The Place That Made You by Darcy Parker Bruce

In the aftermath of a tragedy Jonah attempts to reunite with his best friend, Ben returns to her childhood home, and a giant white whale haunts the coastline of a sleepy Connecticut town. A modern day re-imagining of Jonah and the Whale, a tale of love, loss, and glory in small town America. The second Piedmont play.
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The Place That Made You

Recommended by

  • Rachel Teagle:
    1 Nov. 2021
    “ A haunting, moving, evocative play with engulfing imagery and lived-in characters. I loved the play between worlds and how such enormous impossible ideas can live beside such intimate, heartbreaking moments. ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    9 Mar. 2021
    “ A gorgeous portrait of pain and loss that intimately connects in a magical way. Excellent. ”
  • Asher Wyndham:
    26 Apr. 2020
    “ Many of us could easily connect with these characters and their struggle to belong and make sense of so much pain and loss in their lives.
    Immensely theatrical, Bruce's play swallows you whole like a big whale.
    Most plays are just fine treading the shoreline - this one goes deep, deep in the ocean.
    Another challenging - certainly rewarding - play for designers.
    ”
View all 23 recommendations

Character Information

  • Jonah
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    Trans man
    frog kissing boy of the summer. searching the waves searching for answers searching for home.

    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Ben
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    genderqueer
    A ghost returning.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Non-binary
  • Emily
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    Cisgender Female
    Fierce
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Brendan
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    Cisgender Male
    an EMT
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Bud
    60s,
    Any
    ,
    Cisgender Male
    vietnam vet and proud american
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Residency
    ,
    Interlochen Center for the Arts
    ,
    2023
  • Reading
    ,
    TheaterWorks Hartford
    ,
    2020
  • Reading
    ,
    The Depot (CT)
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Local Readings Coop
    ,
    2019
  • Workshop
    ,
    LAMBDA
    ,
    2019
  • Residency
    ,
    One Company
    ,
    2017

Awards

Finalist
,
Seven Devil's Playwrights' Conference
,
Seven Devils
,
2023
Finalist
,
Broad Horizons Development Series
,
Broad Horizons Theatre Company
,
2020
Semi-Finalist
,
2020 Conference
,
Seven Devils
,
2020
Finalist
,
Reading Series
,
Campfire Theatre Festival
,
2019
Semi-Finalist
,
Normal Ave's NAP Series
,
Normal Ave
,
2019
Semi-Finalist
,
International Thomas Wolfe Playwriting Competition
,
Playmakers Repertory Company
,
2019