Race and science collide in Cassandra Medley’s trenchant drama. Claire is a melanin scientist. She believes people of color are genetically superior — physically, mentally, in every way.
Play title: Relativity
Author (s): Cassandra Medley
Publisher: Broadway Play Publishing Inc
Publication Date: October 2006
Genre: Drama
Funder: Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
https://sloan.org
Primary Discipline: Genetics
Secondary Discipline: Biology
Scientist (s): Fictional
Source Texts: Unknown
Character Breakdown: 3 Men, 2 Female
Kalima Davis, Claire Reid, Malik Oyami, Iris Preston, Dan McClellan
Setting: Varies
Time Period: Spring, 2004
Synopsis of Play: Race and science collide in Cassandra Medley’s trenchant drama. Claire is a melanin scientist. She believes people of color are genetically superior — physically, mentally, in every way. Her daughter Kalima, a molecular geneticist at Johns Hopkins, knows otherwise, but to discredit her mother would destroy the relationship that each woman values the most. Forced to choose between science and family, between her future and her family, Kalima must decide where her loyalties lie. https://www.broadwayplaypub.com/the-plays/relativity/
First Performance Date: May 8th, 2004
First Producer: The Magic Theater
Performance History:
Relativity was originally commissioned by The Ensemble Studio Theater and The Alfred P Sloan Foundation. Relativity received its world premiere on May 8th, 2004 at The Magic Theater in San Francisco (Chris Smith, Artistic Director; David Gluck, Managing Director). It was directed by Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe with set design by Jeff Rowlings, lighting design by Jim Cave, costume design by Rene Walker, sound design by Steve Romanko, and the production stage manager was Sarah Ellen Joynt.
Revativity was subsequently produced by The Saint Louis Black Repertory Company in February 2006. It was directed by Ron Himes with scene design by Regina Garcia, costume design by Myrna Collie-Lee, lighting design by David K. Warfel, and the production stage manager was Richard Agnew. Relativity was produced in New York by The Ensemble Studio Theatre and The Alfred P Sloan Foundation, with the first performance on April 26th, 2006. It was directed by Talvin Wilks with set and lights by Martuti Evans, costumes by Clint Ramos, sound by Graham Johnson, and multimedia by Maya Ciarrocchi.
Links:
https://www.backstage.com/news/review-relativity/
http://www.curtainup.com/relativity.html
https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/REVIEW-Mother-and-daughter-face-off-in-a-2760286.php
Entered by: Meaghan Yesford
Photo/Visual Research with citations
April 2006, Ensemble Studio Theater May 2004, The Magic Theater
photo: Carol Rosegg
