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Paradise Blue

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  2w, 3m

Dominique Morisseau

This dynamic and musically-infused drama shines light on the challenges of building a better future on the foundation of what our predecessors have left us.

Paradise Blue

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • 2012 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award Winner

Details

Summary
Blue, a gifted trumpeter, contemplates selling his once-vibrant jazz club in Detroit’s Blackbottom neighborhood to shake free the demons of his past and better his life. But where does that leave his devoted Pumpkin, who has dreams of her own? And what does it mean for the club’s resident bebop band? When a mysterious woman with a walk that drives men mad comes to town with her own plans, everyone’s world is turned upside down. This dynamic and musically-infused drama shines light on the challenges of building a better future on the foundation of what our predecessors have left us.
History

Paradise Blue premiered at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, MA in July 2012 under the direction of Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
PUMPKIN - Black woman. Late 20’s/Early 30’s. Pretty in a plain way. Simple. Sweet. Waitress, cook and caretaker of Paradise Club. A loving thing with a soft touch. Adores poetry.
BLUE - Black man. Mid -Late 30’s to early 40’s. Handsome. Mysterious. Sexy. Quiet danger. Aloof. A hard shell and a hard interior. Battling many demons. A gifted trumpeteer.
CORN - (aka Cornelius) Black man. Late 40’s to Early 50’s. Slightly chubby. Easygoing and Thoughtful. A real sweetheart with a weakness for love. The pianoman.
P-SAM - (aka Percussion Sam) Black man. Mid/ Late 30’s. Busybody. Sweet-talker. Hustler. Always eager for his next gig. The percussionist.
SILVER - Black woman. Late 30’s to Early 40’s. Mysterious. Sexy. Charming. Spicy woman. Gritty and raw in a way that men find irresistible. Has a meeeeaaaannnn walk.
  • Time Period 1940s/WWII
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

REVIEWS 

"Intriguing...vibrant...Morisseau is trying to tell a fuller, deeper story about Detroit than the one that is told by headlines." - Boston Globe, Read More 

"The finest new play of the year...You must see this play." - Berkshire Edge, Read More 

"...a juicy and resonant piece of writing, filled to the brim with complex, empathetic characters struggling and infighting as part of a community living under extreme duress. It is not hard to become involved with their choices and worry about their futures." - Chicago Tribune, Read More

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Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Authors

Dominique Morisseau

Dominique Morisseau

Dominique Morisseau is the author of The Detroit Project (A 3-Play Cycle), which includes the following plays: Skeleton Crew (Atlantic Theater Company), Paradise Blue (Signature Theatre), and Detroit ’67 (Public Theater, Classical Theatre of Harlem and NBT). Additional plays ...

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