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John Belluso

JOHN BELLUSO

  (1976 - 2006)
Nationality:    USA
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    ICM Partners  

Disabled playwright John Belluso died tragically in 2006 at age 36, on the cusp of a promising career. John Belluso. John Belluso's plays include:the Poor Itch (produced by the Public Theatre), a Nervous Smile (produced by the Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New Plays), the Body of Bourne(produced by the Mark Taper Forum),Henry Flamethrowa (produced by Trinity Repertory Company, Victory Gardens Theatre and Studio Dante), the Rules of Charity (produced by the Magic Theatre),Body Songs, created with legendary Theatre director Joseph Chaikin (Eugene O'Neill Center/NPC, workshopped at the NYSF/Public Theater), Traveling Skin, and Gretty Good Time (produced by the ensemble Studio Theatre, Perishable Theatre, Falcon Theatre, and by VSa Arts at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts). awards and Honors include a National endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Playwright-in-Residence GrANT for a residency at the Atlantic Theatre in New York, the aT&T On-Stage award, the Mark Taper Forum's Sherwood award, the VSa Arts Playwright Discovery award as well as grants from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Berrilla Kerr Foundation award and honorable mention for the Kesselring Prize. In addition, from 1999 to 2002, he served as Co-Director and from 2002-2005 as Director of the Mark Taper Forum's Other Voices Project for Disabled Theatre artists -- one of the nation's only professional developmental labs for Theatre artists with disabilities. Mr. Belluso received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing Program where he studied with Tony Kushner, John Guare, Tina Howe, and eve ensler, among others.

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below is a list of John Belluso's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Body Of Bourne         Body Songs         Eyolf         Gretty Good Time         Henry Flamethrowa         Nervous Smile         Poor Itch, The         Pyretown         Rules Of Charity, The         Sleeping City         Travelling Skin         Voice Properties (On A First Date After A Full Year Of Februarys)

Body Of Bourne

Synopsis:
Through Dramatized scenes, letters, and essays, Body of Bournepresents the biography of renowned writer and World War I pacifist Randolph Bourne, whose short but meaningful life was forever affected by his physical disabilities. From his timid childhood to his ascent to an impassioned social critic, Randolph Bourne's journey takes him around the world, overcoming physical obstacles using intellect and the help of his friends. as Bourne confronts many examples of prejudice throughout his lifetime, he remains a man firmly committed to progressive ideas and the vital need for society to understand the disabled.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Mark Taper Forum (Los Angeles, CA, United States)    2001

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
115-125 min Comedy/Drama. - - Lesbian, full length

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  3 males, 3 females (6-27 actors possible: 3-10 males, 3-17 females)

Further Reference:
-

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Body Songs

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Eyolf

Synopsis:
This stunning and lyrical adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's "Little eyolf," by award-winning playwright John Belluso, is the story of a determined father, his cynical wife, and their crippled child. the father, alfred, returns from a writing expedition determined to be a better Father to his crippled son, eyolf. alfred's wife, Rita, is unconvinced that anything will change, and is especially skeptical with the arrival of alfred's adopted sister, who she views as a rival for her husband's affection. But when the ominous and mystical town legend "Rat Wife" appears, she leaves a tragedy in her wake that makes it impossible for anyone to move forward, without first confronting the demons of their past.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
65-70 min Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  3            Other:  3 males, 3 females

Further Reference:
-

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Gretty Good Time

Synopsis:
Though she suffers from post-polio paralysis, Gretty's feisty and warm nature makes her a popular patient in her nursing home. But without family or money, Gretty faces the threat of being sent away to a state institution. Soon she will be unable to function on her own, and she begins to contemplate assisted suicide to maintain her dignity. Perhaps the support of a new young doctor, an eccentric fellow patient, and an imagined guest on her favorite TV show, can show Gretty the possibilities of leading a life of joy and hope in the face of disability.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
ensemble Studio Theatre, New York    21 Jan 1999

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
120-130 min Comedy/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  3            Other:  2 males, 3 females (5-7 actors possible: 2-5 males, exactly 3 females)

Further Reference:
-

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Henry Flamethrowa

Synopsis:
Loosely based on a true story, HeNRY FLaMeTHROWa tells the story of sixteen-year-old Henry, a confused and emotionally isolated young man who writes letters to the devil, unbeknownst to his deeply religious father, Steven. Henry's younger sister, Lilja, lies silent in a coma from a mysterious childhood accident in the family swimming pool. For a number of years, Lilja has been visited by miracles. the sick have begun flocking to this silent child's bedside, praying to be healed, and hundreds claim that their prayers have been answered because of Lilja. When a reporter from NPR, Beth, comes into the house to do a story about Lilja and her miracles, Henry opens up to her and confesses that he plans to disconnect Lilja's breathing ventilator and allow her to die. Beth must then decide whether she should expose Henry's plan. along the way Beth must confront her own assumptions about faith, spirituality and the intrinsic value of human life.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 2008   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Nervous Smile

Synopsis:
a wealthy New York couple, strained to the breaking point by caring for their severely disabled daughter, emily, weigh their own happiness against that of their child-with shocking consequences. emily's lyrical poetry, the bitter volleys of the couple's disintegrating marriage, and the appraisals of the outside world frame the narrative of this insightful play. Commissioned by the Actors theatre of Louisville, and premiered at the Humana Festival of New American Plays, a NeRVOUS SMILe is a brutal portrait of love, lust and despair set against Belluso's fiery brand of social satire.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 2007   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Poor Itch, The

Synopsis:
In the Poor Itch, Ian comes back from the war in Iraq without the use of his legs but with a full-blown case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and a year's supply of OxyContin. Now, he has to face the person he has become after the war. the Poor Itch was featured in the Public's 2005 New Work Now Festival and was further developed in subsequent workshops prior to playwright John Belluso's tragic death in February 2006. To continue shepherding Belluso's final play, the Public staged three different workshops with Director Lisa Peterson and the same company of actors. That intensive, artistic process by the same creative team fused together various drafts of the play to create a thrilling, highly theatrical interpretation of the play
- press release

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Public Theatre, NY    2008

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Pyretown

Synopsis:
Louise is a divorced mother of three, getting by on welfare checks and child support in a depressed, industrial New england town. Harry is a handsome, clever young man, a wheelchair user since a childhood accident. their paths cross in an emergency room as Louise seeks out care for her daughter's mysterious sickness. Yearning for connection beyond his online friends and his pile of Russian novels, Harry reaches out to help Louise navigate her daughter's care. More compatriots than lovers, they find solace with each other for a brief and intense interlude before their paths diverge. a frank and melancholy portrait of life on the fringes of American society.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Geva Theatre Center, Rochester, NY    Nov 2003

Organisations:
Keen Company

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY,    -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Rules Of Charity, The

Synopsis:
a dark comedy about how the disabled are treated. Monty, a man with cerebral palsy who is confined to his wheelchair, must rely upon his daughter Loretta to care for him. When a young man sparks the idea of romance in Loretta's life, she wants to move out of Monty's home and conflicts escalate. the Rules of Charity suggests that the power love holds over us is contrary and contradictory-a combination of love and hate, cruelty, and goodness.
nytheatre.com

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY,    -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Sleeping City

Sleeping City
at 3 a.M., Lois and Otto go on a sort-of date to see Ground Zero. Meanwhile, a professor from Columbia helps Ben get back to the dorms after having a nightmare about the Trade Center. Though across town from each other, all four try to cope with the feelings of loss that still haunt them in the darkness. a powerful look at life in post-9/11 New York.

Notes:
In 1995, A group of writers, directors And Actors gathered on Manhattan's Lower east Side for what was supposed to be A one-time-only event: write, direct, produce And perform new plays with the span of 24 hours. More than A decade And just over 300 plays later, the 24 Hour Plays have been produced on Broadway, in London, Los Angeles, Chicago And Across the globe.

1st Produced:
the 24 Hour Plays (Los Angeles, CA, United States)    2002

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York   978-0-9709046-9-0

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
8-10 min Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  3 males, 1 female

Further Reference:
-

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Travelling Skin

Synopsis:
Tam, a woman with cerebral-palsy, is working as a waitress at a diner when her ex-girlfriend JJ returns from Korea unannounced with devastating medical news. JJ wants back into Tam's life, but Tam has already begun to move on with the owner of the diner and his nine-year-old son. Balancing her relationships with her boyfriend, her ex-lover, and her drag-queen brother, Tam wonders if she will ever be able to reconcile her past with her future. Worlds collide in this sensitive, affecting Drama that blurs the lines between normalcy and oddity, hope and resignation, memory and reality.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
100-110 min Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  4            Other:  6 males, 4 females (10-11 actors possible: 6-7 males, exactly 4 females)

Further Reference:
-

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Voice Properties (On A First Date After A Full Year Of Februarys)

Synopsis:
Yolanda and Barney are on a blind date, and this already awkward situation is made all the more so by a very real obstacle to their communication. Barney, who has cerebral palsy, communicates through a VOCa-a device that allows him to speak through a simulated voice. But he is not the only one struggling with language. In this delicate, short play, writer John Belluso takes us on a journey through the difficulty we all have-male or female, disabled or temporarily able-bodied-to make our needs and desires known

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Humana Festival 2002: the Complete Plays, ed Tanya Palmer & amy Wegener, Smith & Kraus, 2002   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Technology Project

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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