Cover photo by Tom Chargin

The Snowflake Avalanche

Y York

This play is available below and is also included in the collection:

Plays by Y York

Description

A Native American family and an African American family find communion with one another and with the beleaguered natural world.

Production Info

Cast: 7 total (3 female, 4 male)
Full Length Drama (about 100 minutes)
Multiple Sets
Contemporary Costumes

Categories: Full Length in Collection, The Plays

Reviews

Press Quotes

“An ambitious ‘modern fable’ — concerning ecological disaster, race relations, and the human condition … A Native American fisherman’s extreme response to an atrocious oil spill brings his family together with that of the African American lawyer who defends him … The script conspires to bring massive, global issues to a human, even comic plane. Peripheral choices — such as a mother struggling with whether to not to stop contributing to her planet’s demise by using laundry bleach — are weighed against the fisherman’s violent choice in a world where rats chewing through computer chips can bring our entire justice system to a halt. In the ‘avalanche’ of today’s reality, this show offers us a chance to examine our own responsibility as, you guessed it, the flakes.” —The Seattle Weekly

“York has a real flair for wry, intelligent humor … THE SNOWFLAKE AVALANCHE forgoes preaching for a gentle hopefulness that we can set things right on the planet and learn to understand each other better.” —Seattle Times

“At one point in a discussion on environmental responsibility, [Janet, the wife of] Thomas, a Native American being defended for shooting the president of a corporation responsible for a major oil spill, refers to Russell, as ‘you white people.’ Action stops for a moment, and the implications hit, with strong force. To say that Y York’s THE SNOWFLAKE AVALANCHE, playing at the Group Theatre, is provocative, is somewhat an understatement.” —Seattle Gay News

“An OUR TOWN for Our Time … THE SNOWFLAKE AVALANCHE is about … our shared home — earth … York has a wonderful gift for writing funny lines, and she’s endowed all her characters with individual senses of humor. Even a sort of all-knowing nature sprite … has a delightful, sly wit. The tone and style of the whole production is, indeed, surprisingly light for what is basically a play about philosophical decisions … THE SNOWFLAKE AVALANCHE is an adult play which children can enjoy.” —Bellevue Journal American

About the Author

Author

Y York
Y York's works include: LATE IN THE GAME, …AND LA IS BURNING (recipient of the 2008 Smith Prize from the National New Play Network), BLEACHERS IN THE SUN, FRAMED, THE GAME OF LIGHT, WOOF (Houston's Buzzy for best new play), IT COMES AROUND, KRISIT, THE NEW DARK CLARITY, THE SNOWFLAKE AVALANCHE, THE SECRET WIFE, GERALD'S GOOD IDEA, RAIN. SOME FISH. NO ELEPHANTS., THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF NOW, and numerous works for families. Y York's plays has been recognized with 2004 Hawai'i Award for Literature, the 1997 Berilla Kerr Award, and the New Dramatists' 1992 Joe Calloway Award. She has been supported by grants from TCG/Pew Charitable Trust, AT&T Onstage, King County Arts Commission (Washington), Seattle Arts Commission, and Artists Trust (Washington). Y York is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild and an alumna member of New Dramatists.

About the Book

Book Information

Publisher	BPPI
Publication Date	6/1/2000
Pages	216
ISBN	9780881451771

Special Notes

Licensees are required to include the original stage producers credits in the following form on the title page in all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all advertising in which the full cast appears in size of type not less than ten percent (10%) of the size of the title of the Play:

Originally produced by The Group Theater, Seattle

The following must appear within all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play:

The Snowflake Avalanche is produced
by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC
www.broadwayplaypublishing.com