''Primary Trust'' is a dramatic

stage play A play is a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than mere reading. The creator of a play is known as a playwright. Plays are staged at various levels, ranging ...

written by American playwright Eboni Booth. The production premiered Off-Broadway at the

Laura Pels Theatre The Roundabout Theatre Company is a non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabeth Owen ...

in 2023 and starred

William Jackson Harper William Fitzgerald Harper (born February 8, 1980), known professionally as William Jackson Harper, is an American actor and playwright. He gained acclaim for his role as Chidi Anagonye in the NBC comedy series ''The Good Place'' (2016–2020), f ...

who received the

Obie Award The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards given since 1956 by ''The Village Voice'' newspaper to theater artists and groups involved in off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. Starting just after th ...

. The play was awarded the

Pulitzer Prize for Drama The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...

in 2024.

Summary

The play tells the story of Kenneth, a 30-something

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

suburban bookstore worker with an imaginary friend who embarks on a journey of self-discovery. After being laid off from his long-time job, he considers applying for a new one at the Primary Trust Bank.

Production history

Off-Broadway (2023)

The play premiered Off-Broadway at the Laura Pels Theatre, produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company, with support from The Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater and the Edgerton Foundation. The production was directed by Knud Adams.

won an

for distinguished performance, and the play was nominated for Outstanding Play by the

Lucille Lortel Awards The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...

. He also received nominations for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play and the

Drama League Distinguished Performance Award The Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, originally known as the Delia Austrian Medal, is a theater award presented annually since 1935 by The Drama League for the "most distinguished" performance of the theater season. The award is na ...

Signature Theatre (2024)

The play received its regional premiere at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA, running from Sept 10-Oct 20, 2024 in the ARK Theatre.

Barrington Stage Company (2024)

The closing play of the season at

Barrington Stage Company Barrington Stage Company (BSC) is a regional theatre company in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. It was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, and former Managing Director Susan Sperber in Sheffield, Massachusetts. ...

, the play ran from Sept 18–Oct 13, 2024 at the St. Germain Stage in Pittsfield, MA.

La Jolla Playhouse (2024)

The play premiered at the

La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla Playhouse is a nonprofit professional theater on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. History La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under the ...

in San Diego, as a West Coast premiere, with a run of Sept 24-Oct 20, 2024, again directed by Knud Adams.

Chicago (2024)

The

Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the ...

in Chicago announced the play's regional premiere as part of the 2024-25 season. It ran from October 5 to November 3, 2024.

Seattle (2024)

The play ran at the

Seattle Repertory Theatre Seattle Rep (Seattle Repertory Theatre) is a major regional theater located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. Founded in 1963, it is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann.Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is a regional theatre in the United States. It was founded in 1959 by college student Gerald Covell and was one of the first regional theatres in the United States. Located in Eden Park, the first play tha ...

's production of Primary Trust, co-produced with McCarter Theatre Center, was directed by Timothy Douglas and ran February 1-23, 2025.

Baltimore, MD (2025)

Everyman Theatre, Baltimore Everyman Theatre is a regional theatre with a professional repertory company of artists in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. Everyman's mission is to bring accessible and affordable theatre to the city of Baltimore. Everyman Theatre is located in d ...

announced their production will be directed by Reginald L. Douglas and run February 2-March 2, 2025.

Vancouver, Canada (2025)

The

Arts Club Theatre Company The Arts Club Theatre Company is a Canadian professional theatre company in Vancouver, British Columbia, founded in 1958. It is the largest urban not-for-profit theatre company in the country and the largest in Western Canada, with productions tak ...

announced their production of ''Primary Trust'' will be directed by Ashlie Corcoran, and run February 6–March 2, 2025.

Houston, Texas (2025)

Alley Theatre Alley Theatre is a Tony Award-winning theatre company in Houston, Texas. It is the oldest professional theatre company in Texas and the third oldest resident theatre in the United States. Alley Theatre productions have played on Broadway at Lin ...

announced their production of ''Primary Trust'' will be directed by Niegel Smith, and run May 2-May 25, 2025.

Dallas, TX (2025)

Dallas Theater Center The Dallas Theater Center is a major regional theater in Dallas, Texas, United States. It produces classic, contemporary, and new plays and was the 2017 Tony Award recipient for Best Regional Theater. Dallas Theater Center produces its original ...

announced their production of ''Primary Trust'' will be directed by Sasha Maya Ada and run February 27 through March 23, 2025.

Burlington, VT (2025)

Vermont Stage Company's production of ''Primary Trust'' was directed Jammie Patton and ran March 19-April 6, 2025. Princeton, NJ (2025) McCarter Theatre Center's production of ''Primary Trust'', co-produced by

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is a regional theatre in the United States. It was founded in 1959 by college student Gerald Covell and was one of the first regional theatres in the United States. Located in Eden Park, the first play tha ...

, was directed by Timothy Douglas and ran May 8-25, 2025.

Original cast and characters

Awards and nominations

2023 Off-Broadway production

External links

References

{{PulitzerPrize Drama Pulitzer Prize for Drama–winning works American plays 2023 plays Off-Broadway plays Termination of employment in popular culture Plays set in the 1990s