top of page

American Son

American Son is playing at the Booth Theatre located at 222 West 45th Street. The play runs ninety minutes with no intermission. It closes on January 27, 2019.

Kenny Leon is the director. He won a Tony Award in 2014 for A Raisin in the Sun and was nominated for a Tony Award in 2010 for Fences.

Derek McLane is the scenic designer. He won a Tony Award for 33 Variations (2009) and was nominated for three Tony Awards for Anything Goes (2011), Ragtime (2010) and Pajama Game (2006)

Kerry Washington is known for her role as Oliva Pope in Scandal (2012-2018). She was nominated for two Primetime Emmys for this role (2013 and 2014).

Steven Pascale is known for his role as New York City firefighter/first responder Sean Garrity in the series Rescue Me (2004-2011).

Jeremy Jordon was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for Newsies.

The setting is a police station in Miami, Florida. It’s “shortly after 4 a.m. on a day this coming June”.

Kendra (Kerry Washington) has been called to the police station. There was an incident with her 18 year son Jamal. She is African American and is frantic because she hasn’t seen her son in almost twenty four hours. Officer Paul Larkin (Jeremy Jordon) who is white is giving the run around that he has no information on him. He’s trying to get in touch with the public affairs liaison person who would have that information, Lieutenant John Stokes (Eugene Lee). Officer Larkin keeps asking her questions about her son, besides the basic questions, the other questions are hinting since he is black he’s in a gang, been in trouble an so on. Kendra says NO!

When Kendra goes to the rest room her husband Scott (Steven Pasqual) comes in. He is in the FBI and white. He questions the officer about his son. Thinking he is on the case he starts to give him information until he realizes he is the father.

Scott has not been living with them for four months. Kendra tells him about what is going on with their son. One of the things she’s afraid of is as he left she noticed on the bumper of the car a sticker saying kill police. She’s afraid that’s why he has been detained.

When the Lieutenant Stokes, who is African American comes in there is a confrontation. Scot wants to know what happened to his son. They get is a scuffle and Scott is arrested.

After Scott comes back he receives a video from his brother who works at a television station. It’s an incident with three African American young men and the police. Gun shorts are heard in the back ground.

Scott shows it to him. It’s then that the Lieutenant tells them what has happen.

This is one powerful play. I left crying.

Of course I left things out not to spoil it. But it blew me away. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this remarkable cast and play.

Kenny Leon direction was powerful. Kerry Washington does an amazing performance.

The set is simple but impressive. Outside the window it’s raining. There is a surprise out the window at the end of the play. Derek McLane’s scenic design is impressive.

Review by Rozanna Radakovich.

Photos by Annazor.

To read a candid interview with the cast, scroll down to the left for photos. Click on photos for this and other shows.

bottom of page