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Hard Power

Play Type

Actors Required

Runing time

Full Length

6

90 minutes

Synopsis

In this fast-moving drama/comedy, a young investment banker arrives in Côte D'Ivoire to negotiate mining rights for minerals the United States needs to secure to achieve their electric vehicle future, only to discover that the other competing countries are WAY ahead of him. As he navigates his way through rough international waters, he learns first-hand what kind of economic and political power the USA can still bring to bear in Africa and the Global South.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

(in order of appearance)

FREDERICK BAXTER - male, 30-35, African American – Vice President, Global Markets, at a boutique NYC investment bank, Harvard Law School graduate.


KOUAME/BARTENDER/AIDE/FELIX/JIMMY/HARRIS - male, no specified

age, African and American – This actor plays several different characters throughout the play ranging in age and background.


HANS ZIEGLER - male, 60-70, White South African – An experienced salesman who knows how to get deals done with the various governments in West Africa.


JU CHANG - female, 30-35, Chinese national – Harvard LawSchool educated, leading a team of negotiators for the PRC on their Belt and Road initiative in Africa.


IGOR KOZLOV, male, 40-50, Russian national – Working for the Russian government to complete trade deals in Western Africa.


MINISTER MIRIAM MAMADOU/DORIS/GATE ANNOUNCEMENT, female, 50-60, African – Minister of Mines, Petroleum Resources and Energy, Republic of Côte D’Ivoire, an experienced civil servant.


SETTING

The play takes place in present-day Abidjan, Republic of Côte D’Ivoire. The play moves quickly from location to location and should be staged in such a way that the motion of the play feels continuous to the audience. Locations can be indicated by key set pieces (e.g. a desk, a row of chairs, a pair of elevator doors) which move fluidly on and off stage instead of detailed sets.


LANGUAGES

Occasionally, the characters speak in languages other than English. In some cases, the translation of that language will appear directly afterward in block parentheses []. It is NOT intended for that translation to be used in the production to inform the audience (e.g. as a caption or supertitle). This translation is only provided to assist actors and readers who don’t speak those languages.

© 2025 by Peter B. Sonenstein.

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