Topdog/Underdog - Lakewood Playhouse
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“You know, I used to think, what if I had opted out of the game, just once. Just let somebody else take the hit.”
What does it take to rewrite the story you’ve been handed? In Topdog/Underdog, Suzan-Lori Parks crafts a darkly comic and deeply human exploration of brotherhood, identity, and the weight of history. Lincoln and Booth - two brothers burdened with names that echo a violent past - navigate a world shaped by rivalry, survival, and the longing for something more. As their lives intertwine in a fragile dance of humor and heartbreak, they are forced to confront who they are, who they’ve been told to be, and who they might still become.
Topdog/Underdog is a bold, thought-provoking story that ignites empathy and dialogue, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play examines the quiet and explosive acts of heroism required to break cycles and claim agency over one’s own narrative. Sometimes the bravest act is choosing a different ending.
Topdog/Underdog is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Outer Critics Circle Award. In 2023, it won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.
“...Topdog/Underdog feels as vital and electric today as it did 20 years ago.” - Variety
“...it's tough, it's gritty, it's lyrical, it's beautiful, it's poetry.” - Entertainment Weekly
By Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Jos N. Banks
February 19th-March 7th, 2027
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 2:00pm
ASL Interpreted Performance: February 27th, 7:30pm
Pay What You Can/Industry Night: February 28th, 7:30pm
www.lakewoodplayhouse.org
What does it take to rewrite the story you’ve been handed? In Topdog/Underdog, Suzan-Lori Parks crafts a darkly comic and deeply human exploration of brotherhood, identity, and the weight of history. Lincoln and Booth - two brothers burdened with names that echo a violent past - navigate a world shaped by rivalry, survival, and the longing for something more. As their lives intertwine in a fragile dance of humor and heartbreak, they are forced to confront who they are, who they’ve been told to be, and who they might still become.
Topdog/Underdog is a bold, thought-provoking story that ignites empathy and dialogue, this Pulitzer Prize-winning play examines the quiet and explosive acts of heroism required to break cycles and claim agency over one’s own narrative. Sometimes the bravest act is choosing a different ending.
Topdog/Underdog is the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Outer Critics Circle Award. In 2023, it won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.
“...Topdog/Underdog feels as vital and electric today as it did 20 years ago.” - Variety
“...it's tough, it's gritty, it's lyrical, it's beautiful, it's poetry.” - Entertainment Weekly
By Suzan-Lori Parks
Directed by Jos N. Banks
February 19th-March 7th, 2027
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm
Sundays at 2:00pm
ASL Interpreted Performance: February 27th, 7:30pm
Pay What You Can/Industry Night: February 28th, 7:30pm
www.lakewoodplayhouse.org
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Where is it happening?
5729 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd SW, Lakewood, WA, United States, Washington 98499
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherLakewood Playhouse
