Are you teaching... Pipeline?

'Pipeline is at once an homage to such authors as Lorraine Hansberry, Langston Hughes, and Amiri Baraka, and yet firmly the product of a unique, deeply resonant sensibility.'

– Deadline

'[an] emotionally harrowing, ethically ambiguous drama that raises barbed questions about class, race, parental duty, and the state of American education.'

– Variety

In today's blog, we're sharing some of our top resources to help you introduce your students to Dominique Morisseau's 2017 Pipeline. Captured live at the Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in 2019, watch the full production (alongside written and audio-visual educational resources) with a free trial to Digital Theatre+ today.

Introducing Dominique Morisseau's Pipeline

Pipeline is Dominique Morisseau’s 2017 play about the notorious ‘school-to-prison pipeline’ which bedevils (mostly poor, mostly African American) students of inner-city public high schools. 

The filmed production of the play at the Lincoln Center Theater has long been one of the most popularly-studied productions on DT+. 

A brilliant narrative operating at the intersection of race, class, parenthood and education, the play explores the stresses and strains felt by single mother Nya, a teacher at a public high school, and her son Omari. 

Omari attends an expensive private academy upstate, but is in danger of being expelled for hitting a white teacher in response to racism in the classroom.   

The raw power of the street language used by Omari and his girlfriend Jasmine shadows – and segues into – the poetry Nya teaches in her English classroom. The result is a gripping, poignant drama which is ideal for teaching undergraduates about themes such as race and racism, and socio-economic issues, in the context of an education system and relatable domestic backdrop.

'I was really happy to see Pipeline on Digital Theatre+. This is a play that can really get students to dig deeply into, not just the issues of race and ethnicity, but also relationships, their own experiences with bullying [...] For American students, that really helps to open them up to what's happening in other parts of the world [...] DT+ is my go-to place now.'

– Sandra Adell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Watch the trailer for Pipeline – full production available with a free trial to DT+

Teaching Pipeline with Digital Theatre+

There are so many strands to the story, we might get lost were it not for some clever plotting by Morisseau and the excellent ensemble staging by director Lileana Blain-Cruz, supported by superb acting by the cast. 

At DT+, we’ve made sure we have specialist educational resources to assist educators who want to use Pipeline to anchor any of their teaching:

• We have a 5000-word authoritative ‘Critical Introduction’ written by Sandra Adell, which covers a biographical profile of Dominique Morisseau, a breakdown of the play itself, influences and context, and discussion questions to use in class.
• For those who want something accessibly audio-visual, we also have an excellent e-learning video series, Unlocked: Pipeline. Across four short episodes, this series explores the characters, themes, and context of the play.
• Clips from the production also appear in several videos from our Key Concepts e-learning series, including those on Acting, Theatre For Social Change, Playwriting, and Voice.

And it doesn’t stop there!

We have a host of related content on DT+ which provides material for further exploration – including key scenes from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun (for US and UK subscribers); a roundtable discussion ‘Black Acting Methods: Diversity in the Classroom’, and Kahlid Y. Long’s superb ‘Concise Introduction to African American Theatre’, which traces the history, context, and analysis of the field. 

About Digital Theatre+

'Digital Theatre+ is one of the great democratizing resources for students of theatre and literature. It enables those who would struggle to see great productions to experience something of the thrill of live performance.

'For tutors and researchers, it makes possible a level of detailed analysis unthinkable for live events. The recordings are high quality and the supporting resources full of useful material. Long live DT+!'

– Professor David Roberts, Birmingham City University

'As a Theater Professor, the use of Digital Theatre+ is essential. It gives students of diverse backgrounds access to world class performances that represent different cultures and perspectives.  

In addition, the educational resources help students engage more productively with the plays as well as helping add support to instructors. With this platform, everyone benefits.'

– Karen Cecilia, Adjunct Professor, CUNY

Explore the full library with a free trial to DT+. Submit this short form to get started today!