They were in the same class in high school, although Keith’s memories are both sharper and darker: Ryan was among the popular clique who either ignored or mildly bullied Keith, who is black, and gay, and thus had a target on his back in their largely white town.
Hunter makes clear that Ryan is not as smart as Keith-the word “harrowing” and everything to do with money bewilders him-there is nary a whiff of condescension in his depiction.)Īs the play progresses, in scenes that move forward through the months as Keith guides Ryan through the process, we learn that the men are not entirely unknown to each other. After some comical back and forth, Ryan finally realizes that Keith is merely the middleman between applicants and banks. 42nd St., New YorkĪt first Keith has trouble getting Ryan to understand that a mortgage broker is not, in fact, a human ATM ready to dole out the roughly $100,000 Ryan hopes to acquire to buy a plot of land that was once in his family, on which he plans to build a house.
