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. 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. 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. Tracey Character Analysis in Sweat | LitCharts For full extended monologue, please refer to clips or the script edition cited here: Nottage, Lynn, Sweat, Theatre Communications Group, 2017, p. 49. 0 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. 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. Cynthia (Kimberly Scott), the mother of Chris, has more pressing man trouble. Writing that cuts this close to the bone draws out the best in actors. Were a team, you cant leave!! A month after this, Olsteads workers have rejected the deal they were offered, and the lockout goes forward. However, Brucie tells him its pointlessChris should follow his dreams and get an education instead. Changing the subject, Oscar notes the loud party in the bar, and, the counter. Cynthia receives the promotion, and her change in status generates tension between her and Tracey. 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. Lynn Nottage's Sweat gives us characters filled with the good and the bad and asks us to reflect on our own views and the views of . 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. TRACEY: Well, I got you beat by two. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. 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. Scene 3. Cynthia says she plans to apply, hoping for better opportunities. Online Audition Submissions Checklist, 2) Upload your head shot, resume, and link to your video audition to this audition form: https://forms.gle/uAnVNMz2Q6qMVvsPA. Time commitment: Up to 15 hours directed rehearsing (max 5 rehearsals), 4-8 . Sweat is located in Reading, Pennsylvania, one of Americas poorest cities with a poverty rate of over 40%. 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. In Reading, Pennsylvania a group of factory workers are living their lives. There is little doubt that when the rage festering among them fully erupts, no one will emerge unscarred. Now, the plant is bringing in Mexican immigrants as temporary laborers. Its searing and human. Chris Monologue from "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage - YouTube ISBN 978-1-55936-532-1 for edition reference. STAN: Okay, you keep telling yourself that, but you saw what happened over at Clemmons Technologies. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. STAN: Look. 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. Tracey's rude behavior toward Cynthia is driving a wedge in their decades-long friendship. It makes mewhatever. He apparently did so due to the stress of his failed marriage, debt, and rumors of cutbacks at Olsteads Steel Tubing (the mill where Tracey, Cynthia, and Jessie also work). hbbd``b`Y $+A H0@caqA,7 $&$$1&F: O ! I dont know why. There is a rich eloquence in his inarticulateness that this well-spoken play could use more of. Brucie warns them that no machines means no jobshe thinks theyre about to be in the same situation hes in. SWEAT Broadway Reviews | Broadway World Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama THE STORY: Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, 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. More trouble comes when rumors of layoffs begin swirling, and Cynthia finds herself caught between her duties as a manager and her sympathy with her friends in the union. In fact Id hold him down for you to give him a proper beating, but Oscarhes another story. He thinks Jason and Chris should move on and get out of Reading. 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! 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. Complex matters of race, class and culture are handled with impeccable deftness. 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. 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. Actors Ensemble is an all-volunteer company. You appreciate Ms. Nottages insistence that we be able to trace exactly the sources of her characters unhappiness. The plot of Sweat shifts between the present year of 2008 and an extended flashback to the year 2000. for only $13.00 $11.05/page. Tracey, Jessie, and Jason make racist slurs and comments at Oscar, and Jason stands up threateningly. Chris shares that Jason is out too, and Cynthia angrily reflects that Jason is the one who got Chris into trouble. Refine any search. And while its trajectory is dark, even devastating, Sweat is damn funny, too: Ms. Nottage knows well that the natural reactions to the assaults of life faced by these particular people are a savage sense of humor, and, more damagingly, a swan dive into the comforts of alcohol and drugs. View more posts. Your computer should open a new tab with the monologue. Anger. "They white,". Lynn Nottage Monologues | StageAgent In September, Jason and Chris run into Brucie (whos clearly high) at the bar, and Chris shares how his childhood memories of Brucie leading other men in a walkout at the mill inspire him to stay strong and keep protesting. Oscar, the often-ignored Colombian American busboy, escorts her to the bathroom. To laud them individually would require another review. 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. The flier advertises a much lower wage than Tracey makes, and it does not mention union requirements or benefits. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. The production team was the same as the Public Theater's, with the following change made to the cast: JESSIE .. Alison Wright 5 Jason and Chris speak separately to their parole officer, Evan. You hear from the old gang? [] I betcha they wanted a minority. Shes is upset that Cynthia seems to be ignoring her and sucking up to management. PDF SWEAT - Cold Reads/International Stan warns Oscar that he is putting himself in a dangerous position and stirring animosity among longtime employees. Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of Sweat by Lynn Nottage. var addy8a2f2e70f3ae0d82a8dceea5de10147e = 'auditions' + '@'; End: You go into the building, the walls are covered over with sheetrock, the wood painted gray, or some ungodly color, and it just makes me sad. Finally, Jason breaks and admits that he recently ran into Chris, whom Jason tried to forget while he was in prison. Box 663 - Berkeley - California - 94701 Our Answering Service: (510) 649-5999 . Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Undine Barnes Calles Fabulation or, The Re-Education of Undine 2 I come here from North Carolina at seven. Still, Cynthia and Tracey, who both have over 20 years of experience on the warehouse floor, are both set on applying. "Sweat" is by no means a thinly dramatized op-ed piece. Tell me about whats been going on. Since the twenties, okay? Actors Ensemble of Berkeley - P.O. hb```d`~1!Ru|G/Vgk`#k[-85?J.YI{fU4/xu.13bj78a$B3x+J%Rn-p]?ORZf4(sH#6Y. Thus, the flier ominously suggests that the factory managers intend to lay-off their existing staff. On July 4, Chris and Jason run into Brucie at the bar, and they tell him that Olsteads moved three mills out of the factory over the holiday weekend. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs Federal TaxID#946139640, since 04-1967. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. It is also striking how abruptly the scenes and action change. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs Right? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Design a site like this with WordPress.com, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), The Assembled Parties by RichardGreenberg, Follow The Monologue Blog on WordPress.com. Those traits are definitely on display in Sweat, which is directed by Kate Whoriskey and features a sturdy nine-member ensemble. Girl, hes a loser. 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. Tracey Sweat 1 All monologues are property and copyright of their owners. 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. He encourages both men to let go of their shame and self-blame and to meet up with each other to talk. In the bar, Stan and Oscar stand by as Tracey, Chris, Jason, and Jessie angrily demand Cynthia to tell them whats going on. Its the year 2000 in Reading, Pennsylvania and a group of friends go to work at the steel mill and then decompress at the bar like theyve been doing for over 20 years. The play flashes forward to October 2008, a couple of weeks after Jason and Chriss parole meetings. Stan commiserates with Bruciehe spent 28 years at Olsteads and is glad that his injury got him out of there. Sweat Summary - eNotes.com Start: Yeah? Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Youve always been cool. Theyll work us down to nothing if we let em. All is well, until economic turmoil hits. Forget all that. Cynthia and Tracey worry that Jessies problem with alcohol could get her fired. Cynthias ex-husband Brucie warns his son, Chris, about his own struggles with the financial and emotional toll of another ongoing strike. Anyone can read what you share. Though Cynthia and Tracey make light of such rumors, Stan is adamant that because of NAFTA, steel workers jobs could easily be outsourced to Mexico. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. CYNTHIA: Why the hell not? var prefix = 'ma' + 'il' + 'to'; Tracey? Instant PDF downloads. Sweat is a two-act play written by Lynn Nottage. Three exemplary charactersTracey, Cynthia, and Jessieare all working class . At the same time, Chris goes to Cynthias apartment, where hell be staying. The full script is available in print and e-book at multiple area libraries. Couldnt handle the stress. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. The mood becomes tense, and Tracey and Cynthia get into a spat: Tracey clearly resents Cynthia for getting the promotion over her. Sweat Summary. As the strike progresses, the workers grow increasingly desperate. Thats when Ms. Nottages characters, and the cast members who embody them, emerge in their full tragic humanity. Jason has come to beg Tracey for money, but shes hostile and unwelcoming. Sign up today to unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Shakespeare in the Woods 2023 Season Not us. Complete your free account to request a guide. I know its tough out there, I understand. endstream endobj startxref '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. Weve just come Start: Every since her father hung himse Start: Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! 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. We ask that you familiarize yourself with the story to prepare your audition. LitCharts Teacher Editions. JASON: [] All Im saying is that he needs to understand the price of that dinner hes putting on his table. New York, NY, Accessibility Statement Terms Privacy |StageAgent 2020. Sweat explores how industrial decline affected workers in the former steel and textile town. These middle class, unionized, steelworkers have made plans to save money, go on vacations and then retire with a nice, healthy pension, but when rumors start flying that the company is considering layoffs, and flyers are hung to recruit non-union Latino workers for less money, the war between community and capitalism begins, and tensions start destroying not only jobs, but also relationships.