Appropriate

A dilapidated Arkansas plantation house becomes a battleground for inherited trauma in Appropriate, a biting contemporary drama mounted at the Manatee Performing Arts Center. Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins subverts the classic Southern gothic genre, following three estranged siblings who gather to settle their late father’s estate and unexpectedly uncover deeply racist artifacts hidden among the clutter. The production does not shy away from the horrific realities of American history, requiring the cast to navigate volatile arguments and complex psychological reveals. The play serves as a brutally honest, darkly comedic interrogation of white guilt and the uncomfortable truths families actively choose to ignore.