Topdog/Underdog
Topdog/Underdog is Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about Lincoln and Booth, brothers whose names began as a cruel joke and became symbols of the rivalry, history, and resentment shaping their lives. Now adults living together again, they confront old wounds, dangerous temptations, and decisions that could determine whether their already fragile future holds together.
The play is a darkly comic exploration of family identity and the burdens of history. This NextStop Theatre production is directed by Dannielle Hutchinson.
When: March 25 through April 18, 2027.
Venue: NextStop Theatre.
Playwright: Suzan-Lori Parks.
Director: Dannielle Hutchinson, making her NextStop directorial debut. Her recent directing work includes Craigslisted with Nu Sass Productions and a staged reading of 20-02 at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum; she also assisted on Olney Theatre Center’s Sleepova. Her acting credits include Dead Dog’s Bone, The Veils, Blight, and Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea. She also hosts the Sleepless Nights Podcast on Spotify.
About the Play: The story follows brothers Lincoln and Booth as they navigate lifelong sibling rivalry, resentment, family identity, and the influence of history. Their reunion under one roof forces them to face choices and temptations that may either reshape their future or tear it apart.
Playwright Background: Suzan-Lori Parks was the first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, receiving the award for Topdog/Underdog. She is also a MacArthur “Genius” Award recipient, a TIME “100 Innovators for the Next New Wave” honoree, and the recipient of grants and awards from organizations including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Guggenheim Foundation. Her other plays include The Book of Grace, In the Blood, Venus, The America Play, Fucking A, The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World, and Imperceptible Mutabilities in the Third Kingdom. Her 365Days/365Plays project was produced by more than 700 theaters worldwide in 2007.
Audience Advisories: The production includes a simulated gunshot, adult language, depictions of violence, sexual references, and mature themes.
Mask Requirement: The second Sunday matinee of the run will require masks. Audience members may bring their own mask or receive one at the theater.
Tickets: Tickets are sold through NextStop Theatre’s Ovationtix ticketing platform. The event page does not list a price. NextStop advises patrons not to purchase tickets through any other platform.
Showtimes: The page lists the performance run but does not provide individual showtimes.
Run Time: Not specified on the event page.
Age Guidance: No specific minimum age is listed; the production contains mature themes, adult language, violence, sexual references, and a simulated gunshot.