WordPlay Festival Spring 2021
WordPlay Coordinator: Lexis Rangell-Onwuegbuzia
Scholar of global poverty and culture Dot Macaulay is given the chance to show off her expertise when her son, Landon, asks her for help in planning a “theme” party to impress his friends. She goes all out in planning, having her husband Thomas help her and enlists a henna artist named Kiran to provide cultural enrichment for the event. An unexpected reaction to the “theme” causes Dot and Thomas to relive disturbing moments from over twenty years ago that derail them. The family tries to live up to being saviors of the less fortunate through interactions with Kiran, believing they are freeing themselves from the demons of their past, all while being oblivious to Kiran’s own state of mind and perception of them.
Harper is a fresh-out-of-college writer who struck gold with her first novel but now she is in a funk. Recently, her inspiration has dried up and so has her self confidence which she is consistently reminded about by her personified Concious, with whom she frequently conferences about problems in her life and writing. It isn't until she gets call for help from an old college friend, Hannah, that she finds a renewed sense of passion for her writing and an unexpected much needed awakening within herself.
When Katie Weaver ambushes her brother as he’s returning home from a protest one night, a strained friendship-triangle emerges between the sibling pair and their mutual friend. One central question hangs in the air: how does one be a “good” person in a complex world—that world being October 2020? But don’t worry, this is not a doomsday play in any sense. The personal becomes political as secrets are revealed, driving themes of friendship, activism, and ambition. Will the trio make amends or will their divide irreversibly deepen?