Jay, an up and coming reporter at The New York Times has dreams of becoming a famous journalist. But in a flash, they come crashing down when he becomes the center of a plagiarism scandal. What results is a revealing and complex story about the collateral damage of unchecked ambition and compounded lies. In this new play inspired by current events, truth becomes slippery and racial tensions reach a boiling point.
What is the Story of CQ/CX?
Set in the newsroom of The New York Times, CQ/CX dramatizes the 2003 Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal that shook the very foundation of the prestigious periodical. The play tells the story of up-and-coming African-American reporter Jay Bennett (the fictionalized Blair) as he struggles to get ahead and the lengths he goes to reach the top. Jay's story is juxtaposed against the response of Times editors to huge news stories such at 9/11, amid increasing pressure from the internet and other news sources.
