Days before Hurricane Katrina strikes, the barometer rises and the air below sea level closes in on a young black man, passionately seeking out his sexual and personal identity on a cultural landscape infused with mysterious family creeds. Marcus; or The Secret of Sweet, with its warmth, myth, humor, and Louisiana argot, is the finale of the West Coast premiere productions of Tarell Alvin McCraney's internationally acclaimed trilogy, The Brother/Sister Plays—presented in partnership with Marin Theatre Company and Magic Theatre. This magical coming-of-age play prompted the New York Times to call McCraney's work "a new, authentically original vision. . . . It's what people must have felt during productions of the early works of Eugene O'Neill in the 1920s or of Sam Shepard in the 1960s."
"The greatest piece of writing by an American playwright under 30 in a generation or more." —Chicago Tribune
"These are spiritual works that thrum with vitality, whether it's joyous or melancholy, told in vigorous language that artfully folds together slangy vernacular with bursts of haunting poetry." —Variety
"McCraney's plays [are] pumped full of a senses-heightening oxygen that leaves you tingling." —The New York Times
Three plays. Three theaters. One epic West Coast premiere event.
Don't miss the other two installments of The Brother/Sister Plays:
Part I: In the Red and Brown Water at Marin Theatre Company
A young track star fearlessly confronts her unsteady future while grappling with multiple suitors and her mother’s death
Part II: The Brothers Size at Magic Theatre
Two astoundingly different—yet profoundly connected—brothers struggle to discover identity and to unearth a new sense of freedom
To experience the complete internationally acclaimed trilogy, visit www.brothersisterplays.org.
Prologue*
November 2, 5:30 p.m.
Get inside the artistic process—come early for a preperformance discussion with the director and a member of the A.C.T. artistic staff.
Theater on the Couch*
November 5, 8 p.m.
Join members of the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis for an exciting postperformance discussion that explores the psychological aspects of the show and addresses audience questions.
Audience Exchanges*
November 9, 7 p.m.
November 14, 2 p.m.
November 17, 2 p.m.
After the show, stick around for a lively Q&A session with the actors, moderated by a member of the A.C.T. artistic staff.
OUT with A.C.T.
November 10, 8 p.m.
LGBT night at A.C.T. features a catered afterparty and a cast meet and greet. Visit www.act-sf.org/out for more information about how to subscribe to OUT nights.
*Discussions are free for ticket holders. Please note that performance times vary.
Coming soon . . .
Insight into the Play, the Playwright, and the Production
Each entertaining and informative issue of Words on Plays, A.C.T.'s in-depth performance guide series, contains a synopsis, advance program notes, study questions, and additional background information about the historical and cultural context of the play.
Words on Plays is available for purchase in the lobby of the theater during performances or online ($12 each + postage and handling). To subscribe to the full season ($70), call 415.749.2250.
Coming soon . . .
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