Arbor Falls by Caridad Svich

Finalist for 2020 American Blues Theater Blue Ink Playwriting Award.
Finalist for 2019 National Playwrights Conference (O'Neill Theater Center).


In a small town called Arbor Falls, a preacher wrestles with their faith as they try to hold onto the last vestiges of a church with barely a congregation to call its own. Into this town arrives a traveler whose presence exposes the...
Finalist for 2020 American Blues Theater Blue Ink Playwriting Award.
Finalist for 2019 National Playwrights Conference (O'Neill Theater Center).


In a small town called Arbor Falls, a preacher wrestles with their faith as they try to hold onto the last vestiges of a church with barely a congregation to call its own. Into this town arrives a traveler whose presence exposes the spiritual and moral values upon which it stands. ARBOR FALLS is part of the AMERICAN PSALM seven-play cycle that began with RED BIKE.
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Arbor Falls

Recommended by

  • Caleb McCarroll:
    23 Jan. 2023
    “ I read the play tonight in one sitting and texted many of my friends about it immediately. There are so many interesting possible permutations in this piece. It could say so many things depending on the casting of specific roles. I would see this play many, many times. I would also be interested in seeing this done in a "draw the name of a role out of a hat" type of way. Truly fascinating. ”
  • John Mabey:
    8 Nov. 2022
    “ There's an amazing moment in this play that made me gasp and close my eyes to imagine the ways in which it could be staged, and there were many ways. In ARBOR FALLS, I connected so deeply with the shape of spirituality in the lives of these characters. Caridad Svich presents the dialogue in such poetic and creative ways throughout, giving those reading the text an extra layer of meaning to incorporate into their performance and our imaginations. This is a play that will stay with me and continue to reveal even deeper meanings the more I reflect. ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    18 Jun. 2019
    “ Lyrical, lush poetry meets spare conversational dialogue. Both of these modes serve to characterize the Preacher and the intriguing landscape of the remainder of the town quite well. I always love creative visual clues in texts to help unpack a text, and the way lines in the two-character exchanges are grouped together quickly and effectively guided my reading of the scenes. I loved how fleshed out the world and town were by just these simple duologues and monologues. Well-drawn themes of compassion and community made this feel like an important and, as others have stated, timeless parable. ”
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Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    The Lark
    ,
    2018

Production History

  • University
    ,
    University of Michigan- Ann Arbor
    ,
    2024
  • University
    ,
    Grinnell College
    ,
    2023
  • University
    ,
    Nebraska Wesleyan University Theatre Department
    ,
    2023
  • University
    ,
    Illinois State University
    ,
    2022

Awards