ACTUALLY by Playwright Anna Ziegler Accurately Analyzes Sexual Allegations Equality

Anna Ziegler (b Amer 1979) is a brilliant young playwright (PHOTOGRAPH 51 which starred Nicole Kidman).  PHOTOGRAPH 51 deserved a Pulitzer Prize.  Her new off-Broadway play ACTUALLY will garner multiple Obie nominations.  ACTUALLY at MTC Stage II is a small production.  It's a 1 act 2 character play on a minimal set of 2 chairs but it speaks volumes to social injustices, human sufferings, racial inequalities and the ramifications of rape accusations.  The play is set in the present on the Princeton campus.  Tom (an incredibe Joshua Boone, HOLLER IF YOU HEAR ME) and Amber (an equally powerful Alexandra Socha, SPRING AWAKENINGS) are two Princeton freshmen.  Tom is black & the 1st in his family to matriculate.  Amber's Jewish heritage comprises part of her character.  She is adrift, insecure and loquacious.  Amber accuses Tom of rape to Princeton authorities which leads to a hearing by a Princeton panel who will decide Tom's fate.  The verbose play is extremely engaging & insightful.  The tour de force performances paint clear pictures of Tom & Amber's makeup.  Their past histories are cleverly depicted blurring past/present.  Tom's father squandered his opportunity for college.  Now, Tom is determined not to miss his shot.  His past includes an illicit under-age sexual encounter with a teacher at school which leads to her dismissal and his titilating sexual reputation.  Tom's acceptance to Princeton (racial quotas aside) is attributed to his musical abilities.  His act of kindness to a grade school teacher prompted piano lessons.  "I don't pass up on free offers and I don't miss an opportunity to act kindly."  Amber's Jewish, middle-class upbringing doesn't evoke pity, particularly in comparison to Tom's but as we listen to her confluence of conversation (except during sex) her insecurities prod a sympathetic understanding.  She's encountered two sexual encounters before college portray her as a pathetic and willing participant.  Their didactic postulating is pertinent in constructing both individuals.  They share similar misgivings as outsiders trying to fit into campus life.  The backstories & vulnerabilities of Tom & Amber warm us to their innocent flirtations.  There's not a misstep in the avalanche of dialogue that captures our attention from the onset.  The genius of Ziegler's writing warrants credibility for the scenarios that unfold.  All told, this play is compilation of layered social commentaries that float throughout the play and remonstrate the tilted scales of justice while weighing the gravitas of sexual accusations.  ACTUALLY is a literary, socially prescient & thought provoking powerhouse of a play.  Pay close attention to the beginning of the play as it factors in on which side of the fence your views may lean.  ACTUALLY will unequivocally strike an emotional cord that reverberates.  Ms. Ziegler is a phenomenal playwright deserving of accolades.