Swing State (play)

Swing State is a 2022 comedic stage play written by American playwright Rebecca Gilman. The play debuted in 2022 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and later debuted Off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre in 2023.^[1]

Swing State
2023 Off-Broadway production poster
Written by	Rebecca Gilman
Characters	Peg Sheriff Kris Dani Ryan
Date premiered	October 7, 2022
Place premiered	Goodman Theatre
Original language	English
Genre	Comedy

Synopsis

The play is set in a rural Wisconsin town where tensions rise after an out-of-state power company begins acquiring farmland. Longtime neighbors who once shared a sense of community find themselves on opposite sides of the debate as questions of ownership, financial security, and personal loyalty come to the forefront. At the center of the conflict is Peg, a retired teacher determined to preserve the land she has long called home, even as the future of the community grows uncertain.

As the dispute deepens, shifting alliances reveal the difficulties of navigating friendship and trust in an atmosphere shaped by corporate influence and political division. The play examines how national debates over land rights and identity manifest in small-town life, portraying a community fractured by competing values and perspectives on what it means to belong.^[1]

Production history

Swing State first premiered at the Goodman Theatre in 2022. It ran in the Owen Theatre from October 7 to November 13, 2022, with the official opening night on October 17, 2022. The production was directed by Robert Falls with a cast consisting of Mary Beth Fisher as Peg, Kirsten Fitzgerald as Sheriff Kris, Anne E. Thompson as Dani and Bubba Weiler as Ryan. Todd Rosenthal served as scenic designer, with Evelyn M. Danner as costume designer, Eric Southern as lighting designer and Richard Woodbury as sound designer and composer.^[2]

The Chicago production opened to acclaim, with the Chicago Tribune calling it "the best play since COVID to tap into our divided nation"^[3] and the Daily Herald noting that the play “moves audiences from laughter to tears".^[4]

Swing State then premiered Off-Broadway at the Minetta Lane Theatre, with an opening night on September 17, 2023, presented by Audible. The cast and production team reprised their roles, opening to generally positive reviews. New York Theatre Guide gave the production four stars, writing it has a " quiet edge and surprising humor,"^[5] and Vulture noted the play as "an effective, direct, though limited and realist, take on our moment.^[6]" The New York Times was more critical, noting the play was more "becalmed on its surface despite the powerful emotions underneath — not just the characters’ emotions but the author's.^[7]"

The Off-Broadway production nonetheless received nominations for Outstanding Play at both the Drama Desk Awards and Outer Critics Circle Awards, with director Robert Falls and performer Bubba Weiler also receiving several nominations.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref.
2024	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Play		Nominated	[1]
		Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play	Bubba Weiler	Nominated
		Outstanding Lighting Design for a Play	Eric Southern	Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding New Off-Broadway Play		Nominated
		Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play	Mary Beth Fisher	Nominated
		Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Play	Bubba Weiler	Nominated
		Outstanding Direction of a Play	Robert Falls	Nominated
	Lucille Lortel Award	Outstanding Featured Performer in a Play	Bubba Weiler	Nominated