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The featured play is representative of the writer's work. For a more complete list of the plays by the writer, click on the playwright's name.
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by
"Before It Hits Home" was first produced by the Arena Stage in
Washington, D.C. in 1991.
Wendal, Black male in his early 30s
Reba, Black woman in her 50s, Wendal's mother
Bailey, Black man in his late 50s, Wendal's father
Maybelle, Black woman in her 50s, Reba's best friend
Simone, Black woman in her early 20s, Wendal's lover
Angel Peterson, Black woman in her early 20s, woman in clinic
Douglass, Black man in his early 40s, Wendal's lover
Junior, Black male in his late 20s, Wendal's younger brother
Dwayne, Black boy, 12, Wendal's son
Doctor, White woman in her 40s or 50s
Nurse, a middle-aged Hispanic or Asian woman
** The following part is played by the above:
Angel Peterson (should be played by whomever plays Simone)
Two Attendants (Attendants can be used as part of the crew, but their
primary actions are to assist Wendal on stage)
The present.
Two acts and a prologue.
There is a tendency to be seduced by the Bailey family, thus having
the focus of the play be on them. This is not my intention. Wendal's
two words-- before he gets home and after he gets home-- are equally
important and at times, equally fractured. Douglass and Simone are
not "social" character and should not be portrayed as such. The
action shifts frequently and the pacing between scenes should be
quick, and in some scenes (as noted), action juxtaposed. To expedite
this, whenever possible, actors should remain on stage while other
scenes are taking place and remain true to the overlapping dialogue in
the play.
This section comes from Act I just after Wendal has learned that he
is HIV positive. The scene makes literal the split in Wendal's world
between two relationships. He is trying to tell his male lover,
Douglass, that he has AIDS. At
the same time his female lover, Simone, has found a ring and thinks
Wendal is going to propose to her.
WENDAL: See, my mother is not the only one I have to tell. I'm
trying to tell you....
DOUGLASS: Tell me what Wendal?
SIMONE: Tell me.
WENDAL: What?
SIMONE: Go 'head tell me. When were you planning to ask me? The
answer is yes, yes, yes, yes.
WENDAL: I don't think we should see each other anymore. At
least. . . not like. . . you know what I mean. . .
DOUGLASS: No, I don't know what you mean.
SIMONE: I found it. You know. . . .
WENDAL: Don't be so dense.
DOUGLASS: Well, talk English.
SIMONE: I wasn't snooping, not exactly. I was just straightening
out your nightstand and I just happened across. . . . .
DOUGLASS: (pause) I knew this day was coming. Trust you to be
creative in breaking the news. Fag jokes, no less. So, you decided
to marry her, huh?
SIMONE: It's a tad expensive, but I'm sure it's really beautiful.
(Hugs him.) I love you so much. All weekend I've been on cloud nine.
When were you going to ask me?
WENDAL: Marry? I got AIDS Douglass.
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