About GRATUITY
The Experience
01
The Price of Service
Act One: The audience takes on the role of patrons at a dinner served by performers dressed in slave attire. This unsettling juxtaposition compels reflection on the meaning of servitude, agency, and human worth in contexts where roles are rigidly defined yet disturbingly familiar.
02
Splitting the Tip
Act Two: The servers shift focus, engaging in a heated debate about dividing the tips left by the audience. This act unveils the tensions of collective versus individual survival and explores themes of solidarity, familial conflict, and systemic inequities.
03
From Audience to Advocate
Act Three: Inspired by Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, the audience transitions from passive spectators to active participants. In a facilitated forum, they engage directly with the characters, grappling with complex dilemmas and confronting their own complicity in the systems explored.
Gratuity is an evocative journey into the intersections of power, labor, and human dignity, viewed through the lens of the service industry and its echoes of historical systems of exploitation, particularly slavery. Conceived by actor and playwright Sean Rodriguez Sharpe, this immersive theatrical experience draws from his lived experiences and moments of profound reflection in the service industry.
At its heart, Gratuity examines how systems of oppression persist in both overt and subtle forms. It invites audiences to step into an environment designed to provoke thought, challenge assumptions, and foster dialogue.
A Catalyst for Conversation and Change
Gratuity seeks to disrupt comfort and evoke discomfort—not for its own sake, but as a means to challenge deeply ingrained societal inequities. The performance ties personal narratives to systemic inequities, drawing from studies that highlight the disproportionate impact of the service industry on women and people of color. Through a combination of immersive storytelling and participatory engagement, it compels audiences to reflect on their own roles within these systems.
Rooted in Detroit’s culture of resilience, Gratuity is more than a play—it is a call to action. It amplifies the voices of service workers, celebrates their resilience, and sparks meaningful conversations about equity, labor, and historical legacies. The experience is designed to inspire audiences to imagine—and work toward—a fairer, more just world.