A Punchy, Impactful Play on Privilege

James Wallace

Catch Straight White Men at PACA, a dramedy originally created by Young Jean Lee in 2014. The script, "honest and rooted in humanity," explores themes of identity and privilege.

BEGINNING THURSDAY, FEB. 19

The Performing Artists Collective Alliance (PACA) is proud to present Straight White Men, a 90-minute "dramedy" that explores themes of identity and privilege. It's Christmastime in the Midwest, and brothers Drew and Jake have come home to spend the holidays with their older brother Matt and their widowed father Ed. However, tensions rise as the men begin to question Matt's life choices and what constitutes contentment and success.

Contrary to its title, Straight White Men was originally written by Young Jean Lee in 2014, and workshopped in a room consisting of women, people of color, and people identifying within the LGBTQIA+ community. By 2018, Lee had become the first Asian American woman to have a play produced on Broadway, her ultimate goal being to explore the expectations placed on "straight, white men" and acknowledge the controversy of what that title entails today.

Director Rie Witherow (40 Under 40 Class of 2025), self-proclaimed "loudly queer and biracial," expressed their gratitude upon getting to work on this show, describing it as, "Kismet. Fated and meant to be."

When choosing the small cast, Witherow, Assistant Director Clara Hill, and Stage Manager Alyssa Wowk wanted people who could accurately convey the more important themes of the production, while also being mindful of its sensitivity. Michael Rutter (Ed), Padraic McGuire (Matt), Chris Rosato Jr. (Jake), and Sam Comfort (Drew) became the ideal candidates.

"This show exists to explore and deconstruct tropes often associated with toxic white male existence," Witherow explained. "That work is difficult to do, but my cast has taken it in stride. We do not always see eye-to-eye, but our team has also made sure that we all feel comfortable enough to have tough conversations when they come up."

"Honest and rooted in humanity," Straight White Men is intended for mature, adult audiences. 

Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 20 through 28 at 7:30 p.m. // Thursdays, Feb. 19 and 26 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. // PACA, 1505 State St.  // $25 // For tickets and info: tickets.eriereader.com