Choir Boy
eBook - ePub

Choir Boy

  1. 112 pages
  2. English
  3. ePUB (mobile friendly)
  4. Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub

Choir Boy

About this book

"An exhilarating, multi-layered new play."—The Guardian

"Stirring and stylishly told . . . McCraney's crispest and most confident work."—Daily News

"Greatly affecting. . . . It takes a brave writer to set his language against the plaintive beauty of the hymns and spirituals . . . but McCraney's speech holds its own, locating poetry even in casual vernacular and again demonstrating his gift for simile and metaphor."—The Village Voice

The Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys is dedicated to the creation of strong, ethical black men. Pharus wants nothing more than to take his rightful place as leader of the school's legendary gospel choir, but can he find his way inside the hallowed halls of this institution if he sings in his own key? Known for his unique brand of urban lyricism, Tarrell Alvin McCraney follows up his acclaimed trilogy The Brother/Sister Plays with this affecting portrait of a gay youth trying to find the courage to let the truth about himself be known. Set against the sorrowful sounds of hymns and spirituals, Choir Boy premiered at the Royal Court in London before receiving its Off-Broadway premiere in summer 2013 to critical and popular acclaim.

Tarell Alvin McCraney is author of The Brother/Sister Plays: The Brothers Size, In the Red and Brown Water, and Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet. Other works include Wig Out!, set in New York's drag clubs, and The Breach, which deals with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His awards include the 2009 Steinberg Playwrights Award and the Paula Vogel Playwriting Award.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription.
At the moment all of our mobile-responsive ePub books are available to download via the app. Most of our PDFs are also available to download and we're working on making the final remaining ones downloadable now. Learn more here.
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
  • Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
  • Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Both plans are available with monthly, semester, or annual billing cycles.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1 million books across 1000+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn more here.
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more here.
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS or Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & American Drama. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.

Information

Publisher
Theatre Communications Group
Year
2016
Print ISBN
9781559364683
eBook ISBN
9781559367820
Topic
Literature
Subtopic
American Drama
Index
Literature
An Office
HEADMASTER
I have never seen anything quite like it!
PHARUS
Headmaster—
HEADMASTER
As if something just shut down, lights out, Powered off.
PHARUS
Mr. Marrow?
HEADMASTER
Every head snapped back from looking at the seniors
Walking in, gallantly, stridently, with pride and—
Stop, dropped, turned around and looked at you.
PHARUS
Sir?
HEADMASTER
You!
Standing there not singing, not doing what
I asked—what I selected you to do!
And I said it, I reminded you at rehearsal in April,
Didn’t I, Pharus, I said no matter what, if th’ ground
Opens up and swallows the stage whole, do not stop
Singing the school song, son, until every student is gathered
Seated on that stage. What’d you say then?
HEADMASTER AND PHARUS
“Why?”
HEADMASTER
Jesus, hold my hand! I should have known right
Then!
PHARUS
Sir?
HEADMASTER
You can’t question something without trying it on,
Pharus! Curious with a capital C, but then was not
The time to be . . .
PHARUS
Sir, I’m not curious about much of—
HEADMASTER
Then why?
Because I am going to have to go out there, I am
Going to have to explain to the board—you think I want
To explain anything to the board? They were already passing,
Whispering, at the reception: “Why him? Why that one, Ste.”
“Well you heard him, he’s the best regardless of the . . .”
PHARUS
You said that about me, sir?
HEADMASTER
Yes—
PHARUS
I mean, it’s true, but you said?
HEADMASTER
Pharus!
PHARUS
Sir?
HEADMASTER
Why, after I asked you not to, told you you couldn’t,
Made you understand the tradition, pointed out its
Potency, did you get up there at the senior’s graduation,
A day that should afford them every rite and ritual
Of the ceremony, and mess up their moment
Why?
PHARUS
I . . . Would you rather be feared or respected, Headmaster?
HEADMASTER
Pharus!
PHARUS
It keeps me up at night.
HEADMASTER
It does not.
PHARUS
(Moving ahead)
Maybe I am curious—what’d you say?
HEADMASTER
Son!
PHARUS
“With a Capital C”? ’Cause see
If you’re respected people give you space
But if they fear you, they jumpin back off of curbs—
HEADMASTER
Are yah homesick with a capi...

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Production History
  7. Characters
  8. Prologue
  9. 1. An Office
  10. 2. A Hall
  11. 3. Solus
  12. 4. A Room
  13. 5. A Hall
  14. 6. Call Home
  15. 7. The Quad
  16. 8. A Hall
  17. 9. The Quad
  18. 10. Solus
  19. 11. Shower Room
  20. 12. Mr. Pendleton’s Office
  21. 13. A Room
  22. 14. A Hall
  23. 15. Call Home
  24. 16. A Hall
  25. 17. Shower Room
  26. 18. The Quad
  27. 19. An Office
  28. 20. An Office
  29. 21. An Office
  30. 22. An Office
  31. 23. An Office
  32. 24. Call Home
  33. 25. A Room
  34. 26. The Boys Dress for Commencement
  35. Epilogue
  36. About the Author