The Puppeteer
Detroit Repertory Theatre 2020
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Full length: 90 Minutes approximately
Characters: 3 females, 1 male Time & Place: Traveling through time to 1920 - jazz club in Harlem; 1942 - kitchen in southern California; 1969 - office in Maryland; 1993 -kitchen in northern Virginia; present day -kitchen in southeast Pennsylvania. Synopsis: When Constance, a 1920's jazz singer, chooses to stand on her own, not only is her name carried on through multiple generations, but so is her determination to find an identity in an ever changing world. Spanning five generations, starting in the Harlem Renaissance and ending in present day, the women from one African-American family cut the racism's strings and sing their own song. Character Breakdown: CONSTANCE/CONNIE (played by the same actress): 20’s-mid 30’s, Black woman ROBERT/CHRISTOPHER/ERNIE/MR. HOTCHKISS (played by the same actor): Role spans 20’s-late 40’s, Caucasian man MISS DUNSTON/MRS. COVINGTON/MS. JENKINS (played by the same actress): Role spans Early 20’s to Mid 30’s, Caucasian woman MS. EVANS: Role spans early 50’s – early 70’s, Caucasian woman. |
Production/Development History
Awards/Honors
Reviews
"THE PUPPETEER is a standout piece of Michigan theatre. It's a touching show that moves you and makes you think. Definitely one to add to the excellent Michigan theatre list!"
-Broadway World Review
"THE PUPPETEER, an excellently sweeping, gripping and relevant account of identity and struggle within the African-American experience from the glories of the Harlem Renaissance to the angst of the Trump Era by Desiree’ York."
- Dayton Most Metro
- Detroit Repertory Theatre - Production January 9-March 15, 2020
- The Garry Marshall Theatre New Works Festival
- Futurefest New Play Festival
- Summer Reading Series at Ophelia’s Jump Productions
Awards/Honors
- Kennedy Center’s Rosa Parks Playwriting Award for the most outstanding play on the subject of social justice
- Finalist Ashland New Plays Festival (top 3% of 400 submissions)
- Semi-finalist (top 23% of over 1200 submissions) for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference
- Semi-finalist (21% of 234 submissions) for the CTG/Humanitas Playwriting Prize for a play attesting to the human experience
- Finalist for FutureFest.
- Finalist for the Henley Rose Playwright Competition
- Finalist for the Theatricum Botanicum Seedlings Development Series
- Second Rounder for Austin Film Festival (top 20% of 12,000 scripts)
Reviews
"THE PUPPETEER is a standout piece of Michigan theatre. It's a touching show that moves you and makes you think. Definitely one to add to the excellent Michigan theatre list!"
-Broadway World Review
"THE PUPPETEER, an excellently sweeping, gripping and relevant account of identity and struggle within the African-American experience from the glories of the Harlem Renaissance to the angst of the Trump Era by Desiree’ York."
- Dayton Most Metro
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Detroit Repertory Theatre 2020