Dark Skinned Pavement

by TJ Young

Ever since an incident that limited B.J.'s ability to work, Harpo has been putting food on the table by watching other people's children. After an incident at Harpo's in-home daycare threatens her business, B.J.'s cousin, Shay, introduces them to Dwaylan - a man that can keep Harpo in business. What Dwaylan wants in return might be more than Harpo is willing to give, as the memory of the one child she couldn't...

Ever since an incident that limited B.J.'s ability to work, Harpo has been putting food on the table by watching other people's children. After an incident at Harpo's in-home daycare threatens her business, B.J.'s cousin, Shay, introduces them to Dwaylan - a man that can keep Harpo in business. What Dwaylan wants in return might be more than Harpo is willing to give, as the memory of the one child she couldn't protect comes crashing back into their lives.

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Dark Skinned Pavement

Recommended by

  • Bruce Linser, Jenny Connell Davis, & Palm Beach Dramaworks: Dark Skinned Pavement

    Dark Skinned Pavement was one of five finalists that received readings during our annual New Year/New Plays Festival in January of 2022. Told in beautifully structured flashbacks and forwards, the play explores the aftermath of a familial and societal tragedy and the profoundly personal ways we each wrestle with loss, grief, hope, and moving on.

    Dark Skinned Pavement was one of five finalists that received readings during our annual New Year/New Plays Festival in January of 2022. Told in beautifully structured flashbacks and forwards, the play explores the aftermath of a familial and societal tragedy and the profoundly personal ways we each wrestle with loss, grief, hope, and moving on.

  • Donna Hoke: Dark Skinned Pavement

    A poignant reminder that behind the tragic headlines there are families learning to live with grief in the public eye and then, sometimes even harder, continuing to live with it once the public has stopped paying attention. When is it worth reopening the wounds and how do we live with the scars? Thank you, TJ.

    A poignant reminder that behind the tragic headlines there are families learning to live with grief in the public eye and then, sometimes even harder, continuing to live with it once the public has stopped paying attention. When is it worth reopening the wounds and how do we live with the scars? Thank you, TJ.

  • Anne-Liese Juge Fox: Dark Skinned Pavement

    This play won "Best Production"of our season and won the Inkslinger Playwriting Contest. It was IDEAL for our university setting to open up conversation, build community of action, and look at big questions of how to address police violence and its long-reaching impact. This tightly written play runs about one hour, which made it possible for us to have campus community partners and student organizations participate in audience talkback sessions after each show. The conversations were powerful and rich. It was great to teach in Intro classes as well for structure and revelation of story.

    This play won "Best Production"of our season and won the Inkslinger Playwriting Contest. It was IDEAL for our university setting to open up conversation, build community of action, and look at big questions of how to address police violence and its long-reaching impact. This tightly written play runs about one hour, which made it possible for us to have campus community partners and student organizations participate in audience talkback sessions after each show. The conversations were powerful and rich. It was great to teach in Intro classes as well for structure and revelation of story.

View all 11 recommendations

Character Information

  • Dwalyan
    Character Age
    30s
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • BJ
    Character Age
    50s
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Shay
    Character Age
    30s
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Harpo
    Character Age
    50s
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Martell
    Character Age
    Late Teens/Early 20s
    Character Gender Identity
    Male

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Throughline Theatre Company, Year 2019

Awards

  • Inkslinger Playwriting Contest
    Southeastern Louisiana University
    Winner
    2020