Trouble of the World

by Nikki Brake-Silla

Julian loves Mario. Mario loves Julian. Janice, Mario’s mother, cannot reconcile her first generation, Catholic upbringing to love all of him. Trouble of the World is in conversation with The Merchant of Venice, is told through the lens of Nema, a wealthy attorney, as she seeks justice after Janice, a Dominican police officer, kills her son, Julian. Trouble of the World explores classism, colorism, homophobia...

Julian loves Mario. Mario loves Julian. Janice, Mario’s mother, cannot reconcile her first generation, Catholic upbringing to love all of him. Trouble of the World is in conversation with The Merchant of Venice, is told through the lens of Nema, a wealthy attorney, as she seeks justice after Janice, a Dominican police officer, kills her son, Julian. Trouble of the World explores classism, colorism, homophobia, and the complexity of the love and loss between two very different mothers.

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Trouble of the World

Recommended by

  • Playwrights Foundation: Trouble of the World by Nikki Brake-Silla
    “

    Playwrights Foundation enthusiastically recommends this play TROUBLE OF THE WORLD, as a Semi-Finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2020. We were moved by the quality of the writing and the relevant and compelling themes that spoke to the mission of our festival. It excelled in a competitive process of 735 plays submitted this year and rose to the top after a six month long process discussing its merits with both national and local Bay Area readers, and we hope it moves swiftly towards production.

    Playwrights Foundation enthusiastically recommends this play TROUBLE OF THE WORLD, as a Semi-Finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2020. We were moved by the quality of the writing and the relevant and compelling themes that spoke to the mission of our festival. It excelled in a competitive process of 735 plays submitted this year and rose to the top after a six month long process discussing its merits with both national and local Bay Area readers, and we hope it moves swiftly towards production.

    ”

Character Information

  • Bailiff
    Filipino American, keeps order in the court and swears in witnesses. Bored by job. (Bailiff and Gen can double)
    20s
    Filipino American
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Nema Pittman
    dark skinned, African-American woman, named partner at her law firm. Spelman undergrad, first Black woman, President of Harvard Law Review. Wife to Lester and mother to Julian
    58
    African American/ Black
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Defense
    African American woman, always camera ready. (Defense and Melba can double)
    55
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Alastor "Lester" Pittman
    dark skinned, African-American man from Chicago by way of Mississippi, Morehouse undergrad, Harvard Law, judge
    63
    African American/ Black
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Prosecutor
    Latinx, non-binary, grandstander, cutting, underestimated until it's too late.
    (Prosecutor and Bia can double)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • Julian Pittman
    African-American man, Nema and Lester's only son. He is the best parts of them. Morehouse undergrad, Socialite (Julian and BLM #1 can double.)
    28
    African American / Black
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Mario Andujar
    Afro-Dominicano, Julian's boyfriend of five years+, yoga instructor and soon to be yoga studio owner
    31
    Afro-Dominican
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Janice Andujar
    1st generation, light-skinned Afro-Dominicana, widowed mother to Mario, police office in the 34th District of Manhattan
    47
    Dominican/Hispanic
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Lupe Núñez
    Afro-Dominicana, mama to Janice, and Mario's abuelita. She silently grieves for the mistakes of her past. She lives with Janice and Mario in the Inwood section of Manhattan
    75
    Dominican/Hispanic
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Gen
    Filipino American, man. Part of Julian's Village (Gen and Bailiff can double)
    20s
    Filipino American
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Bia
    Latinx, non-binary, the personification of force and raw energy. Part of Julian's Village
    (Bia and Prosecutor can double)
    30s
    Latinx
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • Aché
    West Indian, known for her ability to wash away pain. She balances and tempers the Village. Part of Julian's Village (Aché and BLM #3 can double)
    30s
    Caribbean
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Judge
    White man, pinched features, proud member of the Mayflower Society
    60s
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, The Lark, 2021

Awards