Six Degrees of Separation at Fort Wayne Civic Theatre

Inspired by a true story, Six Degrees of Separation follows the trail of a young black con man, Paul, who insinuates himself into the lives of a wealthy New York couple, Ouisa and Flan Kittredge, claiming he knows their son at college. Paul tells them he is the son of actor Sidney Poitier, and that he has just been mugged and all his money is gone. Captivated by Paul’s intelligence and his fascinating conversation, the Kittredges invite him to stay overnight. But in the morning, they discover him in bed with a young male hustler. After kicking him out, Ouisa and Flan discover that friends of theirs have had a similar run-in with the brash con artist. Intrigued, they turn detective and piece together the connections that gave Paul access to their lives.

Winner of the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, no subject is left untouched in this comic, fast-paced, and affecting piece. The title refers to a statistical theory which states that any two people in the world can be connected through only six other people. The play is an examination of the threads of chance that link one person to another.