Wright State Theatre’s production of ‘Sweat’ will now run Feb. 10–20

“Sweat” introduces audiences to the lives of industrial workers in Reading, Pennsylvania, who face the end of their livelihoods as their factory jobs disappear and their families and friendships struggle to survive. (Photos by Erin Pence)

Wright State University Theatre will continue its 2021–22 season with “Sweat,” Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize–winning drama about working-class Americans, in the Festival Playhouse.

Performances are Feb. 10 and 17 at 7 p.m.; Feb. 11, 12, 18 and 19 at 8 p.m.; and Feb. 12, 13 and 20 at 2 p.m. Audience members, performers and crew are required to wear masks.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and $15 for students. For tickets, call the Box Office at 937-775-2500 or purchase tickets online.

Performances originally scheduled for Feb. 3–6 have been canceled because of the winter storm. Patrons can reschedule for the new performance dates by contacting Box Office Manager David Emery at david.emery@wright.edu.

“Sweat” introduces audiences to the lives of industrial workers in Reading, Pennsylvania, who face the end of their livelihoods as their factory jobs disappear and their families and friendships struggle to survive.

Nottage won Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2017 for “Sweat.” She also won a Pulitzer in 2009 for her play “Ruined.”

Wright State’s production is guest directed by Shaun Patrick Tubbs, who graduated from Wright State in 2002 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting.

“Sweat” tells the story of people who do not often have a voice and must make difficult choices just to survive, he said.

“The truth of the matter is until you’ve had everything you know taken away, you don’t know what choice you would make,” Tubbs said. “And that’s what they’re going through in this play.”

Tubbs is a New York City-based director whose work has been produced at the Juilliard School, New York Theatre Workshop, The Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and many other theatres and opera companies nationally. He has performed locally at The Human Race Theatre Company.

Tubbs said returning to Wright State to direct “Sweat” reminded him of why he works in theatre.

“It’s about learning how to learn,” he said. “My hope is that I can help these students realize the gap between where they are now and where they want to be — their dream — is much smaller than I thought it was when I was a student at Wright State.”

On the stage, “Sweat” features Madyson (Mady) McCabe as Tracey, Zavi Odetta-Nurse as Cynthia, Elaine Mueller as Jessie, Jacob Jones as Stan, Daniel Duncan-Bevans as Brucie, Remah Nyumah as Evan, Marcus Antonio as Chris, Tommy Cole as Jason and Andres Martinez as Oscar.

“Sweat” features scenic design by guest artist Michael Brewer, costume design by Taylor Dumas, a theatre design and technology major at Wright State, lighting design by Matthew Benjamin, professor of theater and resident lighting designer, and sound design by James Dunlap, audio coordinator for the Theatre Program.

Wright State’s production of “Sweat” is made possible, in part, through support from Wright-Patt Credit Union and Richard and June Smythe.

2021–22 theatre season

Wright State Theatre’s season continues “The Gondoliers” from Feb. 18–27 in the Herbst Theatre and “Sweet Charity” from March 18–April 3 in the Festival Playhouse.