The Power Of The Underdog

Synopsis:

Wangari is a Black (Kenyan) long-distance runner who holds several world records.  Nisa is a Muslim women’s rights activist, the daughter of a sheikh, who has escaped Saudi Arabia and written a book.  They meet as guests on a TV talk show.

In the course of their concurrent interviews, Nisa makes an off-hand comment that Wangari finds offensive, to the degree that she walks off the set.

This sets in train a culture war that pits one form of oppression against another in a complex zero-sum game.

This is a play that shines a merciless spotlight on our obsessive adulation of the underdog.

Character Breakdown:

The play is a 4-hander:  3 females, 1 male
NISA MALIK  25 – 28 (Saudi, Muslim)
WANGARI NYONGESA  35 – 38 (Kenyan, Black)
SHU YAN  29 (Chinese) / HUA ZENG  27 / WEI DONG  25 – one actor.
MARTIN FURY 45 – 48 (Caucasian, White) / NELSON SIEVERT 42 – one actor.

Running-time:  85 minutes.

Production History:  Not yet produced.

Excerpt available for download for free.