Superior Donuts

Arthur Przybyszewski runs a shabby donut shop he inherited from his immigrant father in a historic but rundown Chicago neighborhood. At the beginning of the play, a vandal has broken the shop window, but Arthur is too depressed to care. His ex-wife recently died, and he's haunted by his decision to flee to Canada during the Vietnam War. Enter Franco Wicks, a livewire 21-year-old African-American who applies for a job and immediately envisions ways to spruce up the shop—and help his boss attract the attention of a lady cop. As folks from the neighborhood come and go and secrets are revealed about Arthur and Franco, the two men find their lives changing in unexpected ways.

Should I See It?

What Is Superior Donuts Like?
Superior Donuts is a funny play with dramatic undertones. Author Tracy Letts (who won the 2008 Best Play Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for his much darker August: Osage County) has created a pair of appealing characters and put them together in a setting designed to make the most of their contrasting personalities. You might figure out some of the play's twists before they happen, but that doesn't make Superior Donuts any less entertaining. If you're in the mood for a well-acted Broadway comedy, this is an excellent choice.

Is Superior Donuts Good for Kids?
The play isn't really kid fare—there's some violence and casual racism and that adults will find amusing for the right reasons but children won't understand. Superior Donuts is fine for teens, however, who will root for the charismatic Franco as he tries to make his way in the world.