"Clybourne Park" by Bruce Norris, a Magnificent Play

My husband & I went to see "Clybourne Park," the latest play by our friend Bruce Norris at Playwrights Horizons during the snow storm.  Although still in previews, this is the most amazing, thought-provoking play I've seen in a long time.  My husband, Jake Daehler, went to Northwestern with Bruce and directed him in a David Rabe play, "Sticks & Bones." They can talk about that play like it was yesterday.  Bruce is an interesting person.  He's funny, smart, talented, pessimistic, honest, blunt, and challenging. Whenever we watch a movie with the slightest hint of redemption, optimism, or a moral lesson we say, "Bruce will hate this movie." 

A mutual friend of Bruce & Jake's, actress Jessica Hecht had said "Clybourne Park" is a beautiful play.  If you know Bruce, beautiful and his work isn't the first thing that comes to mind.  However, as the lights were coming down, I exhaled, "Oh, my god."  It is a beautiful play.  Yes, there's anguish, pain, vulgarity, insults, and despair, with racism at its heart. 

"Who are the people in your neighborhood? In 1959, a white family moves out.  In 2009, a white family moves in.  In the intervening years, change overtakes a neighborhood, along with attitudes, inhabitants, and property values.  Loosely inspired by Lorraine Hansberry's 'A Raisin in the Sun,' Bruce Norris's pitch-black comedy takes on the specter of gentrification in our communities, leaving no stone unturned in the process."

Bruce deserves to win a Pulitzer for this as the issues of race are as relevant today as they ever were.  On "Sesame Street," grade 'A' TV programming, there is an episode where this little girl talks about color.  In her Kindergarten class, the teacher has all the kids sit in a circle from lightest to darkest so they can recognize the difference in each other.  So instead of ignoring the differences, recognize it. 

In a recent article in preparation for the opening of "Clybourne Park," Bruce laments:

"...for all of our supposed advancement, do we really think the problem will ever go away? I don't.  I think it will endure, and take on different shapes, if not between the 'races,' then between Hutu and Tutsi, Israeli and Palestinian, Serb and Croat, Hindu and Muslim, Hatfield and McCoy, Red State and Blue.  It's just what we do.  It's like patriotism...So what do we do about it?  Don't ask me.  But a first step might be to stop pretending that we've suddenly freed ourselves from that primitive legacy, and admit that racism is as natural as breathing.  That might be the least we can do." 

It's been over a week, and I'm still thinking about this play.  During the play, I was riveted and involved in the story.  Afterwards, as an actress, it hit me: I want to be in Bruce Norris play!  What an honor!  However, the actors that night were all great and very honest in delivering this amazing playwright's message.  Everyone needs to see this.