Plot Summary

Act I

Scene 1

• The play opens in 2008, when Jason and Chris meet their parole officer, Evan, after serving time in prison.
• The scene shifts to 2000 at a bar in Reading, Pennsylvania, where friends and co-workers gather to celebrate Tracey's birthday.
• The bar is owned by Stan, a former steelworker, and managed by Oscar, a Colombian-American.
• We meet key characters: Tracey, a white factory worker; Cynthia, an African-American factory worker; and Jessie, their friend and co-worker.

Scene 2

• At the bar, discussions reveal the long-term employment at the local steel tubing factory and a sense of job security among the workers.
• Tensions arise when Cynthia applies for a supervisor position, leading to underlying racial and personal tensions with Tracey, who also wants the job.

Act II

Scene 1

• Cynthia gets the supervisor position, causing strain and jealousy among her friends, especially Tracey.
• The factory announces layoffs and wage cuts, leading to rising tensions and fears among the workers.
• Cynthia struggles with her new role, caught between management and her friends.

Scene 2

• The characters deal with increasing financial pressures as the factory implements cuts.
• Oscar reveals that he's taken a job as a temporary replacement for the striking workers, causing resentment among the regulars, especially Jason and Tracey.
• Tensions between friends escalate, exacerbated by racial and economic frustrations.

Act III

Scene 1

• The factory lockout becomes official, and the workers are picketing.
• Cynthia's son, Chris, and Tracey's son, Jason, express their frustrations and dreams of better futures despite the economic downturn.
• Tensions reach a boiling point when the factory workers, feeling betrayed and desperate, confront Oscar at the bar.

Scene 2

• A violent altercation occurs between Jason, Chris, and Oscar, resulting in Stan being severely injured while trying to break up the fight.
• The scene reveals the extent of the characters' despair and anger as they face unemployment and broken dreams.
• The consequences of the fight lead to the arrest of Jason and Chris.

Act IV

Scene 1

• The play returns to 2008, with Jason and Chris reflecting on their actions and the impact on their lives.
• They express regret and a desire to move forward despite their criminal records and strained relationships.
• Cynthia, now separated from her friends and dealing with her losses, tries to reconcile her role in the events.

Scene 2

• The final scene at the bar shows the long-term effects of economic decline on the characters.
• Relationships have been irrevocably changed, and the future remains uncertain.
• The play closes with a sense of lingering tension but also a glimmer of hope as the characters strive to rebuild their lives and relationships.