A Bright New Boise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Bright New Boise - Essay Example The play’s main character is Will, a staunch believer in Christian dogma. He interprets each word in the Christian Bibles as the literal truth and, therefore, believes that there will be â€Å"rapture† and God will come to redeem His people while the non-believers will be left to suffer. The play’s title suggests that, Boise, which is the capital city of Idaho, is bound to be a renewed and better place after the rapture that Will anticipates. This title also draws one’s attention to this fundamentalist belief of a future utopia, where there will no longer be any form of suffering. The dramatist and the director of â€Å"A Bright New Boise† settled for a suitable time to show people’s yearning for a better life and shift toward religious beliefs in the event of problems. This is because; the modern American society is presently characterized by numerous difficulties, especially economically, forcing many to believe the possibility of intervent ion or redemption by a higher deity. Hunter’s play shows how people’s beliefs vary and how we all seek refuge in diverse ideas about life in order to cope with hardships and tedium of life. Discussion During the introduction of the play, one is able to learn that the title’s connection to Idaho is due to Hunter’s background as a resident of the state. This perhaps gives the dramatist adequate knowledge about beliefs of Christian fundamentalists. The play begins just as the main character, Will, is hired in a Hobby Lobby store that deals with crafts and other works of art. Will, a middle-aged man who seems soft-spoken in nature, has left his home following a scandal that implicated his fundamentalist church. He has come to the Hobby Lobby store not only to escape his past, but also to try and regain a connection with his adolescent son Alex. Will apparently gave up baby Alex to adoptive parents and wants to reconnect with him before the rapture takes place . Tom Ross includes other characters like Pauline, the store’s manager; Leroy, a worker and Alex’s brother, as well as, Anna, another worker, to build themes portrayed by the play. The play, which adopts  a comic, yet somewhat dark nature, gives insight into family, religious faith, as well as, the significance of establishing connections with others. The play is set in the break room of a Hobby Lobby store. The room is painted with dull colors, like a dull shade of blue for the door and gray for the floors, lockers and walls. The tables are white with grayish supports, while the chairs are brown with legs similar to the tables. The hard edges of the rectangular door and window further accentuate the stereotype of discomfort and unaccommodating nature of modern corporate workplaces. This stereotype is also fostered by the harsh instructions and commands unleashed by the store’s manager. Ross also manages to incorporate other features of a contemporary workplac e like employees’ lockers and a working coffee maker. Further, the employees wear blue vests and badges on their chests, to signify their affiliation to the store. These elements emphasize the mundane or routinely nature of work, in America’s blue collar job environment. The break room at the Hobby Lobby is also lit by fluorescent lights that produce a harsh and irritating light. The television in the room does not play its purpose of relaxing the employees because of its white light and equally irritating noise. On the other side of the stage is an empty highway with big streetlights. As the play progresses, the audience hears loud traffic noises characteristic of a highway during late hours of the night. These features further emphasize the uncomfortable nature of the work environment and the long hours they have to