When Proof premiered on Broadway in 2000, mental health issues were not at the forefront of public discourse and awareness. How does the play’s treatment of mental illness speak to current understandings of the issue? Has the play aged well? Use examples from the text to explain.

What would you describe as the central message of the play? Who do you think is the intended audience for that message and why?

The entire play takes place on the porch of Robert’s house in Chicago. What do you think the porch signifies? What about the house as a whole?