←Recommendations of TEACH

TEACH offers a riveting examination of gender and power dynamics between a teacher and student as issues of attraction and nurturing, responsibility and manipulation come to the fore. Hoke's exploration of gender in having a male and female teacher figure and a male and female student figure interact in varied configurations is far, far more than a theatrical device, although it is also spectacularly effective as a device. The cautionary figure of the principal who never gets beyond manipulation and self-absorption provides a compelling foil and effectively represents systemic shortcomings. All in all, a work that demands to be staged.

Beautifully complex in its crafting, and featuring Hoke's razor-sharp wit, TEACH explores the edges between what we think and what is — Digging into the way our perspectives and identities shift and tilt and bend. The piece features terrific contemporary roles for younger actors, but all the characters feel so developed and real. The whole world of the High School feels available: I can hear the bells, smell the cafeteria, see the shine on the linoleum floor... Within this familiar environment, Hoke exposes brittle politicking and boundary-pushing, within a system where powerful dynamics are at play.

What you think you see and hear isn't always what's real, and this play shows in exquisite detail how the dynamics of relationships between teacher and student and teacher and principal can be just as fluid as the identities we think we see. Donna Hoke has crafted this story in such a way that while the characters are very real, the perceptions may not be at all what the audience expects. It was stunning in a reading, so a production is a must-see.

Donna Hoke tackles the subject of professional and personal boundaries in a unique theatrical way that opens our eyes to the gender dynamics at play in every relationship. What an exciting challenge for actors and directors to take this on -- a production that will engender much discussion for days to come.

This is a deeply complex and challenging play. It examines the ways in whch our society tries to draw boxes around and contain the messy business of human interaction. Sometimes it's essential to do so, and sometimes there's no way to do so - and sometimes both of these things are true. TEACH is the kind of play that sparks deep and long discussions in its aftermath. It will get you thinking, and remembering your own experiences and reactions. It also has a novel and theatrical construction that adds to the questions of the play.

Outstanding way to tackle the thorny issues of mentorship and professional boundaries. This writer clearly excels at taking tough, complex issues and turning them into a sensational theatrical experience. Add this to your reading list today.

I love this play! The structure is absolutely brilliant, and I have a feeling It will be on my mind for a long time. Would love to see a production of it. Great work!

A standout play---period. I've read lots of plays this season set in a school where there are questionable actions between teachers/students, but often the action gets mired in a lot of back-and-forth accusations. This story stays active and present, showing, not just telling. It questions all the small, subtle interactions, but also shows us the cycles of abuse of power. Definitely easy to produce and more theatrical---stop producing OLEANNA and choose this play instead!

Drama that really forces me to question my own responses and bias - this is a rare treat! I love what Hoke does in this fascinating, compelling play. The characters are so human, it is a great pleasure. Wonderfully exciting work!

I love what Donna Hoke is up to here, testing her audience's response to uncomfortable relationship and power dynamics through the filter of gender. I was fascinated by where my moral lines moved, how my judgments and comfort zones shifted scene-to-scene, as the one variable -- gender -- kept getting swapped out. Far more than a clever experiment, the characters and their messy emotional ties make for full and compelling people, and pat answers are not on the menu. Would love to see this on its feet, to feel the crowd's responses and eavesdrop on their conversations afterward.