Broken Fences
By
Steven Simoncic
Broken Fences is an urban drama in two acts set in Humboldt Park, a Chicago ghetto neighborhood in transition, as the speed of gentrification accelerates and property taxes rise. The story centers on two young couples, Hoody and D, who have been in the neighborhood for years, and Czar and April, who have saved for years to buy their first home. As Hoody struggles to cover his property tax bill, and Czar struggles to join the community, and both struggle to maintain separate identities and accept the changes surrounding them, Broken Fences examines culture, race and socio-economics in the modern American Village with humor, humanity, dignity and pathos. Broken Fences is written in a naturalistic style with ironic humor and elements of surrealistic imagining. The action of the play incorporates music and dancing in the rap/ghetto idiom. Interior/Exterior, Unit Set.
Cast of Characters
Hoody:African-American, late 20s/early 30s, auto mechanic, works for chain auto parts service company, struggling to hold onto his family home; D’s man.
D: African-American, late 20s, no nonsense hairdresser, owns her own shop, wants to settle, raise a family; Hoody’s woman.
Mars: African-American, mid-20s, coffee shop barista, working his way out of the “Hood”; Hoody’s half-brother.
Trooper: African-American, former Marine, big guy, tough and responsible, runs “Boot Camp”, a weekend workout class.
Esto: Caucasian but grew up in a Black neighborhood, late 20s, works at chain restaurant, former small-time drug dealer trying to escape the “Hood”.
Czar: Caucasian, late 20s/early 30s, art director for ad agency, expectant father, wants to fit into the neighborhood; married to April.
April: Caucasian, late 20s/early 30s, systems analyst, former social worker, expectant mother, accepting, definitely not suburban; married to Czar.
Spence: Caucasian, late 20s/early 30s, art director for ad agency, hopeful father, moving to suburbs to start a family; married to Barb.
Barb:Caucasian, late 20s/early 30s, VP of Brand Awareness for large packaged goods health industry company, future mother-to-be; married to Spence.
