Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (Seattle, WA).

Musical.  About 120 minutes.  17-40 performers possible (gender flexible).  Suitable for middle school and up.  First performance:  $90 (this includes permission to make copies of the script as necessary for your production).  Each additional performance:  $65.  Professional rights should be negotiated directly with YouthPLAYS at info@youthplays.com.

The premiere production set a box office record at the American Music Theatre Festival, then went on to win several major awards including the Richard Rodgers Award (the American Academy of Arts and Letters), and the Stephen Sondheim Award for Outstanding Contributions to American Musical Theatre.

Prefer to print your perusal script?  YouthPLAYS is happy to provide printable PDF files of our plays for customers who would prefer to evaluate material offline.  Just click the Place an Order button above and select the Printable Perusal option.  A printable copy of this play is $10.  Our non-printable perusals will, of course, continue to be free.

Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center (Seattle, WA).

Alfred, a 13-year-old South Philly kid, has a surprise party and gets the worst pair of sneakers in the universe, "Bobos."  He's the laughing stock of the neighborhood until the local drug lord gives him great shoes just for holding a little bag for a little while.  What Alfred doesn't realize is that this is a trap.  He gets robbed and suddenly finds his life spiraling out of control until he is forced to take a stand along with the working class residents of his neighborhood to reclaim the streets.  This gritty, urban opera, with score by Grammy Award winner James McBride, celebrates the power of an individual to inspire change despite seemingly overwhelming odds.