The story of Paul Green will capture you. This native son of North Carolina went to Broadway and back with a dream -That someday he could write a new ending for the Old South. Can a play create justice? Can an actor perform change?
Through in-depth interviews with Green's family, leading Paul Green scholars, and theater experts, this documentary explores the life and work of North Carolina playwright and activist Paul Green. At the heart of this documentary are Green's controversial folk plays written between the 1920s and 1940s, addressing pressing issues of integration, capital punishment, and chain gang reform. Set to an original and haunting Appalachian/ Southern Gothic score, The Playmaker features never-before-published autobiographical tapes, 1930's home movies, 1970's interview footage, and custom animated illustrations to tell a story of North Carolina's most prolific playwright.
Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts, a regional arts organization, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information about Southern Circuit please visit www.southarts.org/southerncircuit.