Dead White Males: A Year in the Trenches of Teaching

Dead White Males: A Year in the Trenches of Teaching by William Missouri Downs

(0)
Productions (17)
Dark Comedy
|
110 - 120 minutes
4 W, 3 M, 
Content Notes: Adult language and content
Set: The set is stark and fractured, expressed minimally with no walls. Huge pictures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other dead white males look down from above.

Meet Janet, a rookie history teacher who goes from idealist to burnout as she fights insidious internal politics in her effort to truly affect her students. During her tenure Janet learns how to write a proper self-evaluation, censor musicals, and cultivate paranoia in a system dominated by constant accountability and deep corruption. When Janet's mentor has a nervous breakdown while being forced to teach creationism, Janet is called to testify against her, and then something even more tragic occurs in this biting satire of the public school system.

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Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99
Archival Video License $150

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.


Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

Play Details

Meet Janet, a rookie history teacher who goes from idealist to burnout as she fights insidious internal politics in her effort to truly affect her students. During her tenure Janet learns how to write a proper self-evaluation, censor musicals, and cultivate paranoia in a system dominated by constant accountability and deep corruption. When Janet's mentor has a nervous breakdown while being forced to teach creationism, Janet is called to testify against her, and then something even more tragic occurs in this biting satire of the public school system.

  • Dark Comedy
  • |
  • 110 - 120 minutes
  • 4 W, 3 M, 
  • Content Notes: Adult language and content
  • Set: The set is stark and fractured, expressed minimally with no walls. Huge pictures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other dead white males look down from above.

Published Reviews

"Astonishing how a play could be written with such tenderness, sympathy, humor, understanding and still drive the nail into the heart of the matter with exceeding force. It is creative verbal genius."

Holly Bartges, Coloradobackstage

"Dead White Males has a lot to say about the educational system - and, by reflection, our society as a whole"

Orange County Register

"A catalyst for change"

Las Vegas Journal

"This risky play offers a comical and bitterly cynical look at public schools that is written with wit and insight… Dead White Males is very much of the Christopher Durang school of comedy"

Buffalo News

"Dead White Males" is the most provocative and disturbing new play of the season... Playwright William Missouri Downs speaks clearly and loudly. His voice as a writer is powerful."

David Marlowe, Out Front

Production History

MAY 03, 2012 - MAY 05, 2012
WVSU Theatre
Institute, WV United States
 WVSU Theatre Institute, WV United States
OCT 15, 2010 - OCT 16, 2010
Tongue In Cheek Theater Productions
New York, NY United States
 Tongue In Cheek Theater Productions New York, NY United States
OCT 06, 2010 - OCT 14, 2010
Tongue In Cheek Theater Productions
New York, NY United States
 Tongue In Cheek Theater Productions New York, NY United States
AUG 20, 2010 - SEP 11, 2010
Sustainable Theatre Project
Austin, TX United States
 Sustainable Theatre Project Austin, TX United States
AUG 19, 2010 - AUG 19, 2010
Sustainable Theatre Project
Austin, TX United States
 Sustainable Theatre Project Austin, TX United States
MAY 02, 2008 - MAY 03, 2008
Student Performing Arts Guild
Norwich, CT United States
 Student Performing Arts Guild Norwich, CT United States
FEB 28, 2008 - MAR 01, 2008
Interpreters Theatre
Cedar Falls, IA United States
 Interpreters Theatre Cedar Falls, IA United States
SEP 01, 2007 - DEC 15, 2007
Student Performing Arts Guild
Norwich, CT United States
 Student Performing Arts Guild Norwich, CT United States
JAN 01, 2005 - DEC 31, 2005
Theatre Co-Operative
Boston, MA United States
 Theatre Co-Operative Boston, MA United States
SEP 01, 2002 - OCT 01, 2002
Boise State University
Boise, ID United States
 Boise State University Boise, ID United States
MAR 01, 2002 - APR 01, 2002
Chance Theatre
Anaheim Hills, CA United States
 Chance Theatre Anaheim Hills, CA United States
JAN 01, 2001 - DEC 31, 2001
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY United States
 University of Wyoming Laramie, WY United States
JAN 01, 2001 - JAN 01, 2001
Clark College
, WA United States
 Clark College , WA United States
JAN 01, 2000 - DEC 28, 2000
The Boxer Rebellion Theatre
Chicago, IL United States
 The Boxer Rebellion Theatre Chicago, IL United States
JAN 01, 2000 - DEC 31, 2000
The Asylum Theatre
Las Vegas, NV United States
 The Asylum Theatre Las Vegas, NV United States
JAN 01, 2000 - DEC 31, 2000
Alleyway Theatre
Buffalo, NY United States
 Alleyway Theatre Buffalo, NY United States
JAN 01, 2000 - DEC 31, 2000
Playwrights' Kitchen Ensemble
Los Angeles, CA United States
 Playwrights' Kitchen Ensemble Los Angeles, CA United States
No upcoming productions.
JAN 01, 2000 - DEC 28, 2000
The Boxer Rebellion Theatre
Chicago, IL United States
 The Boxer Rebellion Theatre Chicago, IL United States

Awards (2)

Semi-finalist, Eugene O'Neill Festival

Regional winner, American College Theatre Festival, 2000

Archival Video License

Playscripts is pleased to offer an Archival Video License to add to your order for an additional $150 for full-length plays and $75 for one-act plays.

This allows you to record one of your live performances for your internal archives only. This cannot be streamed.

For more information, please reach out to [email protected]

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