Playwright Robert Schenkkan "Building the Wall" Dystopian Hell Fueled by Donald's Hateful Mantras

"Building the Wall" is a brilliantly brutal play by Pulitzer & Tony winning writing & Robert Schenkkan (LBJ All the Way).  The play closed today prior to its July 9th end date due to poor ticket sales.   This is unfortunate because this timely & powerful play has a lot to say about the present & not too distant future dystopian society being construed under Trump's pernicious mantras that have riled a white supremacist, xenophobic population.  The one act, 2 character play is set inside a TX prison in 2019.  White inmate Rick (a wily James Dale) is being interviewed by Gloria, a black history prof. played by Tony winner Tamara Tunie in an unflappable performance.  Here, the paradigm of a prison interview works effectively as we're drawn into Rick's maniacal madness.  Gloria is granted an interview by Rick who is offset to discover she is black.  As she turns to leave he asks her to stay and contends he's not racist.  He wants this interview so the true story will be told.  He didn't testify in court at counsel's advice.  With the innocuous start to the interview, Rick speaks about his childhood, family background and his call to military service after 9/11 that led to a career in the private prison sector.   The prison he's assigned to manage is transformed into an immigration detainee center he leads through the levels of Dante's inferno.  Having gained Rick's trust, Gloria goads him to tell her what weighs on his heart.  Feeling her alliance as an attentive listener, the barrier between the two crumbles.  Rick opens up about his support & admiration for Trump.  He liked that Trump was entertaining & put stuffed shirts in their place.  Rick believes Trump is doing a good job.  He's telling hard truths because "...{Trump} is like him, a white Christian who stands up for us." "Immigrants should not be able to illegally come here and get jobs that pay money." An indignant Rick tells Gloria "It's always the little guy that takes the fall."  The revelation of Rick's orchestrated atrocities are deeply disturbing made all the more heinous because he believes he has justifiable vindication.   The nightmare of Schenkkan's play is mirrored in the rise in hate crimes that give this frightening scenario credibility.  Hopefully, "Building the Wall" will have reincarnations to shake our conscience and break down walls of hatred.