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Well-Intentioned White People by Imani Vaughn-Jones

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  • George Sapio:
    9 Apr. 2022
    “ One of the most powerful, honest plays I've ever read. This should be produced everywhere. ”
  • Paul Donnelly:
    24 Feb. 2022
    “ A play of undeniable power and unsettling resonance. To my great shame, I could recognize myself in the micro-aggressions perpetrated against Nia. The gap between intention and effect is viscerally illustrated. Topher's harrowing failure is an indictment of white complacency and self-serving conduct. The play builds from wry comedy to soul-searing drama with great skill and subtlety. This is a vital play of and for our times. It is time to see it produced widely. ”
  • David Hansen:
    1 Apr. 2021
    “ Vaughn-Jones's play is a map of microaggressions, as the protagonist Nia navigates social interaction with her white husband’s parents, members of her otherwise all-white writer’s group, and finally her own husband’s inability to stand up against racist comments when he feels doing so would compromise his career. The tension builds and once she breaks and expresses her feelings is forced to cope with white defensiveness and their (our) inability to take responsibility for their (our) actions. It's an intense, well-plotted and highly relevant work and presents a strong argument. I would love to see this performed! ”
  • Madeline Wall:
    31 Oct. 2020
    “ "No one said you were [a monster]. That's why this hurts. Because I think you're a good person. I do. Maybe not in action, but in essence."
    WELL-INTENTIONED WHITE PEOPLE is at once a nuanced, compassionate story of individuals struggling to care for one another and a raging, righteous exposure of the wounds that white people inflict upon Black people--even when we're "trying." To my fellow white people: it will make you cringe. It will make you cry. The dialogue sears. The poetry soars. The questions refuse easy answers. This play deserves to be invested in. ”
  • Adrian Baynard:
    29 Aug. 2020
    “ WIWP is honest, grounded, and brutal in it's all too true examination of what violence looks like when delivered through microaggressions. Nia's journey of self discovery and empowerment are inspiring and heartbreaking, as she realizes who she is and what must be done to grow into the artist, activist, and human that can change the world. Vaughn-Jones handles every scene with nuance and delivers a piece that will have the American public examine themselves and if they can truly be considered an "ally". Undeniably true while being smart in it's theatrical nature, this is a must see/read. ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    28 Aug. 2020
    “ Stellar piece whose incisive humor is as powerful as its wrenching drama. Watching Nia navigate white supremacy as a Black female artist is compelling, horrifying, and fraught. To tell the story with mostly Black bodies is both an effective theatrical tool and a blistering critique of performative allyship. Vaughn-Jones succeeds in examining the multi-headed monster of patriarchal white supremacy by rendering all kinds of flavors of it. The two poems Nia performs are absolutely exquisite and the final scene between her and Topher is a masterfully-executed argument that indicts Topher and his false allyship without making him a villain. ”
  • Daniel Sakamoto-Wengel:
    28 Aug. 2020
    “ WELL-INTENTIONED WHITE PEOPLE is eloquently layered with nuance on the narrative of white micro-aggression. It holds a mirror up to white allies and asks, "how are both your actions and inaction contributing to violence against black people?"

    The play is dynamic, guiding the audience swiftly from one jaw-dropping scene to the next with precise storytelling told through black bodies.

    Any theatre would be lucky to produce this play and give its audience the opportunity to engage with a new perspective on race and empathy. ”
  • Bryan Montemayor:
    27 Aug. 2020
    “ Cutting and Honest. The journey this play sets us on forces us to take a long hard look at the society we live in today and helps us confront hard truths about race and the role we play as allies of the movement for a more diverse and equitable America. Nia's story of bravery in an unjust world is provocative and powerful and deserves to be heard. ”
  • Quinn Xavier Hernandez:
    26 Aug. 2020
    “ Moving with ferocity and openly condemning white violence of all levels, WELL INTENTIONED WHITE PEOPLE is unapologetic in its portrayal of black trauma. Imani Vaughn-Jones has written a powerful examination of society, allyship, and the work left to be done--the work that must be taken up by white allies. I applaud her vulnerability and ask that you give this piece every consideration. Develop it. Invest in it. Produce it. ”