Tennessee Wet Rub by Kim E. Ruyle

[Full-Length]
It’s January 30, 1951, and perhaps what is the worst winter storm in Tennessee’s history is burying the state under snow and ice. Roads have been shut down, and people are without power. As the storm rages, Bertha and Hank, an older white couple, huddle in their shuttered barbecue restaurant around a kerosene lantern when two young people, a white girl and a black male enter seeking...
[Full-Length]
It’s January 30, 1951, and perhaps what is the worst winter storm in Tennessee’s history is burying the state under snow and ice. Roads have been shut down, and people are without power. As the storm rages, Bertha and Hank, an older white couple, huddle in their shuttered barbecue restaurant around a kerosene lantern when two young people, a white girl and a black male enter seeking refuge. The values and compassion of Bertha and Hank are put to the test when a deputy sheriff arrives hunting for something or someone.
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Tennessee Wet Rub

Recommended by

  • Tom Erb:
    20 Apr. 2024
    “ "Tennessee Wet Rub" is a play about a group of people in a restaurant in the 1950s. They face tough times because of their different backgrounds. The story shows how they deal with problems and understand each other better. It's a strong story that makes you think about fairness and how we treat others. I found it very enjoyable read. ”
  • Paul Donnelly:
    30 May. 2023
    “ This play is just gorgeous. It has a suspenseful narrative that had me on the edge of my seat the whole way. It also contains five richly developed and complex characters and spot on social commentary. But there is an artistic alchemy at work here that melds all these compelling parts into a richer, more moving whole. ”
  • John Bavoso:
    10 Dec. 2022
    “ This play held me in tense suspense from the very first page, but the true beauty of the script is the way it unfolds the characters into fully realized people. Ruyle’s attention to detail and language is on full display. Timely and timeless, this play is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and spark many a post-show discussion. Highly recommended! ”
View all 14 recommendations

HANK DUNWIDDIE: White male, 60s. Speaks with a Tennessee mountain dialect, Appalachian English.
BERTHA DUNWIDDIE: White female, 60s. Hank’s wife.
DUNK FREEMAN: Black male, early 20s. Highly intelligent and well-spoken. Confident, almost cocky, but very politically savvy and polite.
ARLETA EASTER: White female, teens. Demure. Wary.
VERN: White male, 20.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Chicago Dramatists
    ,
    2022

Production History

  • Community Theater
    ,
    Cottage Theatre - AACT World Premiere
    ,
    2024
  • Workshop
    ,
    Staged Reading. Upright Theatre Company
    ,
    2023
  • Workshop
    ,
    Staged Reading, The Legacy Theatre, Stony Creek, Connecticut.
    ,
    2022

Awards

Winner
,
Best Script in Festival
,
Scriptwriters & Co.
,
2023
Winner
,
AACT NewPlayFest 2024
,
American Association of Community Theatre
,
2023
Finalist
,
Stanley Drama Award
,
Wagner College
,
2023
Quarterfinalist Stage Play Competition
,
ScreenCraft
,
2022
Semi-Finalist
,
New Works 2022 Festival
,
Panndora Productions
,
2022
Honorable Mention
,
Script (Stage Play/Television/ Movie Script/Short Film) category of the 91st Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition
,
Writer's Digest
,
2022
Selection
,
Second Round Selection in Stage Play Category
,
Austin Film Festival
,
2022
Winner
,
Overall Winner of The 2022 Legacy Play Reading Festival
,
Legacy Theatre
,
2022