ðə plˈeɪ ɪz bˈeɪst ɔnðɪ ˈɜːli lˈaɪf ʌvðə tˈaɪɾəl kˈæɹɪktɚ, hˈɛnɹi dˈeɪvɪd θəɹˈoʊ, lˈiːdɪŋ ˌʌp tə hɪz nˈaɪt spˈɛnt ɪn ɐ dʒˈeɪl ɪn kəŋkˈoːɹd, mˌæsɐtʃˈuːsɪts.
The play is based on the early life of the title character, Henry David Thoreau, leading up to his night spent in a jail in Concord, Massachusetts.