There's No Place That Far Trivia Quiz

Answer: Dylan Thomas

"Under Milk Wood" (1954) was originally a lyrical radio play by Dylan Thomas that follows a day in the lives of the quirky residents of a small Welsh village. Through a blend of narration and character monologues, the play explores the inner thoughts, dreams, and routines of the townspeople, revealing their humor, sadness, and humanity. The narrative is rich in poetic language and paints a vivid portrait of community life, emphasizing the beauty and complexity of ordinary people.

While initially broadcast in 1954, its debut (in draft form) was a live reading by Thomas, himself in October of 1953.

The setting:
The story takes place in the fictional village of Llareggub (which happens to be 'bugger all' in reverse), a coastal Welsh town imagined with whimsical detail. Though small and seemingly quiet, the village pulses with life through its eccentric inhabitants and their intertwined stories. Llareggub's landscape - its hills, harbour, and winding streets - serves as both a literal and symbolic backdrop, grounding the play's dreamlike tone in a deeply local and evocative setting.

Answer: Thornton Wilder

Thornton Wilder's "Our Town" (1938) is a three-act play that explores the everyday lives of residents in the fictional town of Grover's Corners, New Hampshire. The story centers on two families - the Gibbs and the Webbs - and follows the relationship between George Gibbs and Emily Webb from childhood through marriage and beyond. Through minimal staging and direct narration by the Stage Manager, the play reflects on themes of time, mortality, and the beauty found in ordinary moments.

The setting:
Grover's Corners is a small, rural American town at the turn of the 20th century. Its simplicity and universality make it a symbolic setting, representing any town where life unfolds quietly and predictably. The town's layout, daily routines, and community interactions are portrayed with minimal props and scenery, emphasizing the timeless and universal nature of its themes rather than specific historical or geographical details.

Answer: Eboni Booth

"Primary Trust" (2023) by Eboni Booth is a poignant drama centered on Kenneth, a quiet and socially withdrawn man in his late thirties who has spent most of his adult life working at a bookstore and sharing drinks with his imaginary friend. When his job unexpectedly ends, Kenneth is nudged out of his comfort zone and begins a journey of personal growth. As he navigates new relationships and opportunities, the play gently explores themes of isolation, resilience, and the transformative power of human connection.

The setting:
The play is set in the fictional town of Cranberry, located in upstate New York during the 1990s, a time before smartphones and digital distractions. With a population of around 15,000, Cranberry is portrayed as a modest suburban community with familiar institutions like a post office, library, and local eateries - including a quirky tiki bar where Kenneth often spends his evenings. The town's understated charm and routine life reflect Kenneth's internal world, making the setting an integral part of the play's emotional landscape.

Answer: Lanford Wilson

Lanford Wilson's "The Rimers of Eldritch" (1966) is a fragmented, poetic drama that centers on the murder of a reclusive man named Skelly Mannor in the small town of Eldritch, Missouri. The play unravels the circumstances surrounding his death, revealing that he was wrongly accused of assault while actually trying to prevent one. Through a nonlinear structure and shifting perspectives, the story exposes the deep-rooted prejudices, moral rigidity, and social decay of the townspeople. As various characters reflect on their roles in the tragedy, the play becomes a haunting exploration of guilt, misunderstanding, and the consequences of communal judgment.

The setting:
Eldritch, Missouri, is depicted as a once-thriving coal mining town now in decline, steeped in conservative values and religious fervor. Set in the mid-20th century, the town's physical and moral deterioration mirrors the emotional isolation of its residents. The setting plays a crucial role in shaping the narrative's tone - its faded storefronts, gossip-filled streets, and rigid social norms create an atmosphere of confinement and suspicion. Eldritch is not just a backdrop but a character in itself, embodying the tensions and contradictions of small-town life.

Answer: Jennifer Haley

"The Nether" (2013) by Jennifer Haley is a futuristic psychological drama that delves into the ethical boundaries of virtual reality. The story follows Detective Morris as she investigates a digital realm called The Hideaway, where users engage in disturbing fantasies under the guise of anonymity. The play explores the tension between imagination and morality, questioning whether actions in a simulated world carry real-world consequences. As the investigation unfolds, the characters confront their own emotional entanglements and the blurred lines between desire, identity, and accountability.

The setting:
Set in a near-future society, the play alternates between a stark, oppressive interrogation room and the lush, stylized virtual world of The Hideaway. The Nether - a vast digital network - serves as the central concept, allowing users to escape reality and live out alternate lives. The Hideaway, designed to resemble a romanticized 19th-century environment, contrasts sharply with the cold realism of the physical world, highlighting the seductive nature of virtual spaces. This dual setting underscores the play's central conflict: the seductive appeal of digital fantasy versus the moral weight of real-world consequences.

Answer: Annie Baker

Three of Annie Baker's plays - "Body Awareness" (2008), "Circle Mirror Transformation" (2009), and "The Aliens" (2010) - form a loosely connected trilogy set in the fictional small town of Shirley, Vermont, a quiet, working-class community inspired by Baker's own upbringing in New England.

Each play explores interpersonal relationships and emotional vulnerability through understated dialogue and long silences. Though the characters and plots differ, all three plays share a focus on quiet revelations, emotional nuance, and the subtle ways people connect and disconnect.

"Body Awareness" follows a lesbian couple hosting a provocative photographer while navigating tensions with their son, who may be neurodivergent.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" centers on a community drama class where five strangers slowly reveal their inner lives through acting exercises.

"The Aliens" depicts two disaffected men who loiter behind a coffee shop and form a bond with a teenage employee, sharing their philosophies and failures.

The setting:
Shirley, Vermont is a fictional town that serves as a microcosm of small-town America. It's depicted as modest, introspective, and slightly off the beaten path - a place where life moves slowly and people carry quiet burdens. The settings range from a college campus and a community center to the alley behind a coffee shop, each space reflecting the emotional tone of the characters who inhabit it. Baker uses Shirley not just as a backdrop, but as a thematic anchor for exploring isolation, intimacy, and the quiet drama of everyday life.

Answer: Tracy Letts

"The Minutes" (2017) by Tracy Letts is a darkly comedic drama that unfolds during a city council meeting in the fictional town of Big Cherry, Oklahoma. The play begins with council member Mr. Peel returning after an absence and discovering that another member, Mr. Carp, has mysteriously been removed. As Peel investigates the circumstances, he uncovers layers of secrecy, manipulation, and disturbing truths that challenge the town's official narrative. What starts as a satire of small-town bureaucracy evolves into a chilling reflection on how communities rewrite history to protect their own interests.

The setting:
The entire play takes place in a single location: the city council meeting room of Big Cherry, a fictional American town. Set in November in contemporary times, the room is both mundane and symbolic-a space where civic order masks deeper dysfunction. The confined setting heightens the tension and underscores the play's themes of transparency, accountability, and the hidden forces that shape public memory.

Answer: Dion Boucicault

"The Octoroon" (1859) by Dion Boucicault is a melodrama that centers on the fate of Zoe, a young woman of mixed racial heritage living on a plantation in Louisiana. When George Peyton returns from Europe to inherit the estate, he falls in love with Zoe, but their relationship is forbidden by law due to her status as an "octoroon" - a person with one-eighth African ancestry. As the estate faces financial ruin, the villainous Jacob McClosky schemes to acquire both the land and Zoe herself. The play unfolds through a series of dramatic events including murder, betrayal, and a slave auction, ultimately culminating in tragedy when Zoe chooses death over a life of enslavement and separation from George.

The setting:
The play is set on the fictional Terrebonne plantation in Louisiana during the antebellum period, just before the American Civil War. The setting is rich with Southern imagery -sugar fields, verandas, and steamboats - and reflects the social and racial tensions of the time. The plantation serves as both a physical and symbolic space where issues of inheritance, race, and power collide. Its decaying grandeur mirrors the moral decay of the society it represents, making the setting a vital element in the play's emotional and political impact.

Answer: John Cariani

"Almost, Maine" (2004) by John Cariani is a romantic comedy composed of nine short vignettes, each exploring different facets of love and human connection. Set over a single winter night, the play features various pairs of characters - friends, lovers, strangers - experiencing moments of emotional transformation. These scenes range from whimsical and surreal to tender and bittersweet, capturing the unpredictable nature of falling in and out of love. Though each vignette stands alone, they are unified by recurring themes of vulnerability, longing, and the quiet magic found in everyday relationships.

The setting:
The play takes place in the fictional town of Almost, Maine, a remote, unincorporated community near the Canadian border. The setting is defined by its cold, starry night and the presence of the northern lights, which lend a touch of enchantment to the otherwise ordinary surroundings. Almost is portrayed as a place that's "almost" a town - its residents never quite got around to organizing it formally - which mirrors the play's theme of things being nearly, but not quite, complete. The town's quiet charm and surreal atmosphere provide a fitting backdrop for the emotional journeys of its characters.

Answer: Bruce Norris

"Clybourne Park" (2010) by Bruce Norris is a two-act play that examines racial and social tensions across two time periods - 1959 and 2009 - within the same house in a Chicago neighborhood. In the first act, a white couple, Russ and Bev, are selling their home following the tragic suicide of their son, Kenneth. Their decision to sell to a Black family sparks conflict with neighbors who fear integration will lower property values. The second act, set fifty years later, features a new conflict as a white couple plans to renovate the now predominantly Black neighborhood home, prompting concerns about gentrification. The play uses sharp dialogue and dark humor to explore how issues of race, community, and identity persist across generations.

The setting:
The entire play takes place in a single house located in the fictional neighborhood of Clybourne Park, Chicago. In 1959, the house is part of a white middle-class enclave grappling with the prospect of racial integration. By 2009, the neighborhood has become predominantly Black and is facing the pressures of gentrification. The house itself, unchanged yet symbolically transformed, serves as a powerful focal point for the evolving social dynamics and historical tensions that shape the community.