Privilege in America means not just getting opportunities to succeed but being forgiven for screwing up. Rich white kids with a penchant for partying and brawling (or worse) still end up becoming CEOs and Supreme Court justices, while many studies indicate that black kids who break school rules face far harsher punishment from early on.
Where Morisseau’s play feels thinnest, ironically, is when it focuses on Omari and his Latinx classmate and girlfriend, Jasmine (Aurora Real De Asua). Their performances spark with kinetic energy, but they sound as if they’re talking past each other, even when they’re alone and away from the suffocating expectations of parents and teachers.
