Presented at Syracuse Stage in collaboration with Sing Out, Louise! Productions
Directed by Melissa Crespo
Starring Rebecca S'manga Frank, David Harrison Pralgo, Caylie Filipa, Sean Patrick Reilly, Stephen Michael Spencer, and Jeorge Bennett Watson
Fight choreography by Teniece Divya Johnson
Scenic design by Ann Beyersdorfer
Costumes by Lux Haac
Lighting by Jess Creager
Sound design and composition by Daniela Hart & UptownWorks
Production Stage Manager: Fran Acuña-Almiron headshot
Monique Jeffries was poised to be one of the greatest professional boxers in history, and her coach Johnny has never let her forget it. But years after her career has ended, Monique is right back where she started: running Bailey’s, her childhood gym, training finance bros with delusions of grandeur, and taking directions from an overbearing Johnny. As the Golden Gloves amateur tournament approaches, Monique receives a surprising offer from one of her “white-collar” boxing clients: he wants to buy Bailey’s from her and convert it into an elite boxing facility, where they can train the best of the best and revitalize the flagging sport. After years of being marginalized for being a woman in a man’s sport, Monique is ready to jump at the chance for some real power. But Johnny, a boxing purist who is training a new champion for the Gloves with the same fervor he once trained Monique—and also happens to own a controlling share of the gym—isn’t about to let that happen. The ensuing bout between teacher and student is brutal, intimate, and bare-knuckled, but someone has to win in the end. After all, in this game, you need to be relentless.
RELENTLESS is a moving, powerful statement … a worthwhile production whether you’re a theater regular or occasional attendee.
- Tony Curulla, This is CNY
A rich and original play that will make audiences feel like they themselves are thrown in the ring alongside the characters.
- Evan Edmiston, The NewsHouse
The World Premiere of RELENTLESS at Syracuse Stage is a terrific show. … For a play that frequently deals with wounds and the past, it never gets bogged down in nostalgia or regret. Much like the sport itself, there is a fierceness and grace to the whole endeavor.
- Craig Thornton, Channel 7 News