Sweat

Set in 2008, the powerful crux of this play is knowing the fate of the characters long before it's even in their sights. The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. Nottage shifts in time, switching scenes and showing events of eight years earlier. Based on Nottage's extensive research and interviews with real residents of Reading, Sweat is a topical reflection of the present and poignant outcome of America's economic decline. Sweat tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat.