Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Gloria: A Deep Dive into Contemporary American Theater and Notorious Manhattan Magazine
As we prepare to bring this dark comedic satirical play to our stage at Chance Theater, we invite you to delve deeper into the world of Jacobs-Jenkins and the themes that make “Gloria” such a compelling piece of contemporary theater.
In her Dramaturg note, Dr. Jocelyn L. Buckner offers a comprehensive look at Jacobs-Jenkins’ background, his unique approach to storytelling, and the cultural resonances that echo throughout his work, particularly in “Gloria.”
Whether you’re a long-time patron of Chance Theater, a theater enthusiast, or new to Jacobs-Jenkins, or you actually work with editorial assistants yourself… this guide will provide valuable context to enhance your understanding and appreciation of the play.
First… a quick summary of the play, Gloria.
In Gloria, a whip smart satire, an ambitious group of twenty something editorial assistants are pursuing it all at one of New York’s most notorious Manhattan magazine headquarters. When an ordinary humdrum workday at the office turns out to be anything but, these aspiring journalists recognize an opportunity to seize a career-defining moment. Who has the right to tell whose story?
Each character is fighting to narrate their own story. Simultaneously funny and shocking, Gloria is an adrenaline rush of a show as MacArthur “Genius” grant winner Jacobs-Jenkins skewers the cutthroat, opportunistic culture of modern media.
We hope this dramaturgical exploration will enrich your experience of our upcoming production and spark meaningful conversations about the themes and questions raised in “Gloria.”
Now, let’s hand it over to Dr. Buckner for her expert deep dive into the world of this award winning play.
Who is Branden Jacobs-Jenkins? Award-Winning Playwright and Cultural Commentator
A window into Gloria
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins wants us to look.
His plays all examine human relationships, societal structures, and individual identity, asking questions about what it all means, why we’re here, and why we behave in the ways that we do, across time, space, and place. Jacobs-Jenkins consistently works at the intersections of the past and present, race, and social reckoning.
For those not familiar with the recipient of Obie Awards, a Guggenheim fellowship, a Windham-Campbell Award, a MacArthur “Genius Grant”, and who has twice been a Pulitzer Prize finalist, I’d like to offer a brief overview of BJJ’s plays, major resonances, and how these elements of his dramaturgy appear in the world he has constructed in Gloria.
Across his works, Jacobs-Jenkins has deconstructed personal and cultural identity and farther-reaching questions of human experience with anthropological acumen. As he noted in an interview with The Guardian late last year, his works attempt to “stimulate people into a greater understanding of who they were and what they were.” One of the most effective ways BJJ approaches this task is through the exercise of adaptation, that is, the repurposing and retelling of previous works.
To watch, read, or study Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ works is to “participate in a seminar on theater history and American history, on the ways that remote or seemingly exhausted genres continue to haunt our culture.” Many of his works are meditations on older plays or historical periods. Examples include the medieval morality play Everyman which he adapted into Everybody; Dion Boucicault’s nineteenth century melodrama An Octoroon which he dissects and reconstitutes as The Octoroon; his first major play, Neighbors, which employs blackface to explore how theatrical constructs contribute to American culture’s preoccupation with race and representation; and his hit 2014 play Appropriate, which just closed a huge revival on Broadway this June, is an exploration of the American kitchen sink family drama and how the genre codes race through its depiction of familial and national identity.
Studying and adapting plays from their original historical context into our contemporary milieu, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins notes in a 2021 interview with Yale Review that “adaptation is at the root of all dramatic storytelling. It’s re-presenting something. Communal reception is predicated on the preexistence of a shared public language. I often look back to the Greeks, who were continually adapting stories—stories received as history by their community. Then Shakespeare, of course, was the most genius adapter of all time; he found a way to synthesize his adaptations of many different sources into a new, even more compelling whole. So I’ve always recognized the adaptive impulse as uniquely the provenance of the dramatic writer. […] Adaptation, for me, is a form of translation. You’re moving something from one form or language into your own language, or your own experience of life, or your own set of social codes.”
While Gloria is not itself an adaptation…
It is a play that explores realism as a construct in the American theatre, what happens when reality is challenged, and the contrivances that are undertaken to maintain it.
A satirical send up of early 2010s media culture in the U.S., of which Branden Jacobs-Jenkins was a part when he worked as an editorial assistant at The New Yorker magazine in his twenties, Gloria invites audiences to consider how the characters have been influenced by the cutthroat culture of ambition which surrounds them and to which they contribute in the media industry. The petty micropolitics of the office and interpersonal dynamics of the characters are immediately recognizable to anyone who remembers the early years of their own career and the desperate striving to attain what everyone else around you were also vying for.
When a life-altering event occurs in a New York City magazine office, the characters begin to weigh the value of their individual experiences of the event on the scale of media interest, hoping to break out and forge expedited paths to success in their field during a time of shrinking opportunity.
Their separate interpretations – or shall we say adaptations? – of the event reflects how quickly we often commodify events that do not entirely belong to us for our own benefit, and often at the expense of those around us. As the character Lorin ponders, “Is another human life anything to us but an excuse to think about ourselves?”
About his adaptive works and passion for revisiting the familiar in his plays, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has said that he believes people come to the theater to “feel something old.”
In Gloria, that something is the gnawing feeling of ambition, the thrill of the potential for success, and the curiosity to know, as the character Nan asks, “What do you think I could get?” for the content and commodification of our own lives.
Dr. Jocelyn Buckner
Meet the Writer of Gloria
BRANDEN JACOBS-JENKINS (PLAYWRIGHT) is a Brooklyn-based playwright, producer, and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. His plays include Girls, Everybody (Signature Theatre), War (Yale Rep; Lincoln Center/LCT3), Gloria (Vineyard Theatre), Appropriate (Obie Award; Signature Theatre), An Octoroon (Obie Award; Soho Rep, Theatre for a New Audience), and Neighbors (The Public Theater). Most recently he was the showrunner, executive producer, and writer for Hulu/FX’s drama series, Kindred, based on Octavia E. Butler’s groundbreaking novel. A Premiere Resident playwright at Signature Theatre, his honors include USA Artists, Guggenheim, and MacArthur fellowships, the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama, and the inaugural Tennessee Williams Award, and he currently serves as Vice President of the Dramatists Guild council. He teaches at Yale University.
The Vineyard Theatre, where “Gloria” made its debut, played a crucial role in bringing Jacobs-Jenkins’ vision to life. The Hollywood Reporter praised the play for its sharp commentary on the media’s role in society, particularly its critique of how personal tragedies are consumed by the media.
His characters are multi-dimensional, each one a reflection of the darker aspects of the media industry, including the exploitation of personal experiences and the commodification of tragedy. The editorial assistants in the play aspire to a starry life, highlighting their hopes for success and recognition in the literary world.
The Playwright’s Vision
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, the mastermind behind the critically acclaimed play “Gloria,” brings a unique vision to the world of contemporary theater. His work is characterized by a whip-smart satire that takes a hard look at the notorious Manhattan magazine industry and the opportunistic culture that pervades it. In “Gloria,” Jacobs-Jenkins delves into the complexities of modern media, exposing how it both mirrors and molds our society.
Drawing from his own experiences and keen observations, Jacobs-Jenkins crafts a narrative that is as insightful as it is entertaining. His characters are multi-dimensional, each one a reflection of the darker aspects of the media industry, including the exploitation of personal experiences and the commodification of tragedy. This nuanced portrayal is a testament to Jacobs-Jenkins’ deep understanding of the human condition, a quality that has earned him the prestigious MacArthur “Genius” grant.
One of the standout features of “Gloria” is its exploration of serious themes in a thought-provoking and provocative manner. Jacobs-Jenkins tackles issues such as gun violence, office politics, and the mundane struggles of everyday life with a bitingly funny and incisive wit. His ambitious approach ensures that the play resonates on multiple levels, making it a significant contribution to contemporary theater.
The Vineyard Theatre, where “Gloria” made its debut directed by Evan Cabnet, played a crucial role in bringing Jacobs-Jenkins’ vision to life. Known for its commitment to nurturing new and innovative works, the Vineyard provided the perfect platform for Jacobs-Jenkins to develop his unique and impactful play.
Through “Gloria,” Jacobs-Jenkins offers a sharp commentary on the media machine and its insatiable appetite for personal tragedies.
He also examines how society engages with these tragedies, often turning them into commodities for public consumption. The play is a powerful exploration of the human condition and our own story, showcasing Jacobs-Jenkins’ skill and craftsmanship as a playwright.
In essence, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ vision for “Gloria” is a deeply human and thought-provoking examination of modern media and society. His creative intentions are rooted in a profound understanding of the world around him, resulting in a play that leaves audiences contemplating long after the final curtain call.
We can’t wait to see you there!
Gloria
Anaheim, CA 92807
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