
A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE
Covenant
Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 1m
York Walker
Inspired by the myth of Robert Johnson, this haunting, Gothic play explores the power of belief and tests the thin veil between rumour and truth.
Image: 2023 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)
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Cast Size
4w, 1m -
Duration
90 minutes -
Subgenre
Fable/Folktale -
Suggested Use
- Monologues
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Target Audience
Adult
Details
Summary
Two years after his sudden disappearance, struggling guitarist Johnny “Honeycomb” James returns to his small town a blues star, sparking rumours that he may have made a deal with the devil to attain his musical genius. Inspired by the myth of Robert Johnson, this haunting, Gothic play explores the power of belief and tests the thin veil between rumour and truth.
History
Covenant premiered off-Broadway at Roundabout Theater Company’s Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre on 5 October 2023. Directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, the production featured Crystal Dickinson, Chaundre Hall-Broomfield, Ashley N. Hildreth, Jade Payton and Lark White.
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
- Time Period 1930s
- Setting A small town in Georgia. 1936.
- Features Period Costumes
- Additional Features No Intermission
- Duration 90 minutes
- Cautions
- Alcohol
Media
“Auspicious... a striking new Southern Gothic work.” – The New York Times
“Briskly entertaining food for thought about the demons that haunt us all.” – The New York Sun
★★★★ “Devilish... In Walker’s eyes, possession and exorcism aren't so much main events as they are context: for how the Jim Crow era amplifies the tension between religious practices and the hope of the modern world; how Black families’ relationship with religion can sow deep, generational pain, prioritizing salvation over love; how abuse haunts the characters’ lives; and how easily one can conflate love and possession.” – New York Theatre Guide
“A striking new Southern gothic work… Covenant is an auspicious New York debut for a playwright who clearly has a gift for richly textured work.” – The New York Times
“Blackout-and-blood-curdling-scream deliciousness.” – New York Magazine
Videos
Covenant – Theatre Talk, Roundabout Theater Company
Covenant – Roundabout Theater Company Teaser
Photos
Image: 2023 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)
Image: 2023 Roundabout Theatre Company Production (Joan Marcus)
Licensing & Materials
- Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.