SHOWIN' UP BLACK

by Jeanne Madison

“SHOWIN’ Up BLACK”, Written by Jeanne Madison
Synopsis

On the eve of their daughter’s cotillion, Louis and Claire Hopegoode, an affluent African American couple, see their plans for the perfect debutante ball collide with a Black Lives Matter protest. Claire insists that her influential husband have the protest moved. Louis, a prominent attorney, has secretly agreed to represent the police officers who killed...

“SHOWIN’ Up BLACK”, Written by Jeanne Madison
Synopsis

On the eve of their daughter’s cotillion, Louis and Claire Hopegoode, an affluent African American couple, see their plans for the perfect debutante ball collide with a Black Lives Matter protest. Claire insists that her influential husband have the protest moved. Louis, a prominent attorney, has secretly agreed to represent the police officers who killed the black youth at the center of the protest.

Their daughter, Evvie, a budding activist at an elite Boston boarding school, has a crush on Kwan, a protest organizer. Kwan, from a low-income background, has beat the odds and is a student at MIT. When the pair arrive at Evvie’s home, Louis and Kwan strike up a heated discussion of contradicting views about the best path to race equality. They end in a draw.

After the ball, Evvie is rousted by the police, and the Hopegoodes come face-to-face with a reality they thought they had escaped. Kwan and Louis get into a physical altercation over whose fault it was. Kwan is arrested shortly after leaving the Hopegoode’s home. Evvie implores her father to get him released, which he ultimately does through his connections.

Kwan and Evvie reunite in Boston, where Kwan relates his awe at Louis’ political influence. He determines to build his organization with the financial support of his white classmates. He and Evvie exit to march for police accountability. End of Play.

read more
  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

SHOWIN' UP BLACK

Recommended by

  • Raymond Bobgan: SHOWIN' UP BLACK by Jeanne Madison
    “

    Showin' Up Black is a powerful drama that resonated so strongly with our audiences at Cleveland Public Theatre in a workshop production. The play digs deeply into issues and pulls no punches in critique, but is also warm and empathetic. Yes there are some very complex issues at play with a lovely sense of humor and a touching and thought provoking conclusion. We hope to produce the play in the future.

    Showin' Up Black is a powerful drama that resonated so strongly with our audiences at Cleveland Public Theatre in a workshop production. The play digs deeply into issues and pulls no punches in critique, but is also warm and empathetic. Yes there are some very complex issues at play with a lovely sense of humor and a touching and thought provoking conclusion. We hope to produce the play in the future.

    ”
SHOWIN' UP BLACK
CAST OF CHARACTERS:

CLAIRE HOPEGOODE: Affluent, elegant, African American, early 50’s, member and Cotillion Ball Chair of the elite African American sorority, Gamma Zeta Epsilon. Married to Louis since college.
LOUIS HOPEGOODE: Affluent, elegant, African American, early 50’s, Attorney and Partner in the prestigious law firm Minor Gray and Carter, married to Claire since college.
EVVIE HOPEGOODE: African American, 17year old debutante, senior at Boston Preparatory Academy, an exclusive boarding school affiliated with Boston University, and daughter of Claire and Louis Hopegoode.
MARIE DEADWYLER: Affluent, elegant, African American, late 40’s - early 50’s, Claire’s friend, neighbor, and Sorority Sister.
KWAN RICHARDSON: African American, 19years old, sophomore at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and grass-roots organizer from The Points, a fictional low-income neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, the “hood”.

**Characters’ race may not be changed, as race is a character in the story.