Tracks (or, The People Who Live Here)

It's 1998, and pill-popping siblings Jennie and Simian have a problem: they are in danger of losing their sacred space by the Hudson River as part of AmTrain’s plan to create a bullet line from NYC to Albany. Lucky for them, Dapper Dan, the “good kid” in their group, will do anything for Jennie – inspire a letter writing campaign, get her drugs, anything. As they plan, anthropomorphic manifestations of Hudson...

It's 1998, and pill-popping siblings Jennie and Simian have a problem: they are in danger of losing their sacred space by the Hudson River as part of AmTrain’s plan to create a bullet line from NYC to Albany. Lucky for them, Dapper Dan, the “good kid” in their group, will do anything for Jennie – inspire a letter writing campaign, get her drugs, anything. As they plan, anthropomorphic manifestations of Hudson Valley myths appear around them (such as the Headless Horseman); however, these figures remain unseen until tragedy strikes, as the misfits attempt to disrupt an oncoming train by any means necessary. Tracks (or The People Who Live Here) reminds us that we all become mythical characters to those daydream out the windows of a speeding passenger train, imagining what life must be like under a Catskill moon.

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Tracks (or, The People Who Live Here)

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  • Nora Louise Syran: Tracks (or, The People Who Live Here)

    Dapper Dan might be used to "sweet and sour disappointment" but audiences won't be: there are definitely sweet moments and sour, caustic social commentary, in this gritty, realistic and yet magical story. A truly American tale on so many levels. Bravo.

    Dapper Dan might be used to "sweet and sour disappointment" but audiences won't be: there are definitely sweet moments and sour, caustic social commentary, in this gritty, realistic and yet magical story. A truly American tale on so many levels. Bravo.

  • Micaele (Mikaylee) Johnson: Tracks (or, The People Who Live Here)

    A harrowing play. One witnesses the terrifying reason local myths exist. Bray expertly weaves in historical tales, while the origin story of a new myth unfolds in front of you. An impactful story, ladened with poetry, terror, haunting moments and characters with gut wrenching desires. An authentically expressed play that will surely leave an impact on audiences.

    A harrowing play. One witnesses the terrifying reason local myths exist. Bray expertly weaves in historical tales, while the origin story of a new myth unfolds in front of you. An impactful story, ladened with poetry, terror, haunting moments and characters with gut wrenching desires. An authentically expressed play that will surely leave an impact on audiences.

  • Peter Fenton: Tracks (or, The People Who Live Here)

    "I miss playing"
    "I do, too. I mostly buy groceries."
    So rarely do I come across a play that reads like high-quality lit-fic and also is fun, but John Patrick Bray did it, and I'm so glad he did. Bray takes folklore from upstate New York and blends it with a time capsule piece of being a teenager in the late 90s in the kind of town the tracks pass over. Tracks is a haunting character drama with magic realism and plenty of comic relief that will touch and devastate audiences for years to come.

    "I miss playing"
    "I do, too. I mostly buy groceries."
    So rarely do I come across a play that reads like high-quality lit-fic and also is fun, but John Patrick Bray did it, and I'm so glad he did. Bray takes folklore from upstate New York and blends it with a time capsule piece of being a teenager in the late 90s in the kind of town the tracks pass over. Tracks is a haunting character drama with magic realism and plenty of comic relief that will touch and devastate audiences for years to come.

View all 27 recommendations
Characters:
Jennie, 16, an aspiring songwriter; Goth meets flannel, wears big black jeans and has a wallet on a chain.
Simian (purposely not spelled like the name) “Bright Boy,” 17, gutter punk aesthetic, wears a giant black trench coat.
Deb, 13, Honest, on the spectrum.
Marigold, early 40s, a nurse, and mom to Simian, Jennie, and Deb.
Dapper Dan, 17, a friend in a fedora and blue blazer; aiming to looks like Sinatra and missing entirely; attends a pricy private school
Will, 22, a friend from out of town; looks like a normal dude.
Other characters that will be doubled:
Santa Line (played by actor who plays Deb)
Headless Horseman (AKA IBM), (played by actor who plays Dapper Dan)
Voice/Jimmy (played by actor who plays Will)
Johnny Appleseed (played by actor who plays Marigold)
General Electric (played by actor who plays Simian)
The characters can be played by any ethnicity.

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Playwrights Thriving, Year 2024
  • Type Residency, Organization The Wallace Theater, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Literary and Discourse Society, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization The Skeleton Rep(resents), Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization AboutFACE Ireland, Year 2021
  • Type Reading, Organization Circle Ensemble , Year 2019
  • Type Reading, Organization Langhorne Players, Year 2019
  • Type Reading, Organization Classic City Fringe Festival, Year 2018

Production History

  • Type Community Theater, Organization Craig Houk and Athens Playwrights Workshop, Year 2025

Awards

  • Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award
    Association for Theatre in Higher Education
    Finalist
    2026
  • Open Call - Production Consideration
    New Relic Theatre
    Finalist
    2024
  • Script Contest (Production Consideration)
    Bottle Alley Theatre Company
    Finalist
    2023
  • Summer Reading Series
    Traguna Productions
    Semi-Finalist
    2019
  • 2019 Play Reading Series
    Wordsmyth Theatre Company
    Finalist
    2019