Sweat: Curriculum Guide

HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

BY LYNN NOTTAGE | DIRECTED BY KIMBERLY SENIOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS Common Core Standards 3 Massachusetts Standards in Theatre 4 Artists 5 Themes for Writing and Discussion 7 Mastery Assessment 10 Further Exploration 11

SWEAT

by LYNN NOTTAGE Directed by KIMBERLY SENIOR JAN. 31 – MAR. 1 Huntington Avenue Theatre

© Huntington Theatre Company Boston, MA 02115 JANUARY 2020 No portion of this curriculum guide may be reproduced without written permission from the Huntington Theatre Company’s Education Department Inquiries should be directed to: Meg O’Brien | Director of Education mobrien@huntingtontheatre.org This curriculum guide was prepared for the Huntington Theatre Company by: Regine Vital | Manager of Curriculum and Instruction Logan Nelson | Education Apprentice with contributions by Marisa Jones | Education Associate

Suggested Activities 15

COMMON CORE STANDARDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

STANDARDS: Student Matinee performances and pre-show workshops provide unique opportunities for experiential learning and support various combinations of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. They may also support standards in other subject areas such as Social Studies and History, depending on the individual play’s subject matter.

Activities are also included in this Curriculum Guide and in our pre-show workshops that support several of the Massachusetts state standards in Theatre. Other arts areas may also be addressed depending on the individual play’s subject matter.

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 1

Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 5

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Grades 9-10: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

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Grades 11-12: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Grades 9-10: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks), create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

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Grades 11-12: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 2 •

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Grades 9-10: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Grades 11-12: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 6 •

Grades 9-10: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

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Grades 11-12: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view required distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 3

Reading Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7

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Grades 9-10: Analyze how complex characters (e.g. those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the themes.

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Grades 11-12: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop related elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

Grades 9-12: Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g. recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist).

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MASSACHUSETTS STANDARDS IN THEATRE ACTING •

1.7: Create and sustain a believable character throughout a scripted or improvised scene (By the end of Grade 8).

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1.12: Describe and analyze, in written and oral form, characters’ wants, needs, objectives, and personality characteristics (By the end of Grade 8).

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1.13: In rehearsal and performance situations, perform as a productive and responsible member of an acting ensemble (i.e., demonstrate personal responsibility and commitment to a collaborative process) (By the end of Grade 8).

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1.14: Create complex and believable characters through the integration of physical, vocal, and emotional choices (Grades 9-12).

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1.15: Demonstrate an understanding of a dramatic work by developing a character analysis (Grades 9-12).

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1.17: Demonstrate increased ability to work effectively alone and collaboratively with a partner or in an ensemble (Grades 9-12).

AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE Attending live theatre is a unique experience with many valuable educational and social benefits. To ensure that all audience members are able to enjoy the performance, please take a few minutes to discuss the following audience etiquette topics with your students before you come to the Huntington Theatre Company.

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How is attending the theatre similar to and different from going to the movies? What behaviors are and are not appropriate when seeing a play? Why?

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Remind students that because the performance is live, the audience’s behavior and reactions will affect the actors’ performances. No two audiences are exactly the same, and therefore no two performances are exactly the same—this is part of what makes theatre so special! Students’ behavior should reflect the level of performance they wish to see.

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Theatre should be an enjoyable experience for the audience. It is absolutely all right to applaud when appropriate and laugh at the funny moments.

Side conversations with your friends during the performance, however, are not allowed. Why might this be? Be sure to mention that not only would the people seated around them be able to hear their conversation, but the actors on stage could hear them, too. Theatres are constructed to carry sound efficiently!

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Any noise or light can be a distraction, so please remind students to make sure their cell phones are turned off (or better yet, left at home or at school!). Texting, photography, and video recording are prohibited.

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Food, gum, and drinks are not permitted in the theatre or lobby. This includes our lobby spaces before, during, and after the performance.

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Students should sit with their group as seated by the Front of House staff and should not leave their seats once the performance has begun.

READING AND WRITING SCRIPTS •

2.7: Read plays and stories from a variety of cultures and historical periods and identify the characters, setting, plot, theme, and conflict (By the end of Grade 8).

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2.8: Improvise characters, dialogue, and actions that focus on the development and resolution of dramatic conflicts (By the end of Grade 8).

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2.11: Read plays from a variety of genres and styles; compare and contrast the structure of plays to the structures of other forms of literature (Grades 9-12).

TECHNICAL THEATRE •

4.6: Draw renderings, floor plans, and/or build models of sets for a dramatic work and explain choices in using visual elements (line, shape/ form, texture, color, space) and visual principals (unity, variety, harmony, balance, rhythm) (By the end of Grade 8).

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4.13: Conduct research to inform the design of sets, costumes, sound, and lighting for a dramatic production (Grades 9-12).

CONNECTIONS •

Strand 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts — Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings (Grades PreK-12).

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Strand 10: Interdisciplinary Connections — Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering (Grades PreK-12).

FIND US ONLINE! Did you know the Huntington Theatre Company’s website provides students and teachers opportunities to more deeply explore the season’s offerings and learn about upcoming events in the Education department?

2.

Who is the Artistic Director of the Huntington Theatre Company?

Who is the Managing Director? How long have they each been in their respective positions? What are the primary responsibilities of each of these jobs?

3.

Your friend broke her foot and needs to use a wheelchair.

What accessibility services does the Huntington provide for patrons like her?

4.

Did you know the Huntington Theatre Company is on Facebook?

Like us at Facebook.com/HuntingtonTheatre and Facebook.com/ EducationAtHuntington.

Utilizing the website at huntingtontheatre.org find the answers to the following questions: 1.

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Which other plays by Lynn Nottage have been produced at the Huntington Theatre Company? When was the last time a play by Nottage appeared in the Huntington’s season?

SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

MEET THE ARTISTS

JEESE DITMAR/REDUX

PLAYWRIGHT LYNN NOTTAGE

Playwright of Sweat, Lynn Nottage

Lynn Nottage is a multi-award-winning playwright from Brooklyn, New York. Nottage’s work centers around complex moments in American history that revolve around the lives of working class African Americans—specifically women. Her critically-acclaimed played Ruined (directed by Liesl Tommy at the Huntington Theatre Company in 2011) won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2009, and Sweat garnered the same achievement in 2017. Lynn Nottage and August Wilson are the only playwrights of color to win this award twice; Nottage is also the first woman to win this award twice since the Pulitzer Prize was established in 1917. Other awards include the MacArthur “Genius Grant” Fellowship, Steinberg Distinguished Playwright Award, Laura Pels Master Playwright Award, Helen Hayes Award, Lee Reynolds Award, the Merit and Literature Award from The Academy of Arts and Letters, and more. She is a board member for the Dramatist Play Service, Donor Direct Action, Second Stage, and the Dramatists Guild, as well as the co-founder of Market Road Films, a production company that has developed television shows for HBO and Showtime. Lynn Nottage received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and an MFA from the Yale University School of Drama. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Columbia University and a guest lecturer of playwriting at the Yale School of Drama (Zhong 2019). A select list of her plays include: Las Meninas; Crumbs From The Table of Joy; Intimate Apparel; Fabulation; Mud, River, Stone; and By The Way, Meet Vera Stark. For more information, visit her website, lynnnottage.com.

QUESTIONS: 1. L ynn Nottage and August Wilson are the only two playwrights of color to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. What similarities do you notice between their work? What are the differences?

2. N ottage writes about complex moments in history. What complex moments in American history would you choose to write about?

What complex moments in your own life would you choose to write about?

3. H ow is Cynthia’s experience as a working class African-American woman different from Tracey’s experience as a working class White woman? How is it different from Stan’s experience? From Oscar’s experience?

DIRECTOR KIMBERLY SENIOR

KEVIN BERNE

Kimberly Senior is a prolific freelance director of over twenty years; her numerous credits include the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, a play she has directed multiple times, as well as Eleanor Burgess’ 2018 play The Niceties, and the upcoming Our Daughters, Like Pillars by Kristen Greenidge (both at the Huntington Theatre Company). She is the director of Sweat, a play the New Yorker calls “the first theatrical landmark of the Trump era” (huntingtontheatre.org).

Zainab Jah, Carla Duren, and Pascale Armand in the Huntington’s production of Ruined by Lynn Nottage

Her career began when she was 22-years-old at Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago to begin an internship. Today, Senior has many theatrical homes in Chicago, including the Collaboraction Theatre Company which she founded in 1997. Additionally, she is a Resident SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

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BRANDON DAHLQUIST

has also directed off-Broadway at Lincoln Center Theater (LCT3), the Goodman Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and Mark Taper Forum. Recently, Senior made her HBO debut with Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She is the recipient of the 2016 Special Non-Equity Jeff Award for her Chicago career achievements as a trail blazer, champion, and role model for emerging artists. She also received the 2016 Alan Schneider Award (TCG), and the 2018 Einhorn Award (Primary Stages).

Senior has a long resume and an established career; after twenty years, she has no intentions of slowing down. “I’m 43, and I’ve been directing 6 to 9 plays a year for 20 years,” Senior says, calling herself a “directing machine.” I’m going to get to do this for a really long time, and I’m only at the beginning” (American Theatre).

Director Kimberly Senior

Director at Writers Theatre and an Associate Artist at TimeLine Theatre. She spent ten years as an associate artist at Strawdog Theater, eight years as an associate artist at Chicago Dramatists, and six years as an associate artist at the much beloved Next Theatre.

Senior also served as the first board president of The Hypocrites (kimberlysenior.net).

Senior is a director in high demand and has worked with theatre companies all over the country. In addition to Disgraced’s Broadway debut and productions with the Huntington Theatre Company, she 6

SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

In addition to her work as a director, Kimberly Senior is also an educator. She spent ten years as both an administrator and Resident Artist with Steppenwolf for Young Adults and has also either managed or taught programs for Court Theater, Northlight Theater, Redmoon Theater, and Acting Studio Chicago, among others. She has taught Chekhov, Dramaturgy and Text Analysis at Columbia College as well as numerous classes at DePaul University and University of Chicago. She has also served as Program Director and dramaturg for Steppenwolf’s First Look Repertory of New Work and continues to develop new plays with the Ojai Playwrights Conference.

QUESTION: 1. C onsider the plays Kimberly Senior has directed (Disgraced, The Niceties, Sweat, etc); what themes and ideas do they have in common? How do they differ?

JOAN MARCUS

Gretchen Mol, Hari Dhillon, Karen Pittman, and Josh Radnor in Disgraced, directed by Kimberly Senior.

THEMES FOR WRITING AND DISCUSSION NAFTA AND THE RUST BELT NAFTA, or the North American Free Trade Agreement, began in January of 1994. Under the agreement, tariffs and restrictions between the US and Canada, as well as the US and Mexico, were eliminated (North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)). A consequence of NAFTA is that many US jobs, especially those rooted in manufacturing and agriculture, started to disappear with the increase of imported products from Mexico and Canada. Not only did imported goods become more accessible, but companies began to take advantage of the dwindling job market in Mexico, realizing they could pay Mexican employees less money to work longer hours. Workers were also replaced with machines that could complete more work without a paycheck, and employees often received no warning when a machine was slated to take over a job, or when a machine was moved out of a factory, eliminating jobs.

THE RUST BELT. Sweat takes place in Reading, a manufacturing town in southern Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution, the Reading Iron Industry exceeded England’s iron production, and supplied cannons, rifles, and ammunition for Washington’s troops. In the 1800s, canals were constructed as inexpensive and efficient transportation routes for bulk cargo. After the Reading Railroad was developed, farming and agriculture boomed (The History of Reading). Today, Reading exists within the Rust Belt, a region with no definitive borders, where areas and cities with high concentrations of manufacturing and industry suffered due to NAFTA. The “Rust Belt” is an informal region of the United States, much like New England or The Sun Belt. ‘Rust’ refers the rusty machines and materials left behind after the factories were shut down in those communities. The area includes parts of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Idaho, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconson; or, as the saying goes, “As far west as Milwaukee and as far east as Buffalo.”

high during World War II) had begun to diminish, along with the jobs associated with its manufacture. One of the most damning days in Rust Belt history was September 19, 1977, known as Black Monday.

On this day, Youngstown Sheet and Tube in Ohio closed down, and immediately furloughed five thousand workers. The closure affected the entire community long afterwards; over time, an estimated forty thousand jobs were lost. The Rust Belt’s population and job availability hasn’t reached or exceeded those numbers since (Trubek 2018).

According to Dennis Davin, Pennsylvania’s Secretary of the Department of Community and Economic Development, the state is no longer “plagued by a declining population, a weakened economy, and urban decay due to a faltering industrial sector,” but the shadow of the Rust Belt stills informs people’s perceptions of the region (Davin 2019).

Reading, Pennsylvania now has a diverse mix of agriculture, manufacturing, and service industries. Reading’s top agricultural product are mushrooms. Although iron, metal fabrication, and textile

The woes of the Rust Belt are primarily blamed on NAFTA, though many also blame the economic policies of Ronald Reagan, also known as Reaganomics. However, the demand for steel (which had been

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a part of American culture as a way to protect workers from the stress and dangers associated with various aspects of their jobs. The most famous US union is the American Federation of Labor (AFL), which was founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers. This union is credited with increasing wages for its members and improving safety protocols in work environments (What is a Union?).

Some of the benefits of being in a union are health care, job security, strength in numbers and community, and seniority when it comes to hiring and firing, which can often eliminate favoritism. Some of the drawbacks include union fees, a loss of autonomy or individuality, elected supervisors that act as bosses instead of teammates, and greater challenges for young people to break into the industry (Keller 2017). However, even with unions, floor jobs in a factory can be highly challenging, even dangerous. Employees still work long hours on their feet with little break time. As Chris says, “Nobody tells you that no matter how hard you work, there will never be enough money to rest” (Act 1, Scene 3).

QUESTIONS: and apparel manufacturing have declined since 2000, Reading now produces batteries, specialty steel, candy, and snack foods (Analysis of the Reading, Pennsylvania Housing Market 2013).

QUESTIONS: 1.

What is a tariff?

2.

Why do you think factory executives would choose not to tell employees about new machines? Do you think this is fair?

Why or why not?

3.

Take a look at your food packaging, clothing, and electronics.

How many of them are manufactured in the U.S., and how many of them are imported from overseas?

4. Why do you think the Rust Belt hasn’t been able to bounce back completely from its traumatic history?

5.

Think of the characters from Sweat—how do each of them deal with the difficulties of living within the Rust Belt?

6. The Rust Belt, New England, and The Sun Belt are defined as informal regions. Can you think of any others? If your region doesn’t already have one, what would you call it?

LABOR AND TRADE UNIONS IN THE US

1.

What are some other examples of professions with unions?

Are there any that you think could benefit from a union?

2.

Would you want to join a union? Why or why not?

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM? There’s no one definitive meaning. Does the American Dream include amassing great wealth like businessmen Warren Buffet and Jeff Bezos? Is it growing up bi-racial with your single mom and becoming the first African American president like Barack Obama? Is Oprah the American Dream? Or Tom Brady? Or Lin-Manuel Miranda? Or Taylor Swift? Is it you?

The idea of the “American Dream” is everywhere in our society. It is a trope of American films and TV shows, songs and books, and plays and paintings. It has almost become cliché. Politicians continually invoke its promise in campaign speeches, as if simply speaking the phrase magically wipes away social inequities, in the process leeching it of any real or useful meaning. Immigrants speak of coming to America in search of the Dream: refuge, safe haven, opportunity, financial security, and new beginnings. In today’s America, is any of that possible?

In being over-used and perhaps oversold, the American Dream can be an empty promise, a too-broad catch-all with no real value. And yet, it endures in American imagination, civic discussion, and ideals.

Unions can operate like a democracy: many of them elect officers to make decisions on behalf of the group. Labor unions date back to the eighteenth century. The Industrial Revolution was booming in Europe, creating a surge of new workers and a definitive need for representation in the workplace. In the United States, unions became 8

SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

Lin Manuel Miranda in Hamilton.

STEVE JURVETSON/FLICKR

According to UnionPlus, “a labor union or trade union is an organized group of workers who unite to make decisions about conditions affecting their work. Labor unions strive to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation.” Currently, there are over 60 unions representing 14 million workers across the United States. Some examples include teachers, actors, firefighters, bus drivers, nurses, engineers, office workers, and more. Many people choose to join a union because salary and benefits are usually better.

Unions also can provide a platform for workers to share their thoughts and opinions on contracts, working conditions, and salary increases.

CHRIS KUTARNA/PSYCHOLOGY TODAY

Quintessentially American, the phrase acts as a barometer for what the quality of an American life could be. In Sweat, we watch as the characters continue to chase their American Dreams, grappling with the possibility that their dreams may never be fulfilled.

Where did the phrase, “the American Dream” come from? What does it actually mean? The term was first coined by James Truslow Adams in his 1931 book, The American Epic. In the book he describes his new idea as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement” (The Atlantic, June 2007). He went on to specify that the Dream “is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and recognized by others for what they are.” Adams’ description sounds utopic, but it is in keeping with how the Americas, particularly the United States, had always been viewed: a land of plenty, of promise, a land of endless possibility for anyone who wanted it. As explained by Yale economist, Robert J. Schiller, Adams’ “innovation in language…replaced older terms” to describe a “trajectory to a promising future, a model for the United States and for the whole world” (New York Times, 2017).

While Adam’s idealistic description is familiar, the invocation and use of his phrase hasn’t always been so wholesome. After its 1931 introduction into the American lexicon, advertisers started to use the term “American Dream” to sell products. In the 30s and 40s, it was occasionally used to sell books and plays; in the 50s, it was held up as the admirable goal of freedom and equality in a fight against fascism.

In the 60s, its most famous iteration was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, in which Dr. King shared Adams’ vision for equality of opportunity and freedom (NYT). But by the 1970s and 80s, the term began to be frequently associated with “conspicuous consumption.” The Dream, once an idealistic measure of potential self-actualization, had evolved into a measure of worth based on what you owned and could afford to buy. Some believe this materialistic

definition of the American Dream is a problem, an actual nightmare for the country. Some call it a “cruel myth”—so long as racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination and inequality exist, the American Dream can’t be real. As George Carlin, comedian and social critic once joked, “It’s called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it” (Kiger).

Still, for many, the Dream is real. As we see in Sweat, several characters are always in pursuit of their more ideal future: Chris wants to leave the factory line to pursue his education; Cynthia wants a promotion from the floor to be the first Black female manager; Jason wants to move to Myrtle Beach and open a Dunkin Donuts; Brucie’s friend Garth opens a Bed and Breakfast in Honduras; Oscar wants to earn enough money to live comfortably, an honest wage for hard, honest work. And then there’s Tracey who remembers her immigrant grandfather, a German craftsman who came to the US and made a comfortable life for himself using his skills. Tracey seems to want to go back to James Truslow Adams’ definition of the Dream, “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” She feels the Dream has been stolen from her; however, she seems unable to extend the right to that dream to others. Her grandfather’s story isn’t much different from that of Oscar’s father, but she cannot accept Oscar’s story. It begs another question: Who owns the American Dream? Is it a birthright?

Or is it the dreamer’s—any dreamer—inheritance?

QUESTIONS: 1.

How would you describe or define the American Dream? Is it a phrase that has any special meaning for you?

2.

In Sweat, characters discuss their dreams and sometimes argue about what makes a dream real. What are some of your dreams?

3.

It is considered a compliment to be told “You are the American Dream”. Who is someone you think has accomplished the American Dream? Are they rich? Famous? Or an everyday person? Why do you think they are the American dream?

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MASTERY ASSESSMENT ACT ONE

38. Why is Jessie upset with Tracey?

1.

In what year does the play begin?

39. How has Cynthia’s job changed now that she works in the office?

2.

Who is Jason talking to in the beginning?

40. When did Jessie and Cynthia first meet?

3.

Why is Jason talking to this person?

41. How long has Jessie been working in the factory?

4. What sort of tattoos does Jason have? Where did he get them?

42. What was Jessie’s dream?

5.

43. Why is Tracey mad at Cynthia? Is this the truth?

Why does Chris talk to Evan?

6. W hat happened when Jason and Chris saw each other?

Where do they meet?

44. O n what day do people find out the factory took away the machines?

7.

45. What does Brucie think it means that the machines are gone?

hat is the date when we see Cynthia, Tracey, and Jessie in W the bar?

8. Where does Cynthia want to spend her summer?

9. Why is Cynthia mad at Brucie?

10. What happened to Brucie that made him change his behavior?

11. What happened to Freddy Brunner?

12. What is Oscar’s cultural background?

13. What does Cynthia want Tracey to talk to Jessie about?

14. W hen did Cynthia start working at the factory? When did Tracey start?

ACT TWO 1.

In what year does Act Two begin?

2.

Why can’t Tracey give Jason more money?

3.

What happened to Cynthia’s house?

4. How has Chris changed?

5.

What is Cynthia doing for work now?

6. Are Cynthia and Tracey still friends?

15. What is the name of the factory where everyone works?

7.

16. W hat does Jason want to buy? Why won’t he tell his mother about it?

8. Why are things changing at the factory?

17. Where is Chris going in September?

18. What does Chris say will replace the workers on the floor?

19. W here does Jason want to go when he’s fifty? What does he want to own?

20. What is on TV when Brucie comes to the bar?

21. Who would Brucie vote for in the election? Why? 22. How long has Brucie been out of work? Why? 23. Why does Stan not work at the factory anymore?

24. How long did Stan work on the floor?

25. What kind of work did Brucie’s father do? When did he stop?

26. What sort of program is Brucie in?

27. How are Brucie and Cynthia connected?

28. Why is Brucie unsure about Chris going to Albright?

29. What do Oscar and Tracey talk about outside the bar?

30. What is Centro Hispano?

31. Why are people celebrating in the bar that night?

32. How does Tracey feel about Cynthia on this night?

33. Where was Oscar born?

34. W here did Tracey’s family come from? How long have they been in Pennsylvania?

Why is everyone upset with Cynthia in scene two?

9. What do the factory managers want from the workers?

10. What are the workers planning to do?

11. H ow did Cynthia used to feel about her job at the factory?

How does she feel now?

12. What did her bosses make her do?

13. What is the only thing Cynthia thinks is good about what she did?

14. Will Stan vote?

15. How does Tracey think of Cynthia now?

16. W hat do Tracey and Jessie want Cynthia to do with them?

Why can’t Cynthia do it?

17. What happened to Brucie while on the line?

18. What memory does Chris have of his father?

19. Why does Brucie change his mind about Chris going to school?

20. Why does Oscar take the factory job?

21. What advice does Stan give him? Why? 22. What was Oscar’s father’s job? Where?

23. How does Oscar think differently from his father?

24. Why won’t Stan give Tracey a drink?

25. Why is Tracey’s upset with Oscar?

26. Who does Stan blame for the current situation at the factory?

35. What did Tracey’s grandfather do for a living?

27. Why does Jason attack Oscar? Why does Chris?

36. What would Tracey’s grandfather carve into buildings for her?

28. When does the play end? In what year?

37. W hat sports event is about to begin on the night of Jessie’s birthday?

29. W hat does Oscar say is the right thing to do at the end of the play?

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SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

MANUEL ELIAS/UN PHOTO

FURTHER EXPLORATION

The United Nations General Assembly meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York City

CONTEXTUALIZING US POLITICS, ECONOMICS, AND CULTURE IN SWEAT: THE HEADLINES

What is the United Nations General Assembly?

“Through the Charter of the United Nations, the UN General Assembly (sometimes referred to as UNGA) was created in 1945 as the forum for multilateral coordination internationally.

It is the arm of the UN dedicated to global discussion and policymaking. The General Assembly meets from September to December each year, and as needed following the New Year” (Porterfield 2016).

In the play, Nottage juxtaposes moments of national change alongside moments of local change or community events in Reading, Pennsylvania. This juxtaposition highlights how local realities and concerns can diverge or seem disconnected from the national headlines. They also give a snapshot of the stories that seem to define a particular moment in the history of one American town.

These headlines also highlight some of the key political and cultural talking points that will come to define the electoral discussions of both 2000 and 2008, the two elections cycles during which the play is set. Below are the “headlines” Nottage chooses to highlight for each scene in Sweat; each scene is a day, and each day has a major headline that is either national news, local news, or both. Key terms are further explained below each headline, followed by a question or idea for further exploration.

What is the Dow Jones Industrial Average?

Some general questions to consider:

QUESTIONS:

1. W hy do you think Nottage chooses to “headline” each scene of Sweat? How does that help to paint the picture of the world these characters are living in?

2. I magine you are living through the news events highlighted in Sweat. Which events seem directly connected to your life?

Which events feel disconnected from you?

3. B efore an event becomes a note in history, it’s a news headline. What are the current news headlines that may one day become notes of history? Are they big or small events now? Can you already see their historical significance? Or will it grow over time?

Act 1, Scene 1: September 29th, 2008 (72 degrees) • The 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly closes • T he Dow Jones Industrial Average falls 777.68 points, marking the largest single-day decline in stock market history

“When someone says the stock market is up, they are likely talking about the Dow Jones Industrial Average. For the average person, the Dow means the stock market. While just looking at the Dow is not an accurate measure of the many thousands of stocks listed on the various stock exchanges in the US, it is a pretty simple way of telling the world which way the market appears to be moving, today” (Rae 2019).

1. W hat were some topics discussed by the UNGA during their 2008 session?

2. W hat is the stock market? What are other exchanges besides the Dow? What do they measure?

ACT 1, SCENE 2: JANUARY 18TH, 2000 (19 DEGREES) • A merican think tanks report that the booming stock market is widening the income gap between the poorest and richest U.S. families • R eading proposes an aggressive dog ordinance to regulate ownership of certain pet breeds, including pit bulls What is the income gap?

“In the United States, the income gap between the rich and everyone else has been growing markedly, by every major statistical measure, for more than 30 years...Over the past SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

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five decades, the top 1 percent of American earners have nearly doubled their share of national income. Meanwhile, the official poverty rate for all U.S. families has merely inched up and down. The official poverty rate understates the number of people in the world’s richest country who have trouble making ends meet. An estimated 43.5 percent of the total U.S. population (140 million people) are either poor or low-income” (Income Inequality).

QUESTION: 1. I s there an income gap today in 2020? What is it like today compared to 2000?

ACT 1, SCENE 4: MARCH 2ND, 2000 (48 DEGREES) • R epublican presidential debate includes Alan Keyes, John McCain, and George W. Bush • I n Reading, an overnight fire leaves a mother with five children homeless

Who is Alan Keyes?

“A controversial [African American] conservative Republican, Alan Lee Keyes has perhaps one of the most extensive resumes to date in public and political life. His positions and appointments include but are not limited to: U.S. Department of State Foreign Service Officer of the consular office in Bombay, India from 1979-1980; desk officer in Zimbabwe from 1980-1981 and then policy planning staff, 1981-83; U.S. Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UNESCO) from 1983 to 1985; Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs from 1985 to 1988; Republican nominee for U.S. Senate from Maryland in 1988 and in 1992; President of Citizens Against Government Waste from 1989-1991; Interim President for Alabama A&M University in 1991, and host of nationally syndicated “America’s Wake-Up Call” show. Alan Keyes launched candidacies for President of the United States in 1996 and in 2000” (Cheam 2007).

Who is John McCain?

“John McCain first entered the public spotlight as a Navy fighter pilot during the Vietnam War. Taken prisoner after his plane was shot down, he suffered five and a half years of torture and confinement before his release in 1973. In 1986, he began his long tenure as the U.S. senator from Arizona, a position he held until his death in 2018. Senator McCain ran for president on the Republican ticket [for the second time] in 2008, losing to Democrat Barack Obama in the general election” (History.com Editors 2019).

Who is George W. Bush?

“Born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States. He narrowly won the Electoral College vote in 2000, in one of the closest and most controversial elections in American history. President Bush led the United States’ response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and initiated the Iraq War. Before his presidency, Bush was a businessman and served as governor of Texas” (George W. Bush).

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SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

A view of Reading, PA

QUESTIONS: 1. H ow many African Americans ran for president before Barack Obama won in 2008?

2. J ohn McCain is considered a war hero and ran for president twice; do some research on his story and discover how he became one of the most famous US politicians to date.

3. T he policies of President George W. Bush marked the beginning of the 2000s and are still felt today all across the US and the world.

What are some of the major decisions he made which are still affecting Americans today?

ACT 1, SCENE 5: APRIL 17TH, 2000 (60 DEGREES) • T hree days after a record 617.77-point drop in the Dow Jones as the tech bubble bursts • D .C. protesters disrupt World Bank and International Monetary Fund meeting • A 26-year-old man is shot leaving a bar on Woodward Street in Reading What are the World Bank and International Monetary Fund?

“The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development. The International Monetary Fund works to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world” (The World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

QUESTION: 1. W ho are the current leaders of the World Bank and IMF? Where are they from?

READINGPA.GOV

• B aldwin Hardware Corps, a brass hardware maker, announces plans to open a new 280,000 square foot facility in Leesport

ACT 1, SCENE 6: MAY 5TH, 2000 (84 DEGREES) • The U.S. unemployment rate tumbles to a thirty-year low, 3.9% • T he City of Reading fires a dozen employees, fearing a deficit of $10 million • A llen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for Game 1 of Eastern Conference Semifinals What does the term “unemployment rate” mean?

“When workers are unemployed, they, their families, and the country as a whole lose. Workers and their families lose wages, and the country loses the goods or services that could have been produced. In addition, the purchasing power of these workers is lost, which can lead to unemployment for more workers. Addressing the issue of unemployment requires information about the extent and nature of the problem.

How many people are unemployed? How did they become unemployed? How long have they been unemployed? Are their numbers growing or declining? Are they men or women?

Are they young or old? Are they White, or Black, or Asian, or of Hispanic ethnicity? How much education do they have?

Are they concentrated in one area of the country more than another? These statistics—together with other economic data— can be used by policymakers to determine whether measures should be taken to influence the future course of the economy or to aid those affected by joblessness” (How the Government Measures Unemployment).

QUESTION: 1. T he unemployment rate is a national measurement of how many workers there are in all 50 states. Do you think this is the best way to consider this information when cities and towns can be as different as Reading, PA and New York City?

ACT 1, SCENE 7: JULY 4TH, 2000 (84 DEGREES) • W orking Women Magazine reports the salary gap narrowing between men and women in some U.S. industries • R eading police crackdown on high-crime neighborhoods in response to a recent rise in violent crime

just 54 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men. White, non-Hispanic women are paid 79 cents and Asian American women 90 cents for every dollar paid to white, nonHispanic men, and Asian American and Pacific Islander women of some ethnic and national backgrounds fare much worse” (America’s Women and the Wage Gap).

What I urban blight?

“The etymology of blight dates to the late 1500s, when it was used primarily by farmers—‘any baleful influence of atmospheric or invisible origin,’ says the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘that suddenly blasts, nips, or destroys plants.’

When this farming term is used to describe an urban or city space, ‘blight’ might only be a more polite way to say ‘ghetto’” (Mock).

QUESTION: 1. T wo of the main characters in Sweat, Cynthia and Tracey, are women who work in the factory. Do you think they are affected by the salary gap? How could we close the salary gap?

ACT 2, SCENE 1: OCTOBER 13TH, 2008 (79 DEGREES) • T he Dow Jones gains 916 points, its largest gain ever, following news that the government-funded bank bailouts were approved around the world • I n Berks County, Pennsylvania, power shut-offs for delinquent utility customers rise 111% over previous year What are the government-funded bank bailouts of 2008?

“President George W. Bush signed the $700 billion bank bailout bill on October 3, 2008. The official name was the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson had asked Congress to approve a $700 billion bailout to buy mortgage-backed securities that were in danger of defaulting. By doing so, Paulson wanted to take these debts off the books of the banks, hedge funds, and pension funds that held them. His goal was to renew confidence in the functioning of the global banking system and end the financial crisis” (Amadeo 2019).

• T he City of Reading purchases a number of run-down buildings and will demolish them in an effort to combat urban blight

QUESTION:

What is the history of the salary gap between men and women in the U.S.?

1. W hat do you think the phrase “Too big to fail” means? What did it mean in 2000?

“Nationally, the median annual pay for a woman who holds a full-time, year-round job is $45,097 while the median annual pay for a man who holds a full-time, year-round job is $55,291.

This means that, overall, women in the United States are paid 82 cents for every dollar paid to men, amounting to an annual gender wage gap of $10,194. This persistent, pervasive wage gap is driven in part by gender and racial discrimination, workplace harassment, job segregation and a lack of workplace policies that support family caregiving, which is still most often performed by women. The gender wage gap is a measure of just how far our nation still has to go to ensure that women can participate fully and equally in our economy—and it is widest for many women of color. Among women who hold full-time, year-round jobs in the United States, Black women are typically paid 62 cents, Native American women 58 cents and Latinas

ACT 2, SCENE 4: SEPTEMBER 28TH, 2000 (63 DEGREES) • F irst Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton posts strong polling numbers in her NY Senate race against Rick Lazio • A mericans Venus and Serena Williams win a gold medal in women’s doubles tennis at the Sydney Summer Olympics • T hree Mexican migrant farm workers are killed when their car crashes into trees in Reading Who is Hillary Rodham Clinton?

“Hillary Clinton was born on October 26, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois, going on to earn her law degree from Yale University.

She married fellow law school graduate Bill Clinton in 1975.

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QUESTION: 1. H illary Rodham Clinton has been making the headlines for over 40 years. Do you think she has achieved the American Dream?

Why or why not?

ACT 2, SCENE 6: NOVEMBER 3RD, 2000 (66 DEGREES) • I t’s four days before the U.S. Presidential Election; George Bush and Al Gore are running neck and neck in the polls • T he mayor of Reading proposes a budget to increase the income tax Who is Al Gore?

“Al Gore, born on March 31, 1948, in Washington, D.C., served in both the House [of Representatives] and the Senate. He lost his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination to Michael Dukakis in 1988 but was President Bill Clinton’s successful running mate in 1992 and again in 1996. In his 2000 presidential campaign, Gore won the popular vote, but eventually conceded defeat to Republican George W. Bush [who won in the electoral college]” (Al Gore).

What are income taxes?

“The first federal income tax was imposed in the 1860s when the government was in desperate need of money to fund the Civil War. Years later, in response to various court rulings declaring the income tax unconstitutional, Congress passed the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment, which took effect in 1913, specifically authorizes direct taxes on income and is the basis for the federal income tax system as we know it today” (What Are Income Taxes?).

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SWEAT CURRICULUM GUIDE

Barack Obama

QUESTIONS: 1. A fter he lost the 2000 presidential race, for what political work did Al Gore become famous?

2. W hat sort of income tax structure does the United States use?

Whose idea was it?

ACT 2, SCENE 7: OCTOBER 15TH, 2008 (77 DEGREES) • B aghdad and Washington reach final agreement on a pact requiring U.S. forces to withdraw from Iraq by 2011 • U .S. stocks plunge 733 points, the second-biggest point loss in history • J ohn McCain and Barack Obama hold their final televised debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY • F ederal prosecutors convict multimillion-dollar drug ring that converted several Reading houses into indoor marijuana farms What is the Iraq War? “In March 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq vowing to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein. When WMD intelligence proved illusory and a violent insurgency arose, the war lost public support. Saddam was captured, tried, and hanged and democratic elections were held. In the years since, there have been over 4,700 U.S. and allied troop deaths, and more than one hundred thousand Iraqi civilians have been killed.

Meanwhile, questions linger over Iraq’s fractious political situation” (The Iraq War).

Who is Barack Obama?

“Barack Obama was the 44th president of the United States and the first African American Commander-in-Chief. He served two terms, in 2008 and 2012. The son of parents from Kenya and Kansas, Obama was born and raised in Hawaii.

He graduated from Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he was president of the Harvard Law Review.

After serving on the Illinois State Senate, he was elected a U.S. senator representing Illinois in 2004. He and wife Michelle Obama have two daughters, Malia and Sasha” (Barack Obama).

QUESTION: 1. T he Iraq war is one of the longest “hot wars” the United States has ever been in. What are some others?

PETE SOUZA/OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO

She later served as first lady from 1993 to 2001, and then as a U.S. senator from 2001 to 2009. In early 2007, Clinton announced her plans to run for the presidency. During the 2008 Democratic primaries, she conceded the nomination when it became apparent that Barack Obama held a majority of the delegate vote. After winning the national election, Obama appointed Clinton Secretary of State. She was sworn in as part of his cabinet in January 2009 and served until 2013. In the spring of 2015, she announced her plans to run again for the U.S. presidency. In 2016, she became the first woman in U.S. history to become the presidential nominee of a major political party. After a polarizing campaign against GOP candidate Donald Trump, Clinton was defeated in the general election that November” (Hillary Clinton).

George Bush and Al Gore

REUTERS

JEWEL SAMAD/GETTY

Hillary Clinton

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES DEBATE

TEXT ANALYSIS

Read the following exchange between Cynthia and Stan and complete the exercise as follows.

Read the following monologue from Sweat and answer the questions that follow.

CYNTHIA: I’m scared, Stan. I got a mortgage to meet, car payments, and Brucie, you’ve seen what being outta work has done to him.

I’m not going down that way, I’ve worked too hard. Am I wrong?

OSCAR: Why are you coming at me that way? I’m not disrespectin’ you.

I’m just trying to get paid, that’s all. For three years I’ve been carrying nothing but crates. I’ve got twenty-dollar bills taped to my wall, and a drawer full of motivational tapes. Got a jar of buena suerte from the Botanica, and a candle that I keep lit twenty-four/seven. I keep asking for some good fortune. That’s it. A little bit of money. That’s it. My father, he swept up the floor in a factory like Olstead’s, those fuckas wouldn’t even give him a union card. But he woke up every morning at four A.M. because he wanted a job in the steel factory, it was the American way, so he swept fucking floors thinking, “One day they’ll let me in.” I know how he feels, people come in here every day. They brush by me without seeing me, no “Hello, Oscar.” If they don’t see me, I don’t need to see them.

STAN: Jesus.

CYNTHIA: I know. I know. But what could I have done? You tell me!

The plant offered them a deal. The union voted it down. Not me!

STAN: What do you want me to say, sweetheart? Those are my friends.

CYNTHIA: Our friends.

STAN: Then imagine how they feel. Some folks wouldn’t even want me to pour you a drink.

CYNTHIA: I’ve lived half my life on that floor. My son was practically born in that place. So don’t get sanctimonious with me.

STAN: Okay, I’ll keep out of it, but you know people will say what they say.

CYNTHIA: I thought they’d take the damn deal. You think I’m happy about this? I locked out my own son. My own son. I saw the hurt on his face...But you wanna know the truth, and this is the truth, maybe it’s for the best, right? It’ll finally get him out of this sinkhole.

For this activity, divide the class into two groups. Group A will argue in favor of Cynthia’s decision to follow work protocol and lock employees out; Group B will argue against her decision. On a big sheet of paper/ white board, each group has four minutes to come up with a list that supports their argument using the passage above, as well as any relevant details and dialogue from the play. Once the four minutes are up, a representative from Group A will step forward and state their case from the perspective of Cynthia (for example, “I feel like I made the right decision to lock employees out because…”). Next, a representative from Group B will step forward and state their case from the perspective of Tracey. Students can question each other and infer/create details of the lives of the characters that fit within the world of the play. The teacher should act as the facilitator, allowing for students to switch out of roles and help each other debate the issue. There is no right or wrong answer to this debate, but students might come collectively to a conclusion that they feel best answers the question. Cynthia’s situation is nuanced, so students should feel empowered to ask questions, challenge each other, and explore all possibilities.

1. What is the tone of this monologue?

2. W hat is the significance of Oscar directing these thoughts to Stan? Do you think Oscar feels safe with Stan, or perhaps resentful toward him? Why or why not?

3. W hat do you think Oscar means by “the American way?” What do you think are some examples of an American ideal?

4. T hink about the line, “If they don’t see me, I don’t need to see them.” What do you think Oscar means by this?

5. E very character in Sweat is trying to survive, make a living, and work toward a goal, including Oscar. Why do you think this shared experience leads to polarizing, targeted dialogue and attacks rather than a community of acceptance and understanding?

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NESHAMINYCREEKBREWING.COM

Mike’s Tavern in Reading, PA

WRITE A CRITICAL REVIEW!

ENSEMBLE BUILDING

As an Arts Critic for the Boston Globe, you have been sent to the Huntington Theatre Company to attend a performance of Sweat.

After watching the play, you offer your opinions about the following theatrical elements:

The “Machine” – Sweat examines the lives of factory workers struggling to maintain their friendships and their lives in a shifting economic landscape. To visually represent the interdependent nature of their relationships and workplace, ask students to “build a machine.”

• D irection: How did Kimberly Senior, Director, bring Nottage’s play to life? Do you agree with her interpretation of the script?

The group should choose a theme for their work. If this machine builds cars, for example, how does each member of the factory line contribute to the production of the automobile? Each student should choose both a sound and a movement which can be repeated comfortably for several minutes. The machine will grow one person at a time, ideally with each new sound and movement complementing the whole. The sound and movement patterns will be continuous until the function of the machinery is complete.

• C asting & Acting: Were the performances authentic and moving?

How did you feel after leaving the theatre?

• T echnical Design: Describe the lighting, sound, set, prop and costume elements of the production.

Arts critics have the important job of informing the community when a show is not to be missed. The Huntington Theatre Company values YOUR expert opinion. Do not forget to send the Huntington a copy of your critical review!

The “Museum” – The action in Sweat shifts in time. The ability to look backward eight years provides insight into the current circumstances for these characters—and while the future may have been predicted, it doesn’t make the struggles of the present time any easier to manage.

In order to visually represent the idea of preserving a moment in time for future examination, students will create a “museum” or time capsule using only what is present in the room. Students should take their chairs and organize them in a circle. The Seat of the chair should face outward, serving as a platform for each individual “exhibit.”

Utilizing resources from their desks, backpacks, and supplies around them, create a visual representation answering the question of “who am I and what is most important to me in this moment.”

After all of the exhibits are complete, take the class on a tour, walking around the exhibits and asking each artist to speak about the work he/she/they have created. Leave time for questions!

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NILE HAWVER

Jennifer Regan and Tyla Abercrumbie from the Huntington production of Sweat.

AP

Australian Olympic athlete Cathy Freeman igniting the Olympic flame during the 2000 Sydney, Australia Opening Ceremony

SOCIAL SNAPSHOTS The years 2000 and 2008 are important to the setting of Sweat. The story takes place in these two years, but there are events that occur in the time in between that impact the story. Lynn Nottage acknowledges that this is an important period in history, not just for the characters in the play, but for America as well and highlights this fact by providing social snapshots of the time.

Pick a year that is important to you; what were the major headlines or stories of the time? Who were the major stars and celebrities? What books, songs, and movies were popular? Do some research and create a list of social snapshots; they can include national and local new stories, as well as personal memories. Here are 2 examples:

THE YEAR 2000: IN A NUTSHELL

THE YEAR 2008: IN A NUTSHELL

• T he average yearly income is $40,343, gas is $1.26 a gallon, and the average monthly rent is $675, the average lifespan in the U.S. is 77.5 years.

• T he average yearly income is $40,523, gas is $3.39 a gallon, and the average monthly rent is $800, the average lifespan in the U.S. is 77.8 years.

• Vermont passes a law legalizing Civil Unions for same-sex couples.

• P roperty prices fall in the U.S. and Europe, causing hardship to homeowners and problems for financial institutions.

• T he Summer Olympics are held in Sydney, Australia; this is the first games to allow female athletes to compete in weightlifting.

The U.S. takes home the most medals, 93 in total.

• B ill Gates leaves his position as CEO of Microsoft; in Japan, Sony releases the Playstation 2 Gaming Console.

• Charles Schulz’s final ‘Peanuts’ comic strip is published.

• T he first crew arrives to live on the International Space Station in November.

• December: the U.S. Supreme Court rules to end the vote recount in Florida between presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore, giving the presidency to Bush with a perceived lead of 600 votes.

• T he Y2K Computer Bug threat doesn’t come true. California begins to suffer the first of two years of rolling blackouts, and cellphones become crucial consumer products.

• Hillary Clinton is elected to the U.S. Senate, representing New York.

• P resident George W. Bush and leaders from the House of Representatives agree to a $150 billion stimulus package while General Motors Corp. reports the largest ever recorded loss for an automaker: $38.7 billion.

• O il hits all-time high of $147 a barrel, leading to inflation, high unemployment internationally.

• B lu-Ray DVD’s now hold 70% of the high definition market, and Apple sells the new ultra-thin MacBook Air Notebook: it’s less than an inch thick and turns on as soon as it’s opened.

• B arack Obama defeats John McCain in the Presidential election (Pearson 2018).

• T he top ten artists of 2008 are Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Leona Lewis, Miley Cyrus, Jordin Sparks, Jonas Brothers, and T.I. (Year-End Charts Top Artists).

• “ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” is published and 51 million viewers watch the season finale of ‘Survivor.’

• T he most popular films are ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’, ‘X-Men,’ ‘Scary Movie,’ ‘Gladiator,’ and ‘Cast Away.’

• T he most popular artists were Lenny Kravitz, Blink-182, N Sync, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna, Bon Jovi, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, P!nk, and Coldplay (Pearson 2018).

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2019-2020 STUDENT MATINEES THE PURISTS — SEPT. 27 ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD — OCT. 3 QUIXOTE NUEVO — NOV. 22 SWEAT — FEB. 14 OUR DAUGHTERS, LIKE PILLARS — APR. 16 THE BLUEST EYE — MAY 7 & MAY 21