Br'er Cotton

by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm

FULL LENGTH - Lynchburg, Virginia. The former site of a thriving cotton mill is now an impoverished neighborhood. Deeply affected by all the recent killings of young black men like himself, Ruffrino, a 14 year old militant, incites riots at school and online. More and more at odds with his mother and grandfather, the boys anger grows beyond containment while the family home literally sinks into the cotton field...

FULL LENGTH - Lynchburg, Virginia. The former site of a thriving cotton mill is now an impoverished neighborhood. Deeply affected by all the recent killings of young black men like himself, Ruffrino, a 14 year old militant, incites riots at school and online. More and more at odds with his mother and grandfather, the boys anger grows beyond containment while the family home literally sinks into the cotton field, and no one seems to notice but him.

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Br'er Cotton

Recommended by

  • Danielle Ozymandias: Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm
    “

    The imagery is stunning. I’d love to see how creative designers would get to be with this. The kitchen sinking is just an incredible concept. How strange and wonderful. It’s beautifully written, the flirting scene with Nadine and the Officer is fantastic. The relationship between Mathew and Ruffrino- I just love it. Truly one of the best things I’ve read.

    The imagery is stunning. I’d love to see how creative designers would get to be with this. The kitchen sinking is just an incredible concept. How strange and wonderful. It’s beautifully written, the flirting scene with Nadine and the Officer is fantastic. The relationship between Mathew and Ruffrino- I just love it. Truly one of the best things I’ve read.

    ”
  • National New Play Network: Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm
    “

    BR'ER COTTON by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Partnering NNPN Member Theaters were Kitchen Dog Theater (Dallas, TX), Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble (Los Angeles, CA), and Cleveland Public Theatre (OH).

    BR'ER COTTON by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Partnering NNPN Member Theaters were Kitchen Dog Theater (Dallas, TX), Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble (Los Angeles, CA), and Cleveland Public Theatre (OH).

    ”
  • James Fleming: Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm
    “

    A brilliant, relevant, and deeply humane play by a rising young writer. It is stunning and the first time I read it, I was shook. You should produce this play in your theatre's next season.

    A brilliant, relevant, and deeply humane play by a rising young writer. It is stunning and the first time I read it, I was shook. You should produce this play in your theatre's next season.

    ”
View all 12 recommendations

Development History

  • Reading, Signature Theatre - Arlington, VA, 2015

Production History

  • Professional, Theatre 503 (UK), 2018
  • Professional, Cleveland Public Theatre, 2017
  • Professional, Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble, 2017
  • University, The Catholic University of America, 2016

Awards

  • David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award
    Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
    Winner
    2017
  • Relentless Award
    The American Playwriting Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2015
  • Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award
    Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
    Winner
    2016
  • Playwriting Award 2016
    Theatre 503
    Finalist
    2016