Br'er Cotton by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm

FULL LENGTH - Lynchburg, Virginia. The former site of a thriving cotton mill is now an impoverished neighborhood. Deeply affected by all the recent killings of young black men like himself, Ruffrino, a 14 year old militant, incites riots at school and online. More and more at odds with his mother and grandfather, the boys anger grows beyond containment while the family home literally sinks into the cotton...
FULL LENGTH - Lynchburg, Virginia. The former site of a thriving cotton mill is now an impoverished neighborhood. Deeply affected by all the recent killings of young black men like himself, Ruffrino, a 14 year old militant, incites riots at school and online. More and more at odds with his mother and grandfather, the boys anger grows beyond containment while the family home literally sinks into the cotton field, and no one seems to notice but him.
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Br'er Cotton

Recommended by

  • Danielle Ozymandias:
    17 Jul. 2019
    “ The imagery is stunning. I’d love to see how creative designers would get to be with this. The kitchen sinking is just an incredible concept. How strange and wonderful. It’s beautifully written, the flirting scene with Nadine and the Officer is fantastic. The relationship between Mathew and Ruffrino- I just love it. Truly one of the best things I’ve read. ”
  • National New Play Network:
    16 Jan. 2019
    “ BR'ER COTTON by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. Partnering NNPN Member Theaters were Kitchen Dog Theater (Dallas, TX), Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble (Los Angeles, CA), and Cleveland Public Theatre (OH). ”
  • James Fleming:
    29 Oct. 2018
    “ A brilliant, relevant, and deeply humane play by a rising young writer. It is stunning and the first time I read it, I was shook. You should produce this play in your theatre's next season. ”
View all 12 recommendations

Development History

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Theatre 503 (UK)
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    Lower Depth Theatre Ensemble
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    Cleveland Public Theatre
    ,
    2017
  • University
    ,
    The Catholic University of America
    ,
    2016

Awards

Winner
,
David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award
,
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
,
2017
Finalist
,
Playwriting Award 2016
,
Theatre 503
,
2016
Winner
,
Lorraine Hansberry Playwriting Award
,
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
,
2016
Semi-Finalist
,
Relentless Award
,
The American Playwriting Foundation
,
2015