UP FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE THE PLAY 1. 2. 3.


A murder mystery is a narrative involving murder and how that murder is discovered and solved. What are some of the most well-known elements of a murder mystery?


How do you think flashbacks, moments of a character’s memory or a past moment in time, affect a narrative? In what ways can a flashback influence a character’s perception of a current event?


Has there ever been a time in which you’ve had to recall an event from memory? How do you feel memories can shift over time?


DURING INTERMISSION 1. 2.


Describe how theatrical conventions (lighting design, set design, and the way the director has staged the show) are allowing you to interpret time, location, and character.


Consider: During World War II, Black citizens who wanted to fight (or were drafted) for their country were sent to American barracks before being deployed and were only deployed if absolutely necessary. How does this reflect feelings that many of the characters in the play are experiencing? What do you notice about the relationships between people of different ranks in the military and how they are interacting with one another?


3.


How has this play followed the conventions of a murder mystery thus far? What do you notice about the evidence being considered? In what ways has the production made you feel like a detective?


AFTER THE PLAY 1.


In 1982, A Soldier’s Play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is awarded to an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life. In 2016, Hamilton won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for its innovative use of the musical structure. In what ways do you think this play was deserving of this honor? How did this play’s structure surprise you? In what ways did this play differ from others that you’ve seen?


2. 3.


At what point did you have an idea of who murdered Sergeant Waters? How did that change throughout the play?


A Soldier’s Play explores strong feelings Black men had about one another—in what ways did the race relationships that were visible in the play reflect our society today?


20 ROUNDABOUT THEATRE COMPANY


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