The Nacirema Society
Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years
by PEARL CLEAGE
directed by VALERIE CURTIS-NEWTON
April 19 – May 25, 2025
Wurtele Thrust Stage
A clever Southern comedy
Grande dames Grace Dunbar and Catherine Green prepare for the Nacirema Society’s 1964 centennial cotillion — the event of the season in Montgomery, Alabama. The elegant African American debutantes include Grace’s granddaughter Gracie, escorted by Catherine’s grandson Bobby, and the two grandmothers hope the young couple will soon be engaged. But Gracie and Bobby have other ideas. As the young ladies prepare for their debuts, a blackmail scheme brews behind the scenes and subterfuges unfold, all under the nose of a skeptical reporter covering the ball. Featuring clever storytelling and scandalous plots, this lighthearted comedy winds its way to an ending as charming as its characters.
Three things to know
- With vivid Southern characters and plot mechanics as complex as Shakespeare’s comedies, The Nacirema Society brings the audience along as secrets and plots unfold.
- The play’s humor is built on the construction — and inevitable collapse — of its clever house of cards, resolving into a charming and deeply satisfying ending.
- Pearl Cleage is an award-winning, Atlanta-based writer whose plays include Blues for an Alabama Sky, which captivated Guthrie audiences during our 2022–2023 Season.
Venue info
This production will take place on the Wurtele Thrust Stage.
Pro tip: Can't do stairs or have a special seating request? Call the Box Office for details.
Ticket prices
Ticket prices range from $29 to $83.
| Area 1A | Area 1 | Area 2 | Area 3 | Area 4 | |
| All previews | $67.00 | $56.00 | $42.00 | $34.00 | $29.00 |
| Tues, Wed evenings; weekday matinees | $71.00 | $60.00 | $46.00 | $38.00 | $33.00 |
| Sun, Thu evenings, Opening Nights | $75.00 | $64.00 | $50.00 | $42.00 | $37.00 |
| Fri evenings, Sat, Sun matinees | $79.00 | $68.00 | $54.00 | $46.00 | $41.00 |
| Saturday evenings | $83.00 | $72.00 | $58.00 | $50.00 | $45.00 |
Age recommendation
We recommend this production for ages 12 and up.
Group sales
All student and adult groups of 15 or more qualify for discounts on tickets to Guthrie productions.
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The Nacirema Society
Wurtele Thrust