A debate between a professor and a student carries profound implications in The Niceties

The Niceties, Eleanor Burgess’s 2018 two-character debate play, explores how quickly conversations about race, power, and history in America can become too critical to ignore. Directed by Tim Rhoze for Evanston’s Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre, the production aligns with the company’s mission to center unique stories from Black Americans and the African diaspora. The NicetiesThrough 11/15: Sat 7 PM, Sun 3 PM; Fleetwood-Joudain Theatre at Noyes Cultural Arts Center, 927 Noyes, Evanston, 847-866-5914, fjtheatre.com, $33 (seniors $22, students $10 day of show at box office) Set on a liberal arts college campus in the latter days of President Barack Obama’s final term, the play orbits a seemingly normal discussion between Zoe, an ambitious Black political science major, and her esteemed white professor during routine office hours. The class explores the American Revolution, taught by Professor Janine Bosko (Jesi Mullins), whose tenure and status have made her incredibly arrogant.

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