Polar Bears, Black Boys, & Prairie Fringed Orchids by Vincent Terrell Durham

A liberal white couple throw open the doors of their renovated Harlem brownstone by hosting a cocktail party for their African-American neighbors. A well-intentioned night of community devolves into intense debates, pointed accusations, and a shocking revelation of implicit bias.
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Polar Bears, Black Boys, & Prairie Fringed Orchids

Recommended by

  • The New Cosmopolitans :
    18 Aug. 2022
    “ As many others have stated in their recommendations, 'Polar Bears...' is a play to program NOW and repeatedly. We had the honor of reading a revised version of the script as part of our virtual New Queer Works series in Fall 2020, in partnership with the Pepperdine University theater department. Vincent Terrell Durham never goes for the easy way out. He paints each character with the nuances of humanity, leaving just enough ambiguous space for us to explore our own lapses in action. By the end, we stunned by our neglect toward the lives of Black men and boys. ”
  • Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend:
    11 Mar. 2021
    “ Vincent Terrell Durham has pulled off something very impressive with this one. He delves into police violence, well-intentioned white people, and endangered species with humor, nuance, and a cast of characters who feel like real, complex people. The dialogue is razor sharp. I thoroughly enjoyed this play. ”
  • Steve Harper:
    5 Dec. 2020
    “ A fun ride that focuses on race, class, morals and political correctness. The characters are a diverse group who challenge each other in poignant and powerful ways. A juicy theatrical experience! ”
View all 9 recommendations

Character Information

  • Peter Castle
    40,
    White
    ,
    Male
    White-American, male, 40 years old, born and raised in a blue-collar, middle-class family in Upstate New York. He worked to put himself through college and medical school to become an emergency room physician. His home is his refuge from the stress of his job and the outside world. He has been married to Molly Castle for 12 years. He is the father to the couple's adopted 3-year-old Black son. He still hopes to have a biological child with his wife.

    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Molly Castle
    38,
    White
    ,
    Female
    White-American, female, 38 years old, born and raised on Long Island, NY to an upper middle-class family. Her parents encouraged education and paid for all of their children to attend private schools and the best colleges the family budget could afford. She is a co-founder of a non-profit environmental foundation and dedicated to saving the planet. She is a wide-eyed optimist, intelligent and intense. She's eager to explore things outside of her own experiences to see how she can contribute to them. She is happy with her marriage and being a mother of one. She and Peter and have a playful, fast pace banter of a married of couple of 12 years.


    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Jaquan Wallace
    31,
    Black
    ,
    Male
    Black-American, male, 31 years old, born and raised in Harlem, NY. Childhood bullying and the untimely death of his mother have created an easy-going and nurturing man. He's an Exhibitions Manager at the Schomburg Center and a Black Lives Matter activist. He has found his voice in the BLM movement but has yet to find that same power when it comes to his personal life. He is openly gay and questioning his relationship with his white lover.

    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Tom
    30,
    White
    ,
    Male
    White-American, male, 30 years old, born and raised in Manhattan, NY to a well-to-do family. He's a classic movie buff. He has been educated at all the best schools. A poor little rich boy with a former Meth and alcohol addiction. He works at a drug rehab facility. He has traded drug addiction for an addiction to his lover Jaquan and everything black. He is openly gay. He hides his insecurity behind a boisterous and confrontational facade.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Shameka Davis
    32,
    Black
    ,
    Female
    Black-American, female, 32 years old, born and raised in Harlem, NY to a middle-class family. She is a straightforward, well-read, college-educated, confident, single Black woman. She burns Sage, loves candles and flirts with numerology. Her mother is a music teacher and her father previously owned the bookstore that she now operates. The store has caught the eye of developers.

    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Rita Dupree
    27,
    Black
    ,
    Female
    Black-American, female, 27 years old, born and raised in Harlem, NY. She is a single mother and appears much younger than her actual age. Her two jobs at a dollar store and Roy Rogers have her family living well below the median income for New York City. She is grieving the murder of her twelve-year-old son Elijah.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Utah Shakespeare Festival - Words Cubed
    ,
    2021
  • Reading
    ,
    PlayGround - Juneteenth Theatre Justice Project
    ,
    2020

Production History

  • University
    ,
    Stanford Repertory Theatre
    ,
    2019

Awards

Finalist
,
NNPN National Showcase of New Plays
,
National New Play Network
,
2019