BREAKOUT SESSION Returns To CPT Next Week

Cleveland Public Theatre will present the continued world premiere of Breakout Session (or Frogorse) by Nikkole Salter, directed by Beth Wood, onstage in CPT's James Levin Theatre from October 27 through November 12, 2022. Breakout Session (or Frogorse) was commissioned by CPT with funding from the National New Play Network (NNPN). Having been preempted by Covid-19 in the 2019/2020 season, and again in the 2021/2022 season, the production is making its continued World Premiere.

ABOUT the PLAY

Can a society legislate a change of heart? In Breakout Session (or Frogorse), inspired by Cleveland's Consent Decree with the U.S. Department of Justice, a corporate training company is vying for the contract for anti-bias training with Cleveland's Police Department. When the white facilitator tosses the approved curriculum out the window, the session spirals. Can a mantis shrimp and a crocodile teach us about building trust and the strength of vulnerability?

In 2017, CPT and nationally renowned award-winning playwright Nikkole Salter were awarded a National New Play Network (NNPN) Commission supporting the development of Breakout Session (or Frogorse), a new play inspired by Cleveland's Consent Decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. Breakout Session (or Frogorse) is born from an extensive research and interview process. Before setting pen to paper, Nikkole came to Cleveland to meet with community members, individuals working tirelessly in social justice, and the Policing Commission. She spent an hour and a half in conversation with former Mayor Frank Jackson and former Chief of Police Calvin D. Williams. The play asks the question: "how can we build two-way bridges of trust between us amidst systemic racism?"

According to Raymond Bobgan, CPT Executive Artistic Director: "Nikkole's voice is bold and subtle, layering in unexpected discoveries as her work unfolds. She guides audiences down the path of self- and social critique, until even long-held beliefs and biases begin unraveling. We were thrilled when Nikkole accepted this commission because we believed her unique voice could support our community's work against oppression and toward equity."

To post a comment, you must register and login.