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Fairview

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description Fairview Overview

Fairview is a play by American dramatist Jackie Sibblies Drury, first produced in 2018. It begins as a family comedy centered on preparations for a birthday dinner, then repeatedly changes form and perspective to examine race, spectatorship, and the assumptions of a predominantly white audience. Its metatheatrical structure makes the act of watching part of the drama. Fairview received the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

help Fairview FAQ

Who wrote the play Fairview and when did it premiere?

Fairview was written by Jackie Sibblies Drury and premiered in 2018 at the Soho Rep in New York City. The production was directed by Sarah Benson. The play won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making Drury the first Black woman to receive that award in the drama category.

What is the structure of Fairview and why does it shift perspective?

Fairview is performed in three sections, each replaying the same family birthday dinner from a different perspective and form. The first act appears to be a conventional family comedy centered on a Black family preparing for a celebration. Subsequent sections increasingly break the fourth wall to expose how a white audience projects racial assumptions onto the characters on stage.

Did Fairview win the Pulitzer Prize?

Yes, Fairview won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer committee cited it for its examination of race, representation, and spectatorship. The win brought significant national attention to Jackie Sibblies Drury, who had previously written plays including We Are Proud to Present a Presentation.

Where has Fairview been produced outside of Soho Rep?

Following its acclaimed run at Soho Rep in 2018, Fairview was produced at theaters including Berkeley Repertory Theatre and Theatre for a New Audience. It has also been staged by regional theaters across the United States and internationally. Each production has had to address the play's unique audience-engagement mechanisms.

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