A double-volume of plays by acclaimed playwright Will Arbery that explore communities of outsiders who strive to help one another persevere in the face of despair.
In the small town of Corsicana, Texas, two half-siblings—a woman with Down Syndrome named Ginny and Christopher, an aspiring filmmaker—are adrift following their mother’s recent death. When close family friend Justice introduces the siblings to a reclusive local artist named Lot, the four slowly form an unlikely yet powerful bond that reshapes them all in necessary and surprising ways. This delicate quartet examines the long-lasting scars of grief, as well as the universal human need to care and be cared for.
In Evanston Salt Costs Climbing, Basil and Peter spend long nights during the winters in Evanston, IL driving a salting truck, passing the time by talking about the increasingly harsh weather outside and their own internal turmoil. Their supervisor Jane Maiworm tries to boost morale by reminding them of the quiet heroism of public service, but Jane herself is privately struggling with the possibility of adopting a new technology that would undoubtedly be better for the environment—but would also put Basil and Peter out of a job. A surreal and sensitive play that gazes unflinchingly into the chasm of despair, suggesting that crisis, both climatic and personal, can only be reckoned with when faced head-on.