TOPDOG/UNDERDOG made its debut at the Public Theater in New York City starring Don Cheadle in the summer of 2001 and moved to Broadway in the spring of 2002. A former writing student of James Baldwin, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG playwright Suzan-Lori Parks has penned numerous plays, screenplays, and a novel – but she made history in 2002 as the first African American woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. Twenty years later, TOPDOG/UNDERDOG returned to Broadway in 2022 and won the Tony and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Revival of a Play in 2023. In 2025, The Pasadena Playhouse proudly presents TOPDOG/UNDERDOG.
Brandon Gill – Photo by Jeff Lorch
Speaking about her play, Parks remarked that “I think the meaning of the play isn’t just confined to a man’s experience…I think it’s about what it means to be family and, in the biggest sense, the family of man, what it means to be connected with somebody else…(adding that) the play speaks to “who the world thinks you’re going to be, and how you struggle with that (Reich, Ronni, 9/7/12).” When awarding the Pulitzer Prize to Parks, the Pulitzer Committee described TOPDOG/UNDERDOG as “…a darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identification. It tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, two brothers whose names, given to them as a joke, foretell a lifetime of sibling rivalry and resentment. Haunted by their past, the brothers are forced to confront the shattering reality of their future.”
Brandon Gill and Brandon Micheal Hall – Photo by Jeff Lorch
The time is now, and the place is Booth’s apartment in New York City. Lincoln (Brandon Micheal Hall) moved in with his younger brother Booth (Brandon Gill) after his wife kicked him out. This is a “temporary” arrangement, even if Lincoln’s low-paying job as a white-faced Abraham Lincoln, top hat and all, represents the only money coming in. The men have a long and contentious relationship dating from their childhood with their parents, probably well-meaning but both eventually abandoning their adolescent sons with best wishes and $500 in cash. Of course, Lincoln initially carved out a comfortable existence as a master of 3 Card Monte, a hustle which earned him money, recognition, and respect – but now Lincoln has decided to “go straight” and “get a regular job.” Booth dreams of duplicating his brother’s success with the cards but can’t seem to get the knack of it; his skill set is definitely shoplifting. All the while, the two brothers try to work around a society marked by poverty, racism, and few mainstream opportunities. Games are what have made life worth living for the brothers, and reality is always an invisible and ugly companion.
Brandon Gill and Brandon Micheal Hall – Photo by Jeff Lorch
Gregg T. Daniel does an excellent job of helming this complex dramedy – a tale with equal measures of laughter and tears. Kudos to Brandon Gill and Brandon Micheal Hall for their superb and heart-rending performances as two African America men the world has discarded – and probably forgotten entirely. Tesshi Nakagawa’s scenic design is awe-inspiring, with Angela Balogh Calin’s costumes keeping pace. Jared A. Sayeg’s lighting and Jeff Gardner’s sound hit just the right note. Let’s not forget card consultant Whit “Pop” Haydn, who helps make the brothers’ 3 Card Monte look very real. TOPDOG/UNDERDOG is a must-see production – thought-provoking, searing, and powerful.
Brandon Micheal Hall – Photo by Jeff Lorch
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG runs through March 23, 2025, with performances at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays, at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 2 p.m. on Sundays (at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday 3/23/25). The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101. For information and reservations, call 626-356-7529 or go online.
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