What is the theme of the play Sweat?



‘Sweat’ explores themes of race, gender, ethnicity, class, and labor relations in a deeply human way.

What is the plot of the play Sweat?

Plot. The play portrays a meeting between a parole officer and two ex-convicts, and three women who were childhood friends and had worked in the same factory. The action takes place in a fictional bar in Reading, Pennsylvania. Nottage shifts in time, switching scenes and showing events of eight years earlier.

What is the meaning of sweat by Lynn Nottage?

“Sweat” is ultimately about the struggle between outsiders and insiders. It’s a story of people who built the nation from the ground up in pursuit of the American Dream. While writer Lynn Nottage’s words create colorful, flawed characters who are often too stubborn, the cast brought them to life.

What is the inciting incident in the play Sweat?





The inciting incident of much of the drama is the decision by management of the local steel mill to move operations to Mexico and play hardball with its employees (demanding severe cuts to pay and pensions, a lock-out when they refuse).

What is the inciting incident in sweat by Lynn Nottage?

Stan slams a baseball bat down on the bar and orders Jason to sit, but Jason blocks Oscar from leaving and begins to beat him. Stan and Chris try to intervene, but Tracey and Jessie egg the fight on.

How does Sweat play end?

Chris and Jason are in separate, yet parallel meetings, with Evan. Both of the boys discuss the incident in the bar and their feelings on the tragic event. In the final scene of the play, Jason and Chris end up at the bar. Oscar is the bartender and is immediately cautious about their presence.