Proper Care on the Road

FIRST LISTEN: PROPER CARE ON THE ROAD A new play by Dan Lucore and Renee Tellers Saturday, November 21 · 7:30pm · PACA, 1505 State Street · Free

FIRST LISTEN: PROPER CARE ON THE ROAD A new play by Dan Lucore and Renee Tellers Saturday, November 21, 7:30pm. PACA, 1505 State Street. Free.

On August 30, 1904, thirty-two men ran a marathon at the St. Louis World's Fair in about ninety-two degrees. The official in charge had cut the water to one station on the whole course, on purpose, because he believed dehydration was good for an athlete and wanted to see what would happen. Horses ran ahead of the field and turned the road to powder. Officials' automobiles followed behind and kept it hanging in the air.

One runner's stomach lining tore from breathing it. The first man into the stadium had ridden eleven miles in a car and had a laurel wreath on his head before anyone worked it out. Fourteen men finished.

All of it is true, most of it is well documented, and for a long stretch it is very funny.

What this is. A first reading in front of an audience. Twelve readers with scripts at music stands. No set, no costumes, no lighting, no staging. About two hours with an interval, then twenty minutes where we ask you questions.

What we want from you. The reason to do this in front of people rather than in a closed room is that we cannot tell any more whether it works. We have both read it too many times. We want to know where you laughed, where you got lost, and where you checked out. There will be a short form at your seat, and we would rather have three specific reactions than a round of applause.

One content note. The play is set at a World's Fair that put human beings on display, and it deals directly with the racial pseudoscience of the period. It works through historical document rather than depiction, and it does not reproduce the slurs that are in the record, but the subject matter is there.

Free.