Play title: Paradise
Author (s): Laura Maria Censabella
Agent: Elaine Devlin, Elaine Devlin LIterary, Inc elaine@edevlinlit.com
Funder: Ensemble Studio Theatre/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
https://sloan.org/programs/public-understanding/theater
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Primary Discipline: Neuroscience
Secondary Discipline: Biology
Character Breakdown:
Yasmeen al-Hamadi:
Looks 17, Arab American, Muslim, Female Slight Bronx Accent
Age: Teens, 20s
Race/Ethnicity: Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
Gender: Female
Dr. Guy Royston:
40s, White, African American, Male Rural Virginian accent
Age: 40s, 50s
Race/Ethnicity: Black, African, Caribbean, or African American, White
Gender: Male
(Character Breakdown provided by New Play Exchange)
Setting: A Public High School in the Bronx
Time Period: Current
Synopsis of Play: Yasmeen Al-Hamadi is a Muslim, Yemeni-American senior at a struggling inner-city Bronx high school. Dr. Guy Royston is her disaffected science teacher, a former Evangelical with a mysterious past. An unlikely research team, together they embark on a neurological study, leading to stormy conflicts over love, faith and culture.
(Synopsis provided by New Play Exchange)
First Performance Date: April 6th, 2017
First Producer: Underground Railroad/Central Square Theatre with Catalyst Collaborative@MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Production
Performance History: Premiering at the Underground Railroad/Central Square Theatre, Paradise was received with outstanding reviews. Going on to be produced by the Passage Theatre, Luna Stage, and even The Odyssey Theatre with producers Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, and John Capetta. Paradise most recently won the 2018 IRNE Award for Best New Play.
Links:
http://theotherfiftypercent.com/blog/lauramariacensabella
http://ladramacriticscircle.com/tag/laura-maria-censabella/
https://newplayexchange.org/plays/79823/paradise
Entered by: Anna Galanides
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