Act 2, Scene 1 Summary. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. 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. [] I betcha they wanted a minority. Whether its the discussion that Oscar doesnt deserve a job or him being attacked, they are all just as equally painful and wrong. The union, there to protect the workers, has become overwhelmed and impotent. I feel that its a common problem in our society to portray immigrants as needy and that they get special treatment for their race. Tracey? One of the major plot points in this ensemble driven piece is Cynthia's promotion to management at Olstead's factory. [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. It is bookended by scenes showing two young ex-cons confronting their parole officer, but the bulk of the action is set eight years earlier, in the year 2000, in a downtown bar where women workers from the local factory hang out. Since the twenties, okay? After the lockout goes forward, Cynthias friendship with Tracey completely disintegratesand when the play jumps forward from 2000 to 2008, its revealed that theyve never reconciled. 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. There are a group of friends that work for the steel factory. Faculty & Staff The play, however, takes place pre-Trump. 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. Portia is stiff as Cynthia, talking at the characters instead of speaking her peace. This is highlighted by Brucie, who experienced a similar situation at a different mill. Last Updated on October 4, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. They are getting out of jail after a conflict they were both involved in. CYNTHIA: I didnt expect you to understand, babe. The volume covers Nottage's plays, productions, activism, and artistic collaborations to display the extraordinary breadth and depth of her work. Any deadline. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. These fights over workers rights have claimed large parts of the lives of all three men, and their mothers must await their sons release, knowing their criminal record and their experience of incarceration will stay with them forever. You got a problem, you tell me to my face. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. [8] Reviews of the play have described the characters as representing blue-collar workers who voted in Donald Trump as president. This is shown in many of the bar scenes. You can order a custom paper by our expert writers. You hear from the old gang? 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. The fact that everyone in Reading is trying to keep their heads above water seemingly makes them less encouraging rather than more so when their friends try to get ahead. 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. They get tax breaks or something. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. We are left hoping the characters will attempt to make amends as we see the effects of the conflict. I hope that they will ask really tough conversations, not just of themselves but of the legislators and the people who are in power, she said. 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). 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. 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. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Struggling with distance learning? The second date is today's 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. Sweat is a two-act play written by Lynn Nottage. Jessie, another worker at the factory, is not so happy with how her life has turned out and has some problems with alcohol abuse. Variety described Nottage as going into "the heart of working-class America". In 2000, we meet best friends Tracey, Cynthia, and Jessie. Im not prejudice, but thats how things are going these days. 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. When layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a fight to stay afloat. Event Calendar The second is the date of The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood . 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. She believes that their city was founded by her German ancestors and that Olsteads was not for people like them. Stan seems to be the link between Oscar and the others, as the others treat Oscar like an outsider. Sweat is about the private toll of this great decline. Find additional parking information here. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. The play is centered on the working class of Reading, Pennsylvania. The last date is today's 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! Stan, a middle-aged white man with a limp, bartends, and when the two women invite him to dance with them, he refuses. [4] It also suggested that the play was reminiscent of the "working-class naturalism" of Clifford Odets, a playwright of the 1930s. We see how the plant uses ethnicity to divide workers in the case of Oscar, who is Latino. Thus, these essays are of lower quality than ones written by experts. She . 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. [10] It said that the city was "synonymous with deindustrialisation", for the effects there of loss of heavy industry and related jobs.[10]. ", "Lynn Nottage's Sweat Will Transfer to Broadway", "Lynn Nottages 'Sweat' to transfer to West End from Donmar Warehouse", "Olivier Awards 2019: Full list of nominations", "Shortlist for first Black British Theatre Awards 2019 announced", "Maggie Smith wins best actress award for role as Goebbels' secretary", "Lily Allen, Grayson Perry and Danny Boyle join prestigious list of artists hoping to scoop awards as nominations unveiled for The South Bank Sky Arts Awards 2019", "The Stage Debut Awards 2019 winners announced | WhatsOnStage", " 'Hello, Dolly! Sweat charts the connection between the broader economic trends that animate and shape American society and the lives of individual Americans who are affected by those trends. 1 Mar. Jump-start your essay with our outlining tool to make sure you have all the main points of your essay covered. More heat. Human Development News|Languages and Literatures News|Philosophy News|Political Science News You dont know what its been like to walk in my shoes. This contributed to the story of the play, as we continually see different scenes centered around drinking, especially after work or on stressful days. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. SWEAT is a 2015 play by American playwright Lynn Nottage. 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). Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. 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. 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? By using it, you accept our. 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. Doheny Library: PS3564.O795 S94 2017 o Nottage, Lynn. Note: All essays placed on IvyMoose.com are written by students who kindly donate their papers to us. 30 December 2016. LitCharts Teacher Editions. CYNTHIA: Why the hell not? Saturday-Sunday February 25 & 26 at 2pm . By clicking Receive Essay, you agree to our, Stereotypes inThe House on Mango Street Essay Example, Theme of Sexism in The Scarlet Letter Essay Sample, Argumentative Essay: The Dehumanization Of The Holocaust, Role of Social Class in Jane Eyre (Essay Sample), The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver Book Review, Essay Sample on Fahrenheit 451: The Frightening Analogy Between Societies, In Cold Blood and Criminal Justice Essay Example, Class Hierarchy inThe Great Gatsby Essay Example, Scrooge's Transformation in Dickens' A Christmas Carol Essay Sample, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. The employees work lives and decisions about organizing likewise affect their children. TRACEY: Yeah? 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. Of the performances, Coleman and Hochman remarkably deviate from sullen and washed-out in their 2008 scenes, to rambunctious, youthful, and optimistic in 2000. o Nottage, Lynn. Students Thursday-Saturday February 23-25 at 7:30pm. The playwright shows how owners manipulate individual efforts to advance in order to destroy solidarity and instead foster suspicions, mistrust, and rifts between friends. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Free shipping for many products! Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. The second is the date of 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. [1] It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. One of the major plot points in this ensemble driven piece is Cynthias promotion to management at Olsteads factory. Variety quotes the bartender, Stan, as warning the other characters that "You could wake up tomorrow and all your jobs are in Mexico", to which the characters respond with lethargy and disbelief. But I stood on line, patiently waiting for a break. Jason is a white man who is Tracey's son. The discrimination towards Oscar and others throughout the play stuck out to me because it is hard to see people who work so hard get torn down due to their heritage. 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. Jason and Chris are Tracey and Cynthias sons respectively. 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 action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. 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. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child, Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Oscar and his coworker Stan (the bartender at the bar where the characters all hang out) are attacked in a demonstration. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. He learns that the cost of being hired is to become a scab when the others go out on strike. Ed. For example, after Cynthia was promoted to Warehouse Supervisor, Tracey was very upset which led her to drink and smoke. But the sense of pride they've had over their work is being stripped away as the company begins to disassemble. The kind but stalwart officer (Kevin T. Carroll) hopes a reunion between the two will help heal their wounds. There are other minor characters in the plot of the play. Started in 74, walked in straight outta high school. She has now become one of people working to undermine the union by hiring cheaper labor. In one of the poorest cities in. The last date is today's CYNTHIA: [] I dont deserve the things youve been saying. [] Im not prejudice, I say, you are who you are, you know? The bartender is Stan, who used to work at the factory with them until he suffered an injury. They also work at the plant, although Chris talks about going to college. 199 Chambers Street Sweat was first performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015 before playing at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. that year. Before this, her inspiration came from her family. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child, Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine. The themes in Sweat are timeless, and the play is a microcosm of today's issues relating to poverty, race, and discrimination. [4] The characters portrayed were associated with Trump's election campaign phrase of "the forgotten people". Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. 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. 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. These are only the main characters. American playwright lynn nottage won the 2017 pulitzer prize for drama for. [7], The play has been described as "a powerful and emotional look at identity, race, economy, and humanity. Log in here. publication in traditional print. Academic Policies Last Updated on October 12, 2022, by eNotes Editorial. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Tracey and Jessie grow bitter. View our Privacy Policy. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. date the date you are citing the material. Registered About 3 Years Ago. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." 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. Sweat. publication in traditional print. Ive taken orders from idiots who were dangerous, or even worse, racist. date the date you are citing the material. Source: www.asolorep.org. 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. Complimentary and Deeply Discounted Shows. 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. 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. Get up and have no place to go Cynthia: [ ] I dont deserve the things youve been.. Any book or any question News|Languages and Literatures News|Philosophy News|Political Science News you dont know what its like! Being stripped away as the company begins to disassemble its been like to walk in my shoes Cynthias to... 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