Sweat

Total # of characters

9

Final scene

Chris, Oscar, and Jason exchange and ackward conversation at the bar as Stan who now has a traumatic brain injury wipes tables with a great difficulty. Jason tells Oscar that its nice he takes care of him and Oscar says that how it ought to be. Chris and Jason are apologetic but are unable to conjure words.

Dramatic Structure

Climatic

Stage action: what happens? Plot summary, what "triggers" the plot in the opening?

It's the year 2000 in Reading, Pennsylvania and a group of friends go to work at the steel mill and then decompress at the bar like they've been doing for over 20 years. But all is changed and the plot is "triggered" as one of the friends Cynthia, is promoted as a manager, this begins to start problems in the relationship of Cynthia and Tracey for Tracey believes she was just as qualified if not more. Once it is discovered that the plant is looking for new workers, by the flyer that was shown by Oscar to Tracey which was displayed at the local Latino Community Center, conflict is heightened. Conflicts rise between the friend group and Cynthia as they are let known they are no longer welcome in the mill, they blame her for it and want her to revolt with them but Cynthia declines. Oscar becomes a worker at the mill and the friend group is angered by this, leading to a fight between Oscar and Jason by the result of which, Jason and Chris become imprisoned and Evan (the bartender) becomes severely injured.

What is the play about? Lead characters, supporting and minor.

Lead Jason - White American of German descent, 21/29. Son of Tracey and also Chris' best friend. Recently released from jail. Chris - African- American, 21/29.The son of Cynthia and Brucie, and Jason's best friend. He also spent time in jail. Chris is ambitious for he tries to reach for higher goals like going to college and becoming a teacher. Tracey- White American of German descent, 45/53. Jason's mother. She is friends with Cynthia and Jessie, and is a long- time worker at Olstead's factory. She becomes jealous when Cynthia receives a promotion at work. Cynthia- African-American, 45/53. Chris' mother. She is friends with Tracey and Jessie, and is also a long-time worker at Olstead's factory. She is estranged from her husband Brucie, as he struggles with addiction. She is given a promotion at work, which causes tensions between the group of friends. She wants bigger things for herself. Supporting Stan Oscar Jessie Minor Brucie- (Cynthia's unemployed, addict husband)

Playwright

Lynn Nottage

Setting in the opening scene

Reading, Pennsylvania. September 29, 2008 in the bar.`

How is the play world created - what is the style of the play? Realistic/non-realistic? Representational/presentational? Fantasy, historical, ancient?

Sweat is a realistic play, which gives the audience an insight on what life was like during a time of economical challenges in the USA in 2000 and 2008 through a representational style. By the play being representational, the audience was allowed to see the play as more realistic and keep an aesthetic distance with the characters, which allowed for the audience to create their own perception of what they believe the characters are thinking and have their own reasoning to their actions.

What is the dominant conflict of the action? When does it reach its highest point of complication, how is it resolved? What do the characters need or want that drives us to the end?

The dominant conflict of the action is that the the workers at the mill are getting laid off. A sign is left the door telling the group of friends (except Cynthia) that they are no longer welcome. This is attempted to be resolved when the friends ask Cynthia to revolt against the mill with them, but she rejects. The characters all want their jobs back and this drives us to the end. It reaches its highest point of complication when Jason is angered by Oscar, a Columbian- American worker at the bar, getting a job at the mill and starts to attack him. Chris and Stan try to stop him but it results with Stan getting severely injured. The conflict is never resolved, the friends do not get their jobs back but Chris and Jason do feel apologetic towards Oscar and Stan at the end of the play.

What social, moral, ethical, political, psychological, or historical issues are visible in the world of the play? From what pov do you see them in action?

The world of the play presents a moral and ethical issue which is carried out through the issues that Cynthia faces after her promotion. This issue is represented in the relationship Cynthia has with her friends. Because Cynthia was the one promoted from her friend group, her friends were depending on her to represent them at higher grounds. Cynthia was faced with the moral and ethical issue of whether to discuss the intentions of the company with her friends or to keep her professional life separate from her friends. She was also faced with a moral issue when Tracey asked her to walk out with them in Scene 3 Act 2, but Cynthia says that she cannot because she would be giving up more than just a job, she would be giving up all the time she spent on the line. This is a moral decision that she had to make. The issues are presented from multiple points of views, through Cynthias perspective and through her friend group's perspective. The audience can understand both sides of the spectrum, because both sides can be supported morally and ethically.