While it’s become a popular trend lately, not every Broadway play gets turned into a movie. Only a special few have earned that honor. But one of the latest to make the transition from the stage to the screen was American Son. This is a Broadway show that was so well-received by critics and audiences and so powerful that barely a year after its debut on Broadway, the film adaptation was available on Netflix. Of course, as gripping as the movie was, earning a Primetime Emmy nomination, nothing can compare to seeing American Son the way it was first meant to be seen by writer Christopher Demos-Brown, on a Broadway stage.

A Look in the Mirror

For what it’s worth, anyone looking for a humorous and light-hearted Broadway experience may not want to line up on the street for American Son tickets. The play is intended to hold up a mirror to our society, telling the story of a mother in a Miami police station who’s looking for her missing son. The play hits on racial, family, and justice themes through the changing relations and power dynamics between American Son’s four characters. The story quickly captures the attention of the audience, bringing them into the world of the four characters and making them think about how they would act if they were in any of their shoes. In the process, it realistically portrays a scenario that has become all too common in today’s world.

Drama and Tragedy

For theatergoers who can appreciate a good tragedy and a heightened sense of drama, American Son might be the best option to come to Broadway in a long time. In many ways, it’s a modern-day Greek tragedy, only with a modern twist. The original cast, which included Kerry Washington, provided exemplary performances that helped to make American Son such a big hit. While it may not be the class type of Broadway entertainment, American Son is undoubtedly a show that anyone who sees it won’t forget.