Uhry's second play, The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997), delves into the often-overlooked subject of southern anti-Semitism. Once again, Uhry focuses on the wealthy Jewish community in Atlanta.

Carson McCuller's novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1940), draws from the Southern gothic tradition of American literature. The story's main characters—including a deaf and mute man, an African-American doctor, and a widower—reside in a Georgia mill town and are united by their status as outsiders.

Lorraine Hansberry's three-act play, A Raisin in the Sun (1959), investigates the challenges faced by an African-American family in 1940s Chicago when they try to move into an all-white neighborhood. This drama mirrors Hansberry's own encounters with racial discrimination.

Evan O'Connell's novel, Mrs. Bridge (1959), follows the adult life of Mrs. Bridge, a wealthy Midwestern matron. Despite her comfortable lifestyle, Mrs. Bridge feels disconnected from her husband and her three children.

Uhry's initial theatrical triumph came from the musical adaptation of Eudora Welty's novel, The Robber Bridegroom (1942). This fairy tale narrates the story of a highwayman who occasionally poses as a gentleman. He abducts a planter's daughter, who then falls in love with him. The novel is filled with gothic horror, mystery, and magic.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (1987) by Fannie Flagg narrates the remarkable friendship between two Southern women. After helping her friend escape an abusive marriage, Idgie and Ruth establish a small cafe that welcomes everyone. The story unfolds through the reminiscences of aging characters and the backdrop of a small-town past.