A Profoundly Moving American Drama
Following its world premiere in Chicago in 2016, up and coming American playwright Evan Linder's poignant familial drama comes to the Kennedy Center this Summer. Praised for his unflinching exploration of race, betrayal and the ties that bind set against the backdrop of the American South, Linder weaves together a cast of fascinating, deeply flawed and somehow still likeable characters as they face their societal and personal struggles with compassion, intelligence and strength.
Byhalia, Mississippi is a town with a racially charged past. 45 years ago, a policeman shot an unarmed prisoner in the back, an action with demeaning echoes in today's political atmosphere. Still reeling from its past, a couple named Jim and Laurel finds themselves in even more turmoil... Broke, loud and proud of their roots, Laurel gives brith to their overdue child, but when it is revealed that the kid in question is of African American heritage, their whole world goes into a tailspin.
