Support Materials for THE OVERWHELMING
"What Came After: A Postscript" by J.T. Rogers
This essay by J.T. Rogers is an astounding postscript to The Overwhelming, providing insight into the themes of the play and Rogers’s process as a playwright. It is reproduced here by permission of the author. We highly recommend that students wishing to engage in extended dialogue read this piece and discuss how it deepens their understanding of the play. How does Rogers’s journey as described in this personal essay mirror that of the characters in his play?
"Just Words" by J.T. Rogers
Published with the script of The Overwhelming, this piece is an excellent companion to the play, providing first-person accounts of the Rwandan genocide from real men and women who experienced the atrocities. Teachers may wish to have students read this piece in preparation for the performance, or following the show to help instigate dialogue. Do the words resonate differently before and after seeing the performance of The Overwhelming? How does this piece illuminate some of the issues raised in the play? How does the play deepen or enhance your experience of reading the quotations?
Timeline of Events
Study Guides for Studio 180 Productions
- The Overwhelming Study Guide (PDF)
- Stuff Happens Study Guide (PDF)
- Blackbird Study Guide (PDF)
- Offensive Shadows Study Guide (PDF)
- The Laramie Project Study Guide (PDF)
