play act play american set neighborhood south chicago known informally play examines failures successes relationships african american steel mill workers transition blue collar jobs white collar play regarded economic progress related debuted series plays progress subsequently performed venues united_states play published characters charlie year steel mill veteran seeks promotion machine operator maintains perfect attendance record eventually lives steel mill pension eddie time student surrendered job mill lawyer night school student working mill provide family real estate agent tony salesman exploited company engaged professor attempts buy house scott worker mill dismissed college employee pursuing career opportunities joe steel mill worker plans leave mill car note paid ends work homeless plot neighborhood popular residence successful white physicians resulting nickname neighborhood 1960s 1970s symbol represented young blacks symbol especially poignant provides play act play examines failures successes relationships black steel mill workers chicago transition blue collar jobs white collar time scene chicago basement apartment characters meet cards drinks racial themes relating life steel mill presented dreams possibilities represented neighborhood chicago examined conflicts painful characters deal leaving comfortable life mill embark road uncertainty pursuing professional aspirations performance publication history play debuted series plays progress mounted production connecticut theater travelling productions minnesota play production production published play february publisher lists length drama intended high school college adult audiences critical reception attended performance wrote best draws picture individual lives caught social systems racism men periodic monologue southern excursion gone terribly wrong height reagan bush years saw clearly impact right wing policies urban working class thought characters undeveloped play structured fault criticized perceived heavy hand repetition conversation character self doubts play analysis economic progress told tales pursuits uses spectrum types develops complex recognizable personalities order deliver message natural play performed website description noted good life common goal difficult reach achieved cost soul conflicts range economic difficulties glass ceiling common blacks climbing ladder success changing professional situations coincide relationship transitions occurred america generation transformed generation characters successful real estate dealer tony salesman groundbreaking black lawyer scott achieved financial success suspicious mysterious way characters successful charlie oldest characters having stayed mill progressing ranks earning secure life hard dangerous work joe troubles mill lead unemployment destiny homeless shelter chicago performance following character descriptions chicago reader joe charlie eternal runner tony scott innocent eddie play spokesman
Pill Hill (play)