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The Drowning Girls and Comrades: A Tale of Two Plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Gage Hayes

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Tarell Alvin McCraney is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his plays The Brothers Size and In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, which were both adapted into films. McCraney's work often explores themes of race, gender, and sexuality, and he is known for his use of poetic language and his ability to create complex and nuanced characters.

The Drowning Girls

The Drowning Girls is a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney that premiered in 2010. The play is set in the bathtub of a Victorian home, where a group of women are drowning. The women are all victims of George Joseph Smith, a serial killer who drowned his victims in his bathtub. The play explores the lives of the women before their deaths, and it examines the ways in which they were silenced and marginalized.

The Drowning Girls and Comrades

by Beth Graham

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3601 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	136 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

The Drowning Girls is a powerful and moving play that sheds light on the violence that is often perpetrated against women. The play is also a meditation on the power of memory and the importance of telling the stories of those who have been silenced.

Characters

Celia: A young woman who is drowning in her bathtub. She is the first of the women to be killed by George Joseph Smith.
Caroline: A young woman who is drowning in her bathtub. She is the second of the women to be killed by George Joseph Smith.
Margaret: A young woman who is drowning in her bathtub. She is the third of the women to be killed by George Joseph Smith.
Lucy: A young woman who is drowning in her bathtub. She is the fourth of the women to be killed by George Joseph Smith.
George Joseph Smith: A serial killer who drowns his victims in his bathtub.

Plot

The play begins with Celia drowning in her bathtub. As she drowns, she remembers her life before she was killed. She remembers her childhood, her family, and her dreams for the future. The other women also begin to remember their lives as they drown. They remember their hopes and dreams, their fears and regrets. The play ends with the women singing a song about their lives and their deaths.

Themes

Violence against women: The play explores the violence that is often perpetrated against women. The women in the play are all victims of George Joseph Smith, a serial killer who drowned his victims in his bathtub. The play shows how violence against women is a systemic problem, and it examines the ways in which women are silenced and marginalized.
The power of memory: The play is a meditation on the power of memory. The women in the play remember their lives as they drown, and their memories help to shape the play. The play shows how memory can be a powerful force, and it can help us to understand the past and to imagine the future.
The importance of telling the stories of those who have been silenced: The play is also a meditation on the importance of telling the stories of those who have been silenced. The women in the play are all victims of violence, and their stories have been silenced for too long. The play gives voice to these women, and it helps to ensure that their stories are heard.

Comrades

Comrades is a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney that premiered in 2015. The play is set in a rural town in the American South. The play follows the lives of three friends: Eisa, Yusef, and Clifton. The friends are all struggling to find their place in the world, and they are all dealing with the challenges of race, class, and sexuality.

Comrades is a powerful and moving play that explores the complex relationships between race, class, and sexuality. The play is also a meditation on the power of friendship, and it examines the ways in which friendship can help us to overcome adversity.

Characters

Eisa: A young woman who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is dealing with the challenges of race, class, and sexuality.
Yusef: A young man who is struggling to find his place in the world. He is dealing with the challenges of race, class, and sexuality.
Clifton: A young man who is struggling to find his place in the world. He is dealing with the challenges of race, class, and sexuality.

Plot

The play begins with Eisa, Yusef, and Clifton meeting at a local diner. The friends are all struggling to find their place in the world, and they are all dealing with the challenges of race, class, and sexuality. The play follows the friends as they navigate the challenges of young adulthood, and it examines the ways in which friendship can help us to overcome adversity.

Themes

Race, class, and sexuality: The play explores the complex relationships between race, class, and sexuality. The friends are all dealing with the challenges of race, class, and sexuality, and the play examines the ways in which these factors can affect our lives.
The power of friendship: The play is also a meditation on the power of friendship. The friends are all there for each other through thick and thin, and their friendship helps them to overcome adversity.
The importance of finding your place in the world: The play is also a meditation on the importance of finding your place in the world. The friends are all struggling to find their place in the world, and the play examines the challenges and rewards of finding your place.

The Drowning Girls and Comrades are two powerful and moving plays by Tarell Alvin McCraney. Both plays explore complex themes, and they both offer important insights into the human experience. The Drowning Girls is a meditation on the violence that is often perpetrated against women, while Comrades is a meditation on the power of friendship. Both plays are essential viewing for anyone who is interested in theater, drama, or the human experience.

The Drowning Girls and Comrades

by Beth Graham

4.7 out of 5