FringeNYC Previews

Exodus

Produced by The Awakening Project

Author: Daren Taylor

Exodus is a drama that confronts the realities of political apathy, religion and exploitation. The play is set in the near future and focuses on a young group of friends who begin to question the oppressive confines of their environment, their resistance, and the consequences of speaking out.

At its heart, Exodus is an allegory for slavery. Slavery had very little to do with racial politics (although that came into play later), but more so to do with economics. The slave trade made many people rich, and to this day, cheap labor is something that companies pine for. But Exodus isn't just a look at history; it has a lot to do with right now. The idea of "Paradise", the fictional place where the action takes place, comes from a cultural phenomenon that is affecting New York City as we speak: gentrification. The average New Yorker is being pushed into the outer boroughs, and even those places are beginning to feel the wrath of the gentrification monster. But what if it wasn't just New York? Exodus takes what is happening here (and other urban areas), and expands it to the entire country. Where housing becomes unaffordable, and the majority of Americans get pushed into the middle of the country: from South Dakota to northern Texas, aka Paradise.

I wrote this play as a call to arms. Gentrification, if left unchecked, could displace many families. My hope is that in seeing this, people will not sit idly by as they are pushed out of their homes, or are subject to unfair laws. I am asking people to stand up for what they believe in, whatever that may be, and fight. And even if you aren't sure how to fight, try something. Because in the trying, you can find the answer.

Daren Taylor, playwright