Where We Stand

by Donnetta Lavinia Grays

In a town running low on compassion, an exile seeks forgiveness, forcing the community to decide between mercy or justice. A storyteller spins a tale of a lonely soul tempted by the devil’s kindness on a fateful trip to the crossroads. Where We Stand is an epic fable of penance filled with humor, heart and music.

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Where We Stand

Recommended by

Eric Pfeffinger: Where We Stand by Donnetta Lavinia Grays

“

Beguiling and galvanizing, word-drunk and riveting, Where We Stand seems to strip the very mode of theater to its barest constitutive parts to spin a timeless fable about justice and human frailty, taking full advantage of the three-dimensional immediacy of live performance in a way that both engages and implicates the audience.

Beguiling and galvanizing, word-drunk and riveting, Where We Stand seems to strip the very mode of theater to its barest constitutive parts to spin a timeless fable about justice and human frailty, taking full advantage of the three-dimensional immediacy of live performance in a way that both engages and implicates the audience.

”

Character Information

Man

Character Age

any

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Black
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
- Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
  
  Black, African, Caribbean, or African American

Development History

Type Commission, Organization The Public Theatre, Year 2018

Production History

Type Professional, Organization Portland Centerstage, Year 2021
Type Professional, Organization Steppenwolf Theater Company, Year 2021
Type Professional, Organization Baltimore Centerstage, Year 2020
Type Professional, Organization WP Theater, Year 2020

Genre

fable/folktale,

musical,

verse

Subject Matter Keywords

Fable,

musical,

one person play

Length

60-90 minutes

Cast Size

Narrative Attributes

Centers Characters of Color

Supporting Materials

Published Script

https://www.concordtheatricals.com/p/94621/where-we-stand

Music Samples

https://soundcloud.com/donnetta-grays/what-you-givin-me?utm_source=clipboard&ut…,

https://soundcloud.com/donnetta-grays/am-i-a-king-5-82518-1014-am?utm_source=cl…,

https://soundcloud.com/donnetta-grays/tear-the-whole-thing-down-82518-1030-am?u…

Supporting Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj1CkZwRvF0

Reviews

Exeunt

“
"The modulation of mood and expression all seem organic—the man does not sing because he randomly decides to break out into song; he sings because the moment demands such expression—as this character shows the many sides of himself that his neighbors had ignored for years. In allowing the man to tell his story, Lavinia Grays’s script paints a nuanced portrait of a lonely and weary man laying himself bare before his neighbors."
”
TheaterMania

“
"Where We Stand Reveals a Community on the Precipice of a Big Decision. With sensitivity and classically great storytelling skills, Grays asks us to reconsider our notions of justice and revenge, and the perilous chasm between them."
”
Vulture

“
Where We Stand is experienced as a charismatic feat; in some magical way it feels as though Grays is reciting the entire play directly to you, while never breaking eye-contact. This drugging, bewildering quality comes from the contact-high great performance can give you,"
”