User:Sereneve/Ohio State Murders

Overview
Freespacegurl added:

"In 2021, the play was announced to be second of a three-part live series that would be held at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois"

"This is a one act play that revolves around racism, misogyny, and young adulthood"

History
Freespacegurl added:

"The story takes place in Ohio State University during the 1950's. A decade before the civil rights movement, that was time when there were only 300 black students. The total population of the campus rounded towards 27,000 people. At the time, black people also had restrictions towards other things within the university that prevented them from growing in terms of gaining educational fulfillment. They were not allowed to major in certain subjects or be part of certain social clubs"

The Alexander Plays
"The Ohio State Murders is part of the "Alexander Plays". Known as the plays that are connected due to the recurring character, Suzanne Alexander"

Public Reception
Sereneve added:

Ohio State Murders’s Broadway production closed on January 15, 2023 for 44 shows, earlier than it was scheduled to run until February 12, 2023. The production failed to capture a dedicated audience, only filling 49% of it’s seats. According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the play was provided a capital of $5.1 million for production, an amount that was un-recovered.

In a review by British Newspaper The Guardian, the Ohio State Murders Broadway production received a three star rating by critic Gloria Oladipo. Oladipo applauded Kenny Leon’s creative direction and lighting designer Allen Lee Hughes’ work in portraying the series of events from it’s shifting timeline. Oladipo recognized Ohio State Murders as a critique of systematic racism in universities. However, Oladipo felt the play lacked a “higher calling,” criticizing a lack of “insight into [Sue’s] inner monologue” and calling for more emotional depth from the character.

Literary critic Adam Bradley recognized Ohio State Murders as an undervalued work of the 20th century by a Black American author. Bradley referred to the Broadway debut of the play as “belated.”

New York Times critic Michael Paulson recognized Ohio State Murders as a “powerful” and “gripping story” but “tough to sell.” At the time of Paulson’s review in January 5, 2023, the production’s highest grossing amount had only reached $311,893. Paulson cited inflation and the coronavirus pandemic as factors of the show’s lack of traction.

Wall Street Journal’s theatre critic Charles Isherwood applauded play’s “unsettling power” as a “great work of art” through it’s execution of a tense tone and Audra McDonald’s performance as Suzanne Alexander. However, Isherwood criticized Beowulf Boritt’s set design as “overscaled” and “overblown,” taking away from Kenny Leon’s creative direction.