2023
NO PROSPERING WEAPONS
2m
Gun Violence Type(s): Community Violence
Perspective: Black Lives
Narrative Style: Surreal / Metaphor​
By Justin Cameron Washington
Hip-hop and theater collide in this poetic ballad of a play, where the lines between victim and suspect, righteous and wicked, and good and evil are blurred in the aftermath of a violent crime.
SYNOPSIS
In the liminal space called the Gray Area, two men—UP-AND-COMING, a rising artist, and DOWN-AND-FALLING, a struggling man entangled in street violence—sit face to face. UP-AND-COMING recounts his journey from a young lyricist to a successful rapper, emphasizing his desire to rise above his environment and provide for his son. Meanwhile, DOWN-AND-FALLING describes his descent into criminality, driven by poverty, familial obligations, and a lack of viable alternatives. Their monologues weave together, contrasting ambition and desperation.
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Their paths violently converge when DOWN-AND-FALLING, desperate to feed his family, robs UP-AND-COMING at gunpoint in a recording studio. What begins as a theft becomes a confrontation between envy and legacy. UP-AND-COMING, unwilling to part with his hard-earned symbols of success, resists, prompting DOWN-AND-FALLING to shoot. As UP-AND-COMING bleeds out, he reflects on his life, his son, and the culture of violence he once glorified.
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In the aftermath, DOWN-AND-FALLING returns home and hears his daughter recite Isaiah 54:17—“No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” Haunted, he delivers an aching monologue of remorse, unpacking the pain and confusion that led him to commit murder. A single rose and UP-AND-COMING’s legacy remain, surrounded by a void where justice, victory, or redemption feel impossible.
Simply fantastic performance piece in which two people...grapple with the pressures and causes of WANT and GREED. Excellent use of hip-hop rhythms and complex rhythms...this piece almost sings through the darkness and impending death.
OCTAVIO SOLIS
Playwright & ENOUGH! panelist
themes & technique
THEMES
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Cycle of Violence — The story shows how generational trauma and systemic neglect perpetuate violence, with both men caught in a loop of survival and regret.
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Maculinity and Identity — Both characters wrestle with what it means to be a man, shaped by external expectations to be providers, protectors, and power-seekers.
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Fame, Envy, and Worth — UP-AND-COMING’s rise and DOWN-AND-FALLING’s resentment reveal how material success can both uplift and endanger, becoming a target instead of a triumph.
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Spiritual Reckoning — References to faith and scripture run throughout, asking what salvation, purpose, and justice look like in a broken world.
NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE
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Dual Character Poetic Monologue — The play unfolds as a lyrical dialogue between two men tethered by fate. Their parallel monologues, rich with poetic rhythm and imagery, merge past and present, internal and external conflict, culminating in a tragic intersection of lives.
"Glorifying the exact same reason that my talk with pastor will be the closest I ever get with God until -"
Justin Cameron Washington
No Prospering Weapons
Playwright's Bio
Justin Cameron Washington (he/him, Michigan) uses writing to tell stories that address a lack of representation. A little over a year ago, Justin created the title "JUScreatedbycam" to act as a somewhat blank canvas for his creations while in high school. These creations have included performance, photo, and video production, and design. But the main outlet that Justin embraces is writing. Justin's first ever piece published was titled please don't mind my mind, through his participation in Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit, which spoke on the issues of youth mental health. Justin challenges himself with every piece to continue to grow in personal improvement and hopes that he can make an impact on anyone that comes across his work.
