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John Caldwell Ellis

JOHN CALDWELL ELLIS  (1955 - )

 Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a


John Ellis trained as an actor with LaMDa and with Jeffrey Esseman and others. Extensive experience in virtually every area of theater Off -Broadway, much of it for the theater at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Founded Queer Theater in the mid-80s, broke several Off-Off BO records and has written, directed, acted, and designed (including Louis LaRusso's "Black Marble Shoe Shine Stand" on the main stage at aTa) since. Formative influences Brecht, Sondheim, Cocteau. Directed "Threepenny" and "The Human Voice" among other material. Writes the stage equivalent of 'shooting scripts', complete productions worked out (but more than open to improvements) including double casting possibilities, scene changes, and working on a dime. Teaches a revolutionary actor's workshop on Shakespeare's sonnets, both as technical exploration and as Will's inadvertent autobiography of his early career; basis of both a play and screenplay, see below. Particularly deft at play structure.

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

 Bitch With Two Heads, The         Blitzstein Strikes Back         Marquis De Sherohne, The         On Will To Love         Why We Never Danced The Charleston

Bitch With Two Heads, The

Synopsis:
a Ridiculous Theater inspired concept. Caution requires the details to be withheld

Notes:
Inspired by Charles Ludlum And written for the Ridiculous Theater, which was collapsing As it was read (rubble literally in the Aisles). Wild but with very intense sense of language And oddly sympathetic to the monster title character.

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
Ridiculous Theater reading. Revised 2007

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:
absurdist comedy / Hollywood parody Comedy. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Blitzstein Strikes Back

Synopsis:
The pioneer theater composer Marc Blitzstein interrupts his murder by three sailors in an alley to regale the audience with his discovery of or work with Orson Welles, Lenny Bernstein, Lillian Hellman, Bertolt Brecht, Carol Channing, Paul Robeson. . .and the perils of breaking down artistic barriers while making himself a political target for the likes of Nixon. Filled with the very best of his songs drawn from lost or unproducable works, including his astonishing story of the "Cradle Will Rock" opening night (as told in the Tim Robbins film) from HIS point of view. again, rich but inexpensive to stage.

Notes:
Can be cast with As few As six talented performers, spare Brechtian staging with no Actual set, some lighting effects necessary.

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
Neighborhood Playhouse / aRTC readings

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:
Biographical Drama Musical. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  4            Other:  duo for duet

Further Reference:
-

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Marquis De Sherohne, The

Synopsis:
a small play about a small man. a French director, claiming to be a marquis, appears to an Offenbach fanfare and explains to the audience why he fired and replaced everyone involved in his New York production of "Sorry Wrong Number". He then proceeds to perform it, until. . .a ten minute cross between alfred Jarry and Dame Edna.

Notes:
Highly interactive comedy in which the Audience has An Assigned role, but is fired by the Marquis. No set; curtain And two stools or chairs required. Intense Absurd bon bon.

1st Produced:
Neighborhood Playhouse    1997

Organisations:
American Renaissance Theater Company (showcase)

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:
absurdist Comedy Comedy. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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On Will To Love

Synopsis:
Drawn from Shakespeare's sonnets, explores the raucous love triangle buried in them (dependent on obscene double meanings), both hilarious, very rich in language and nearly tragic.

Notes:
Written in heightened language, not verse And not heavily so, that falls into more relaxed speech in private moments. Three Acts with A short epilogue. Rich yet inexpensive to stage. Also exists As screenplay with larger time frame.

1st Produced:
Neighborhood Playhouse heavily staged reading    -

Organisations:
Historical

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:
Historical / classic Drama Historical. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Why We Never Danced The Charleston

Synopsis:
Based on Harlan Greene's classic gay Southern gothic novel; a love triangle in Charleston SC in the same region and time as "Porgy and Bess" is set. a mythical gay bar there hosts a celebration that is a crucible for the Jewish adonis, the brilliant young artist with an impediment and a shadowy central figure, who narrates his memories from 50 years later from the edges of the play.

Notes:
Very thick in Atmosphere And highly theatrical, but inexpensive to stage. Highly structured

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
ManBites Dog / Duke University as part of their "Don't ask / Don't Tell" Festival

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:
Southern Drama; Gay Drama; Williams / McCullers genre. Play/Drama. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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