It Sags Like A Heavy Load

by Vincent Terrell Durham

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

It Sags Like A Heavy Load questions how far our nation has come to achieving MLK’s dream. The white-only signs are gone but do the fumes of racism linger and lurk just below the surface? Do they threaten to reappear the moment the majority...

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

It Sags Like A Heavy Load questions how far our nation has come to achieving MLK’s dream. The white-only signs are gone but do the fumes of racism linger and lurk just below the surface? Do they threaten to reappear the moment the majority feels unease or discomfort?

Cell phones capture moments of driving while Black, walking while Black, and even birdwatching while Black. But cell phones don’t capture the full regression from loving thy Black neighbor to suspecting thy Black neighbor. Our play allows the audience to witness how benign interactions can succumb to the latent fumes of implicit bias and racism.

Molly and Peter are a well-off white couple, new to Harlem. Molly has eagerly explored the neighborhood and befriended several Black Harlemites. Peter is more interested in rekindling their sex life than meeting his new neighbors, but Molly has extended invites for a small cocktail party. Jaquan, a BLM activist and museum curator, accepts with the promise of receiving a collection of original Harlem rent party cards. Shameka, a bookstore owner, arrives hoping for a romantic spark with Molly’s handsome new friend. Jaquan’s plus-one and a single mother round out the group. A well-intentioned night of community sparks, intense debates, humor, pointed accusations, and a shocking revelation of implicit bias.

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It Sags Like A Heavy Load

Recommended by

  • The New Cosmopolitans : It Sags Like A Heavy Load by Vincent Terrell Durham
    “

    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.

    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: It Sags Like A Heavy Load by Vincent Terrell Durham
    “

    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.

    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: It Sags Like A Heavy Load by Vincent Terrell Durham
    “

    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!

    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
    White-American, male, 41 years old, born and raised in a blue-collar, middle-class family in Buffalo, New York. He worked to put himself through college and medical school to become an anesthesiologist. He suffers from racial blind spots rather than blatant racism. He wouldn't think his whiteness brings him any more privilege than his Harlem neighbors of color have. He's been married to Molly Castle for 12 years. He's father to the couple's adopted 3-year-old Black son. He hopes to have a biological child with Molly.
    41
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Molly Castle
    White-American, female, 38 years old, born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut 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's budget could afford. She is the founder and CEO of a non-profit environmental foundation. She approaches the world mostly with an intelligent and optimistic view. She eagerly explores things outside her own experiences to see how she might improve them. She has not shared her trepidation about trying to conceive again after suffering 2 miscarriages.
    38
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Jaquan Wallace
    Black-American, male, 33 years old, gay, 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 a Black Lives Matter activist and an exhibit designer at the Schomburg Center. He has found his voice in the BLM movement but has yet to find that same power in his personal life. He is questioning his 18-month relationship with his white lover Tom.
    33
    Black
    Gay Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Tom
    White-American, male, 31 years old, gay, born and raised in Manhattan, NY to a well-to-do, Fifth Avenue 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 has no idea that his relationship with Jaquan is anything other than perfect. He hides his insecurities behind a boisterous and confrontational facade.
    31
    White
    Gay Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Shameka Davis
    Black-American, female, 32 years old, born and raised in Harlem, NY to a middle-class family. She is single, straightforward, well-read, college-educated, and confident. She burns Sage, loves candles, and is a master Spades player. Her mother is a music teacher and her father previously owned the bookstore she now operates. Her bookstore has caught the eye of developers.
    32
    Black
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Rita Dupree
    Black-American, female, 26 years old, born and raised in Harlem, NY.
    She is a single mother. Her two jobs at a dollar store and McDonald's 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 at the hands of a white neighbor.
    26
    Black
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      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

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