Zig Zag tackles race, class at 2023 New York Theater Festival

When a high school graduate named Darla stops abusing substances and prepares to relocate to college from New York’s East Village, she reaches back to save her high school sweetheart Jack, only to be confronted with the harsh realities of their race and class differences.

Jack (portrayed by Casper Burgos) doesn’t have anyone to pay his way through college while Darla (Victoria Grace) does. But despite that Jack is black and Darla is white, the two love each other.

Zig-Zag, written by Dahlia Ross, was among the four 15 minute shows presented at the Fall/Winter New York Theatre Festival on Nov. 18 at Teatro Latea (107 Suffolk Street in downtown Manhattan.) The tear jerker was directed by Art Bernal and narrated by Roberto Ragone.

Playwright Ross perfectly captures the heartbreak that often accompanies addiction and puppy love while Burgos expertly embodies his doomed character to the point that the audience actually cares about Jack’s fate.

While Darla has a way out of Alphabet City and the Thompkins Square Park drug scene, Jack is stuck there with his addiction to heroin. Saved by the 12 Steps, Darla begs Jack to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Instead, he makes light of her proposal with a witty “Not Applicable.”

Jack entices Darla to return to her old habits with a pair of concert tickets, which she seriously considers until her beau makes it clear that getting high before the concert is part of the deal.

After Darla protests, Jack uninvites her to the concert and invites his drug dealer Zook instead. Grace uses her acting chops to project the anguish most people feel when they are left to pick up the emotional pieces after involvement with an addict.

Realizing that she cannot save her boyfriend, Darla returns the next day to say her final goodbyes. As a token of their star-crossed romance, Jack gifts Darla with a booklet of Zig Zag rolling papers.

Three other 15-minute plays paired with Zig-Zag included A Part of It, written and directed by Peyton Strong, Look How Far You’ve Come by Ziyan Yang, and Danse of Two Lovers About to Die, written by Paula Olavarria and directed by Lillie Ann Gordon.

The New York Theatre Festival runs through December 2023. Visit the website for a schedule of performances and ticket information.