.). Jason asks where his mom is, but Jessie doesnt know; Jason reassures her that, Berks County, Pennsylvania, experiences a 111-percent rise in power shutoffs. Im cool with everyone. The parolees are Jason (Will Pullen) and Chris (Khris Davis), and they were once the closest of friends. Both men have recently been released from jail, though the play does not immediately reveal why they were imprisoned. Started in 74, walked in straight outta high school. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. And theyre right. We dont really. Complete your free account to request a guide. He advises them to take any concessions that are offered to prevent a lockout from happening. Ms. Nottage did intensive research for this play, and it shows, perhaps more than it should. That the people onstage are middle-class or lower-middle-class folks too rarely given ample time on American stages makes the play all the more vital a contribution to contemporary drama. Our experts can deliver a Lynn Nottage's "Sweat" Play Production essay. Brucie warns them that no machines means no jobshe thinks theyre about to be in the same situation hes in. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. TRACEY: Listen, that piece of paper youre holding is an insult, it dont mean anything, Olsteads isnt for you. Stan commiserates with Bruciehe spent 28 years at Olsteads and is glad that his injury got him out of there. There is little doubt that when the rage festering among them fully erupts, no one will emerge unscarred. Sharp and threatening as a box cutter bladeferociously engrossingSWEAT never feels less than authenticand crucial. Deadline.com. With the hard-drinking Jessie (Alison Wright), these women form a triumvirate that gathers regularly at their hangout to celebrate one anothers birthdays and swap workplace gossip and grievances. START: Well. Thus, the play foreshadows the human toll of the factorys forthcoming lay-offs. Sweat is a two-act play written by Lynn Nottage. It is also striking how abruptly the scenes and action change. New York, NY, Escape To Margaritaville Mothers, sons and Jessie work for the towns venerable steel tubing factory. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, (Points to the skin on the back of her hand). Jason (Stephen Michael Spencer), with white-supremacist tattoos etched into his face and neck, reacts with sullen anger to questions about his prospects. As the strike progresses, the workers grow increasingly desperate. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Besides, Oscar would need to be in the union and to know someone at the plant to get a job there. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Meanwhile, Oscar goes to work at Olsteads as a scab employee, eager to make more money than he does at the bar. So does the presence of Stans helper, Oscar (Carlo Albn), whose family comes from Colombia. Sweat play by lynn nottage pdf SweatWritten byLynn NottageDate premiered2015 (2015)Place premieredOregon Shakespeare FestivalOriginal languageEnglishSettingReading, Pennsylvania Sweat is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. Brucie admits that he feels lost, and he recounts an incident of racism he recently experienced at the labor union. CHRIS: Cmon. The following month, Brucie sits at the bar and confides in Stan about the lockout at his textile mill, which has been going on for nearly two years. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. The play instantly becomes a grim social drama about factory operators in the NAFTA era who may . Posted in Auditions. Its a tragic story of everyday people struggling to pick up the pieces when their lives fall apart. 255 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<4E7A45B1E121404A9924C6C88D9A82A6>]/Index[239 26]/Info 238 0 R/Length 81/Prev 701207/Root 240 0 R/Size 265/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Thus, the flier ominously suggests that the factory managers intend to lay-off their existing staff. You go into buildings, the walls are covered over with sheetrock, the wood painted gray, or some ungodly color, and it just makes me sad. He tells her that hes in a rehab program, which doesnt impress Cynthia. Teachers and parents! Thats all I need to know. CYNTHIA: [] You know after everything. Time commitment: Up to 15 hours directed rehearsing (max 5 rehearsals), 4-8 . Though it takes place in 2000 and 2008, and one of its characters swears he will never vote again, Sweat is the first work from a major American playwright to summon, with empathy and without judgment, the nationwide anxiety that helped put Donald J. Trump in the White House. Instant PDF downloads. Generations dictated by the factory floor and the whims of American capitalism: A scene from Sweat, Lynn Nottages new drama, in a production at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Youve always been cool. As the tension of the moment is described here, you expect the men to hit each other. (including. Cynthia tells Tracey and Stan about how she recently kicked out her estranged husband, Brucie, againhe's been abusing drugs ever since he was locked out of his job at a local textile mill. urges her friends to meet them halfway unless they want to lose their jobs entirely. 3) If you have trouble submitting or are unable to film yourself, dont worry. var addy_text8a2f2e70f3ae0d82a8dceea5de10147e = 'auditions' + '@' + 'aeofberkeley' + '.' + 'org';document.getElementById('cloak8a2f2e70f3ae0d82a8dceea5de10147e').innerHTML += ''+addy_text8a2f2e70f3ae0d82a8dceea5de10147e+'<\/a>';
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