FIT

FIT, conceived by Marina Morrissey and written by Gwen Kingston, follows the story of Carrie Buck who in 1927 was the test case for a Supreme Court ruling allowing the forcible sterilization of women deemed “feeble-minded.” A ruling that has never been overturned. This play strives to change that.

In a contemporary storyline, Don and June, who have Down Syndrome, want to have a baby. June’s mother is taking her to court because she believes her daughter isn’t equipped to raise a child. She is not “FIT.”

FIT probes the American Eugenics Movement of the 20th century and how that thinking still permeates our national consciousness and political dialogue today. As it moves back and forth through time, this funny and touching play asks audiences to question their own proximity to the intellectual disability community, how that community contributes to the diversity of a nation, and how we, as a society, are supporting spaces for inclusion.

FIT was developed through conversation and collaboration with the Intellectual Disability community, their care takers, the individuals who love them and the organizations that serve them.

FIT team

Gwen Kingston

Playwright
Marina Morrissey

Creative Producer
Bruno Pierre Houle

Designer

Play History

Morrissey, Kingston and Teague began development on the play at Brown University/Trinity Rep in spring of 2017. The play was first workshopped fall 2017 at White Heron Theater on Nantucket and featured in this N Magazine article. In winter of 2018, through a commission by Trinity Repertory Company, we presented a sharing of the play in partnership with Spectrum Theater Ensemble, a theater company dedicated to working with neuro-diverse actors. And in summer of 2018, FIT was presented as staged-reading at LaMama Studios in New York City.