Cleveland Play House's 'Primary Trust' explores solitude and human connection

Eboni Booth's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, directed by Sideeq Heard, runs through March 1 at the Outcalt Theatre.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Cleveland Play House's production of 'Primary Trust', Eboni Booth's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, centers on Kenneth, a 38-year-old Black man living in mostly white Cranberry, New York, circa 1980-something. When Kenneth loses the only job he has ever known, the routine collapses, revealing a man drowning in loneliness, anxiety and the lingering effects of childhood trauma. As Kenneth faces the daunting prospect of finding a new job, he discovers something liberating: the unexpected kindness of strangers and a growing resilience.

Why it matters

The play deals with heavy themes like mental health struggles and isolation that many people face but often ignore. However, the script favors a lightly comic and hopeful touch, making it an engaging and thought-provoking exploration of the human need for connection.

The details

Directed by Sideeq Heard, the production features a nimble and talented supporting cast, including standouts Christopher M. Bohan as Kenneth's hyper-folksy boss Clay and Brianna Miller as the empathetic and moxie-filled waitress Corinna. Raul Abrego's deceptively simple set design evokes a 1980s aesthetic, helping to bring the town of Cranberry to life.

  • The play is running at the Outcalt Theatre in Playhouse Square through March 1, 2026.

The players

Eboni Booth

The playwright who won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2024 for 'Primary Trust'.

Debo Balogun

The actor who plays the lead role of Kenneth in the Cleveland Play House production.

Sideeq Heard

The director of the Cleveland Play House production of 'Primary Trust'.

Raul Abrego

The set designer who created the deceptively simple set that evokes a 1980s aesthetic for the Cleveland Play House production.

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What they’re saying

“Cleveland Play House's breezy yet profound production of 'Primary Trust' reminds us how much human connection matters.”

— Joey Morona (cleveland.com)

The takeaway

The Cleveland Play House production of 'Primary Trust' is a powerful and engaging exploration of loneliness, mental health, and the importance of human connection, delivered with a lightly comic and hopeful touch that will leave audiences reflecting on their own need for community.