Gloria

by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

This funny, trenchant, and powerful play follows an ambitious group of editorial assistants at a notorious Manhattan magazine, each of whom hopes for a starry life of letters and a book deal before they turn thirty. But when an ordinary humdrum workday becomes anything but, the stakes for who will get to tell their own story become higher than ever.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Theatre, Contemporary, Adult, School

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Adrian Collins]

What stuck out to me the most in reading this was the use of double-casting. BJJ's acknowledgement of the familiarity of these characters encouraged me to interpret this as a universal story, which, in post-Columbine America, it truly is. The plight of interns and assistants stuck in day jobs that probably won't lead to anything is sort of beat to death at points, only emphasizing melodramatically how melodramatic overly ambitious twenty-somethings can be. The play not only highlights the lackluster corporate environment, but examines the frenzy of media after a trauma like a shooting. I often felt myself wondering how the play would have changed if Miles and Ani had survived instead of Dean, Kendra, and Nan. Reading the conversation between Dean and Kendra about exploitation and claiming trauma as another form of privilege made me sick, and I lamented for Miles, hoping he would somehow find his way back to this world. I am thankful for Lorin's reappearance in the final scene, in which he points out the truths and traps of the play up until that point without providing any answer.

[federico]

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this work.
Perhaps the best one is that if you happen to write a play that gives voice to a younger generation in the workforce in an incisive, comedic, and piteous way that is quintessential to our collective experience of the everyday and of trauma,

DON'T release it the same year as Hamilton because it will get way less attention this should be on everyone's radars or did I somehow miss this!?

[Doug]

Update: 5/16/25: Since it had been over 5 years since my last reading, and Jacobs-Jenkins just won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his latest play, Purpose, I wanted to revisit this, the play for which he was first nominated for the award in 2016. It still reads like gangbusters, and I have come to appreciate that final scene more. If I were still directing this would be #1 on my bucket list.

Update 2/24/20: So I saw the excellent ACT production of this yesterday in SF ... and if anything, it plays even better than it reads... the first act curtain wasn't quite as gory as I pictured when I read it, but effective nonetheless. The second act played well, but I still think that last scene doesn't QUITE work... Kudos to the ACT cast, however, who were all terrific, most playing multiple roles.

Update 2/1/20:

I wanted to reread this, as I'll be seeing an SF production of it in 3 weeks. The first act curtain promises to be as shocking and upsetting as it is on page, but I am curious how the rest of the play will strike me, as much of the first act remains rather (necessarily) frivolous by comparison, although the first scene of the second act seems powerful as well. The second scene of the second act seems almost overkill. We'll see.

Original review:
I thought this was a much more successful piece of dramaturgy all the way around than the first play of Jacobs-Jenkins I read (Appropriate), and I hope to see it staged sometime, since it has a lot to say about both media and the aftermath of mass shootings.

[Lauren]

This play highlights the worst of Millennial culture. I don’t mean that as a compliment. Or maybe I do: Jacobs-Jenkins captures the cadence and conversational tics of the influencer set, which is the highlight of the play.

But what a shallow, trite story that tries to be something more than it is. I know some people will say that this play represents Millennial culture, but I’d instead argue it represents the very privileged minority of that generation.

Jacobs-Jenkins has an idea here – an excellent one – but his reliance on shallow observational moments and jumping around leave this play eminently forgettable. There’s no depth, no emotional arc, no chance to connect with the characters. Not recommended.

[Tova]

Rating in terms of how well “Gloria” represents my girlfriend Gloria:
⭐️works at a magazine (newspaper)
⭐️packs elaborate lunches in Tupperwares
⭐️gets upset about people flaking on her plans
❌commits a mass shooting
❌unloved (Gloria my gf is widely beloved)

I liked this play! The millennial cattiness was a little over the top, but conveyed good commentary about how the commodification of trauma worsens as the media landscape contracts. (With fewer book deals to go around, the competition is on to sell the story of a tragedy. The most sensationalized version usually wins).

[Kaci May-Cannon]

I started this because there was an article saying that it was going to be on broadway next season and halfway through the first act I was like wait this feels soooo familiar. anyways, such a terrifying and incredible play about work and the human experience and how capitalism makes us lonely.

edit: lol I realize that I forgot to say why it felt familiar and it's bc i did read this in college

[Tom Garback]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Critic Score: A-
Reader Score: B+

At first I thought the plot twist at the end of Act 1 was cheap, but now I see it was the beginning of an incredible discussion on gun violence, millennials, office life, media exploitation, and the book publishing industry. Very impressive to have this all woven into a play that doesn’t feel nearly as dense as it is rich.

[Katherine Cleman]

Chilling, an excellent portrayal of contemporary life and the modern terrors that we face. A wonderful exploration of alienation between life and work, and what a lifetime of transactional relationships can result in.

[sophie]

quick-witted and entertaining. most likely cured my reading slump too

[Addy Canzano]

Act one was a five star moment it was terrifying and quick and got you hooked but I feel like the ending and act two fell kinda flat for me?

[because_she_reads (Mira Jade)]

I knew nothing about this play going in and so glad for it because the way I gasped at the end of act I 😳😱 I was NOT expecting that and that completely pulled me into the story!

Even the intense conversation between Dean and Kendra, the hunger but slight tension I’m feeling!!

I would love to direct or act in this, BJJ is a genius and love his work!

[Aaron Thomas]

On first reading this play I wrote: "This is fine. It's not really funny, though. At least I didn't laugh. Everyone's an asshole in it, and that's fine too. This wasn't for me. Even more odd, this has none of the theatricality of BJJ's first two plays. Not that he needs to keep talking about the US American theatre or Blackness or rethinking Black theatre history, but, well... this just doesn't have the same insouciance."

I think I was mostly wrong. It is somewhat theatrical – there is cast doubling that is working in a clever way – and I think also the play is much funnier than I imagined it on a first read-through. This is a satire, and this is not really my kind of humor, I think, and so I missed the actual humor in the play. I think audiences will laugh a lot when this is performed.

[esen ☼ ⋆｡˚⋆ฺ ♡]

I never thought I would thoroughly enjoy reading a play like I did with Gloria.

The dark comedy perfectly comments on America as a country and the toxic society that it has built - specifically centred around the workplace.

Having a focus on a group of characters - played by the same actors - throughout its two acts universalises the American workplace experience, focusing on how media companies would rather exaggerate a tragic story to make headlines rather than focus on the trauma of the storytelling victims.

A perfect critique on society, Gloria encapsulates the different people in the American workplace and how some actions can negative affect others, to a larger extent than ever thought.

5/5. Incredible read.

[Daniel]

Scorcher of a first act with characters who completely scratch and tear at one another. Second act loses some of that fun/hilarious steam in search of deeper meaning around ownership of narratives/office culture in the age of the internet. I kinda liked the fun of the first act better, but it’s sharp writing throughout.

[Cori]

Thoroughly enjoyed this one. I was eager to pick it back up after having to put it down during work. It was a quick read that never lost my attention once. I enjoyed the language the characters used. I particularly loved Kendra's monologues.

It's also noteworthy that I read this during the aftermath of the Parkland school shooting and subsequent #walkout and #walkupnotout campaigns.

[scotia]

too millennial for me i fear

[Ana Pau Carbonell]

3.5*

I loved the first act of this play, it was chaotic and funny and the pace was perfect.

I thought this story would go in a completely different direction from what I knew about it and I guess that made me a little disappointed at the second act, but that is fully on me. I still enjoyed it and I think it makes very punctual arguments about office culture, the panic our generation is in due to the state of the economy and jobs, the aftermath of mass shootings, survivors, who gets the right to talk about traumatic events and how history is just one silly little spiral that keeps on repeating itself.

[Jeremy Sauce]

I want to start logging the stage plays I read. Went into this blind because I heard it was coming to Broadway and by the I end felt like I had been hit over the head with a shovel. Very uncomfortable read as a recent grad who works at a magazine, but I need to get back to New York asap to see this thing staged

[Jessica Hirsh]

Thought I'd read a lil play as a treat while subbing a class and I managed to choose THIS ONE. I went in completely blind, and I'm so glad I did. I'm not going to say anything more in hopes that others have the same experience.

[Delaney Ignace]

I never read plays but this was insane??

[Aykurt]

Quick and fun rag of millennials by a millennial. Would definitely enjoy seeing this on stage.

[Allison]

WOW. Showcases the contemporary horrors of workplace toxicity, gun violence and press/media exploitation. Haven't read a play since HS and this was a great reintroduction.

[laura]

might bump up the rating later? tbd

[*ೃnaziba ˘͈ᵕ˘͈]

I had to read this as part of my Acting—American Realism class. I loved it. It was a very dynamic and interesting play to read and act in.

[Summer]

plays are soooo awesome i love reading and finishing things

thank you katie 2x

[amy]

i simply NEED to see this play - preferably live but i’d honestly take a flipbook

[Lily Blakeney-Edwards]

This concept is craaaazy, a fun 39 pager

[Ez]

Literally laughed out loud and dropped my jaw reading this at the Drama Book Shop

[Stuart Horwitz]

This was so fun to read! Funny, shocking, and very human. Interesting characters. I'd love see it on-stage!

[Cleo]

Icky and brilliant, would love to see a production!