Jacqueline E. Lawton
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For play inquiries, please contact:
Michael Finkle
William Morris Endeavor
212.903.1144  
[email protected]
Picture

Mad Breed

Synopsis 
Mad Breed is a historical comedy about a teenaged John Wilkes Booth, an African American actress on the run, and a whole barnyard full of Shakespeare. On the eve of their parents' wedding, the offbeat teenaged siblings of John Wilkes Booth decide to put on a play. All is going well until Adah Francois, an African American freewoman with Shakespearean dreams, arrives and the complications begin. Experience the eccentricity, brilliance and over-the-top sibling rivalry of one of Maryland's most notorious families one glorious summer evening on a family farm in Belair, Maryland. This play was commissioned and produced by Active Cultures (www.activecultures.org). 

 
Cast Break Down 
3W/3M 

  
Character Descriptions
Adah Rose Francois (30/16) – African American, lovely, charming, smart, brave, a free African American girl, she adores Edwin. When dressed as a boy, she goes by the name Francois. 

Edwin Booth (32/18) – Caucasian, handsome, genuine, endearing, wants very much to be an actor, he adores Adah. 

Wilkes Booth (27/13) – Caucasian, terribly handsome, charming, scrappy, precocious, sincere, a good, strong actor, and politically minded. 

Asia Booth (16) – Caucasian, lovely, Junius’ youngest daughter, creative, determined, and adores Wilkes to a fault, loves Sleepy for who she knows he could be, if he tried. 

Sleepy Clarke (18) – Caucasian,  attractive, opportunistic, a bit of a playboy, Edwin’s classmate, wants desperately to be a tragedian actor, but is more suited for comedy. 

Blanche Matthews (16) – Caucasian, beautiful, a princess, ridiculous, a horrific actress, neighbor to the Booths, she loves Edwin to a distraction. 

Minstrel Man/Stagehand –  Caucasian, a member of the Merry Minstrel Men, he is attracted to Adah, but does not love her, who later becomes a stagehand at the Winter Garden Theater in New York. 


Development History
  • World Premiere Production at Active Cultures (Mount Ranier, MD), May 2-June 1, 2008
  • New Play Development Workshop and Reading at Active Cultures - January 2008
  • New Play Development Workshop and Reading at Active Cultures -  October 2007
  • Commissioned, developed, and produced by Active Cultures
  • Home
  • Info
    • Artistic Statement
    • Bio
    • Awards and Fellowships
    • Affiliations
  • Writing
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
    • Plays
    • Productions
    • Commissions
    • Award Ceremonies
    • Publications
  • Dramaturgy
    • New Play Development
    • Production Dramaturgy
    • Dramaturgy and Script Consultation
    • Additional Resources
  • Advocacy
    • Appearances
    • Facilitation, Workshops, and Trainings
    • Gender Equity
    • Theatre Action >
      • After Orlando
      • Climate Change
      • Every 28 Hour Plays
    • Testimonials
  • Teaching
    • Qualifications
    • Curriculum Development, Theatre Arts Integration and Teaching Artist Training
    • Philosophy
    • Experience
  • Producing
    • ARDEO
    • On Stage with the Migration Series
    • Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign
  • Media
    • Gallery
    • Good Ink
    • Media Coverage
    • Interviews
    • Press Releases
    • Podcast & Video
  • Blog
  • Contact