Derekh Theatre Talks: Black Plays in Pittsburgh & Beyond

January 27, 2021 March 15, 2021

Beth Shalom

In celebration of Black History month, join us for a community discussion of Black plays whose characters and themes resonate with present-day politics, protest movements, and community struggles. We will discuss plays by Lynn Nottage, August Wilson, and Christopher Demos-Brown. This discussion series is being presented in partnership with The 412 Black Jewish Collaborative.

The discussion series will feature Dominique Luster, a local Black Theatre enthusiast, and Ja’Sonta Roberts, a local producer, artist, and playwright. Facilitators include Zach Marlin and Esther Terry, dramaturgs.

Even though gathering to see theatre is currently impossible, the canon of great American theatre still lives on the page for us to read, contemplate, and discuss with one another.

Please register ahead of time using the links below.

Lynn Nottage

On Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m., we invite you to join us in reading and discussing Sweat by Lynn Nottage (2015). Through the story of a friendship, the play explores the devastating impact that offshoring has on the steeltown of Reading, Pennsylvania. The play is based on Nottage’s interviews with residents. Sweat won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2017 and many critics commented that the play's themes and characters shed light on the circumstances that led to the 2016 election results.

This play can be seen or read in the following ways: