And They Dance Real Slow in Jackson.

by Jim Leonard Jr.

Book by Jim Leonard, Jr., Leonard Jr., Jim

Genres: Plays, Theatre

72 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1986

Reviews

[Lori Rector · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did a monolog from this play when I was in high school. I remember wanting to read the rest back then but never got around to it. You have to pay attention and really follow as it jumps back and forth in time, but it's worth it. A story of a girl, Elizabeth Ann, that must utilize a wheelchair and leg braces due to a childhood illness. The story of a small town with smaller-minded people who can't accept the differences. One article put it best "Culminating in a chilling scene in which Elizabeth Ann’s leg braces are torn from her by a frenzied mob, the play becomes in the final essence a moving and poetically evocative plea for understanding and compassion in a world where prejudice and casual cruelty are too often the norm."

[Persy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This piece was haunting and beautiful in its depiction of Elizabeth. Compelling read.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first found this play when looking for a monologue. It wasn’t until I read the entire piece did I realize how beautiful it is. I love the idea that the same four actors play different children and adults in Jackson. It adds to Elizabeth’s madness, but also shows the audience how everyone in the town is virtually the same when it comes to prejudice again her. My favorite part is the emotional ending when the children rip the braces off of Elizabeth’s legs. It is almost as emotional and devastating as being raped, which is what eventually sends her mad. I would love to see this performed somewhere. If I learned anything about playwrighting from this, it’s that it is ok to experiment with style and plot. The end result can be very interesting.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in love with the construction of this play. The storytelling is abstract and challenging, but the characters are vivid, real, and recognizable. There's some fairly heavy subject matter, so I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to this one as the fall play yet. I might need to run this by some colleagues first. Still though, a beautiful and heartbreaking look at an important subject; at some point, I'd love to tackle this one with my actors.