Black Eye

After receiving bad service at a restaurant, an African-American father and son are forced to decide whether the poor treatment is racially motivated. The father insists racism is to blame while the son concludes that it is not, but equal evidence exists to support both views. Ultimately, it is up to audience to decide what happened. At its core, “Black Eye” is a conversation piece meant to tackle two questions: 1) To what extent does racism exist? 2) And to what extent does paranoia, not racism itself, drive modern perceptions of discrimination? Students of all backgrounds are encouraged to try out. We are casting the following roles… ALEX: the son. He’s optimistic and upbeat. He loves giving people the benefit of the doubt. When his father claims the restaurant is racist, Alex pushes back against him–trying to find the best in people. WAITRESS: a server who is rude to the father and son for unclear reasons, either racism or teenage arrogance. MANAGER: the restaurant’s overseer who tries to calm the father and son, convincing them that the restaurant is trying to offer the best possible service and is not discriminatory. SMALLER ROLES including (BUSBOY, HOMELESS (WO)MAN, YOUNG MAN, & YOUNG WOMAN).