Golden

by Andrew Lee Creech

*In development*

FULL LENGTH - In the middle of the Great Recession, Morris Golden fights to save his marriage and keep the bank from foreclosing on his house. He might be able to pull it off if he could just get this stubborn magical change machine to work. Golden (formerly titled "When We Rise") paints a vulnerable portrait of how we recover from devastating events, maintain hope during hopeless times, and...

*In development*

FULL LENGTH - In the middle of the Great Recession, Morris Golden fights to save his marriage and keep the bank from foreclosing on his house. He might be able to pull it off if he could just get this stubborn magical change machine to work. Golden (formerly titled "When We Rise") paints a vulnerable portrait of how we recover from devastating events, maintain hope during hopeless times, and fight to connect with one another in order to survive in a world in crisis.

This play is part of a planned nine-play, multi-century-spanning cycle exploring the lives of Black Americans in pivotal moments of American history.

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Golden

Recommended by

  • Rich Rubin: Golden by Andrew Lee Creech
    “

    An electrifying drama that somehow manages to combine gritty realism with magical theatricality, and make it all fit together perfectly. Features a collection of characters lovingly depicted in all their messy humanity, including their foibles and flaws, all their hopes and dashed dreams. The dialogue is dazzling throughout, and the strategically-placed monologues consistently hit home with their power and their poetry. Extremely worthy of wide-spread production. Bravo!

    An electrifying drama that somehow manages to combine gritty realism with magical theatricality, and make it all fit together perfectly. Features a collection of characters lovingly depicted in all their messy humanity, including their foibles and flaws, all their hopes and dashed dreams. The dialogue is dazzling throughout, and the strategically-placed monologues consistently hit home with their power and their poetry. Extremely worthy of wide-spread production. Bravo!

    ”
  • James Moran: Golden by Andrew Lee Creech
    “

    A convincing world achieved by rich characters caught in impossible situations in which hope reveals its tyranny and its blessings, and change is an invaluable currency.

    A convincing world achieved by rich characters caught in impossible situations in which hope reveals its tyranny and its blessings, and change is an invaluable currency.

    ”
  • John Mabey: Golden by Andrew Lee Creech
    “

    GOLDEN, by Andrew Lee Creech, is a play fueled by complex characters and powerful emotional truths. From the start, I fell in love with the characters reclaiming the past and fighting for the future while trying to survive the present. I saw reflections of myself in each one because of how deeply Creech understands and contrasts their journeys. And the broader world of the play deftly explores how a recession and Black urban history combine to propel each character's choices throughout. This is a play that truly comes alive, right off the page, and can't wait to see it staged.

    GOLDEN, by Andrew Lee Creech, is a play fueled by complex characters and powerful emotional truths. From the start, I fell in love with the characters reclaiming the past and fighting for the future while trying to survive the present. I saw reflections of myself in each one because of how deeply Creech understands and contrasts their journeys. And the broader world of the play deftly explores how a recession and Black urban history combine to propel each character's choices throughout. This is a play that truly comes alive, right off the page, and can't wait to see it staged.

    ”
View all 7 recommendations

Character Information

  • Morris
    Black man. Late 40s. A prideful, stubborn man. The experiences in his life have given him both wounds and wisdom. He's fighting to reclaim his past and hold onto to every hard-won thing he has in his life.
    40s
    Black
    Man
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Rheeda
    A woman who's fighting to free herself from her past and from repeating old mistakes in order to claim her future.
    40s
    Black
    Woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Jazz
    A woman who has lost everything, and is fighting to regain stability in her career, within herself, and with her daughter.
    20s
    Black
    Woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Zora
    A curious, but troubled little wonder. Her sweet, honest nature makes you fall in love with her. And her curiosity is endless, which gets on Jazz's damn nerves.
    11
    Black
    Woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Child,
      Teens
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Quikk
    A man of opportunity. In his mind, he's an entrepreneur and business man, fighting to build his own enterprise, make his own way, and prove his worth. Also plays YOUNG MORRIS.
    20s
    Black
    Man
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Earl
    A man who has clawed his way back to stability by embracing a life of scarcity and simplicity. And even though he's just trying to hold onto to what he's got, he can't help but have moments of yearning for flashes of the old.
    30-50
    Non White
    Man
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary

Development History

Awards