The Playwrights Database
EVAN GUILFORD-BLAKE
(1946 - )Nationality: USA
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Evan Guilford-Blake is the author of some 25 produced plays which have received more than 75 productions across the U.S., in Canada and in England. He has won 14 playwriting competitions (including the Utah Playfest, the Jackie White Memorial and Sonoma County Rep Children's Playwriting Competitions and Tennessee Williams award) as well as awards for his short fiction and poetry. His produced works include the multiple-award-winning Nighthawks, suggested by the famed Edward Hopper painting, and the Firebird, developed in ASL and spoken English with a ensemble of deaf and hearing actors, which was recently published by Playscripts, Inc. Evan has served as an Instructor and Playwright-in-Residence at Utah State University, a guest lecturer at Moorhead (MN) State and Northern Illinois Universities; as a Dramaturge and a judge for athe; and a responder and presenter for the American College Theatre Festival. In addition, he has taught play marketing at Chicago Dramatists and numerous other venues (including ACTF), and Theatre to elementary school students. He is a member of Atlanta's Working Title Playwrights, the Dramatists Guild, the North Carolina Playwrights' association, and the advisory Board of Chicago Dramatists, where he is a Resident Playwright emeritus.
Research: Member of the Dramatists Guild of America (as at 2015)
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below is a list of Evan Guilford-Blake's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
American Blues Baby, The Caliban, Dancing Ceremonies Of Prayer Creatures Of Dreams Cross Socks And Underwear Cup Of Coffee, A Dreamland Eighty-Two Enigma Variations, The Family Portrait Firebird, The First Christmas Friends & Relations God's Visit Happy Prince And Other Storytelling Tales, The Hazardous To Your Health Invasion, The Investigation, The Journeys: A True And Comic Love Story Mid Century Blues Nighthawks Old Friends Prelude To A Walk Through the Snow Puppet Show Sea:Shore Simple Love Song, A Some Kind Of Love Some Unfinished Chaos Sound Called Music, The Stars Strangers In the Night Tales From Beatrix Potter Telling William Tell Three Little Pigs And Other Storytelling Tales, The Tio's Blues Tis the Seasons True Magic: An A cappella Christmas Farce With Unoriginal Music For the Entire Family Wilde, At HeartAmerican Blues
Synopsis:
see Mid Century Blues
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Genre:
65 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageBaby, The
Synopsis:
See Friends & Relations
Notes:
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Genre:
One act human interest - 25 min
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCaliban, Dancing
Synopsis:
What makes a monster? the play explores the beast within, and the ways we confront -- and sometimes avoid -- it. the work utilizes a single set (and requires no unusual technical effects or costumes. the piece, which uses both the Tempest and the ballet Giselle as framing devices, asks the questions: What is moral responsibility, and how does someone deal with the consequences of accepting or denying it. the four principals do battle with each other and their memories of their relationships with Karesa (child) (who, the audience discovers, has died a few days before the play begins, after a protracted illness). Kate, typically acidic, is unusually antagonistic and unusually aware: She alone perceives Karesa's presence when the girl dances across the stage; and, as the first act ends, she admits to the astonished Chris and Raquel: She killed the child -- from, she says, a greater love for her than any of them had, to spare all of them, including Karesa, more suffering -- and she states flatly: Neither Raquel nor Chris will do anything about it: Both are too much in love with the guilt-ridden Liza to further hurt her with the truth. act II examines that moral dilEmma -- whether to cause pain to someone you love by enlightening them and in doing so, seeking justice; or to ignore -- or rationalize -- the act and, by allowing Kate to escape the consequence of it, live with the pain of the truth
Notes:
two Acts, 90 minutes. For mature Audiences. Contemporary setting (single set: two rooms of An upscale condominium)
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Genre:
Bleak comedy
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 3 Other: 1 (non-speaking child - f)
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCeremonies Of Prayer
Synopsis:
Ceremonies of Prayer is contemporary Drama which, while not historical, is suggested by incidents from the life of Vincent van Gogh. It probes the questions of what it is to be an artist and how that choice affects the lives of both the artist himself and those close to him, and the artist's relationship to society. the story revolves around the conflict between WILLIaM (M: 37), a volatile artist caught between the emotional extremes of a sophisticated aesthetic view and a childish detachment from the realities of everyday life, and CRISTINa (F: 37), his lover, an equally volatile ex-prostitute, now pregnant, a fact she reveals to William with misgivings, fearing his ability to commit to the family life he purports to want so much. Matters are further complicated by William's financial and emotional dependence on NeD (M: 32), his art-dealer brother, a situation which Ned's wife, JOaNNe (F: 32) resents for the intrusions it makes upon her life with Ned; and by Ned's subliminal jealously of Cristina's relationship with his brother. the play is language- and character-driven, and, while a classic tragedy, has comic dimension as well.
Notes:
Winner: 1996 Utah Playfest Competition
1st Produced:
San Francisco Performers Theatre
1992
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Genre:
Drama - two acts Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCreatures Of Dreams
Synopsis:
the action takes places on a bare stage. Choreography, music and lighting should be used as extensively as circumstances allow. the work is a brief exploration of dreams and their impact on the sleeper.
Notes:
all cast members must move well. No set required.
1st Produced:
New York Theatre Workshop
1997
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Genre:
5 minute movement piece One act
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCross Socks And Underwear
Synopsis:
Cross Socks and Underwear is a brief satire on the advertising industry's search for means to promote. Two ad execs rack their brains to come up with a unique campaign for their client's products, and end up with a peculiarly "brilliant" concept.
Notes:
Single set - office interior
1st Produced:
Process Theatre, Atlanta
2006
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Genre:
5 minute comedy One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCup Of Coffee, A
Synopsis:
a naturalistic story of a loving but uneasy Father and his bright and seriously ill daughter who come to terms with their love for each other, despite his fears about her illness and hers, of being rejected because of it.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
S.T.A.G.E.S. '96, Dallas
1996
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Genre:
18 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageDreamland
Synopsis:
Dreamland is a two-character play about the quest for the meaning of life. GaNDY, a 70-year-old longtime carny and his college-student assistant mull the mysteries of life and God on the last day in the life of a decaying amusement park.
Notes:
Single set - carnival game booth
1st Produced:
Discovery Arena, Decatur, Ga
2003
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Genre:
15 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageEighty-Two
Synopsis:
a story about age, love of family and independence. an eighty-two year old ex-baseball player lives in New York, unwilling to leave his memories and his best friend. His daughter, discovering he has a heart condition, tries to convince him to move to Los Angeles, to live with her and her family.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Young At Heart - Dayton, Oh
2005
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Genre:
Human interest - senior audience, 75 min One act
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageEnigma Variations, The
Synopsis:
Set in england in 1920, the enigma Variations is about the wonder and mystery of Life, and the elements that comprise it -- people, dreams, joy, love, sadness; and change and constancy -- suggested by and loosely modeled on Sir Edward elgar's famed suite of the same title. Throughout, the characters explore themselves, their lives, feelings and relationships, offering their often-comic insights into love, friendship, nature, science, music, birth, sex and generational politics; and more contemplative thoughts on separation and war. the play is framed by the use of music, especially elgar's suite itself. as in the suite, each of the characters is associated with a movement; and, in the play, with an instrument as well, although only one actor must play with any proficiency.
Notes:
all characters Are British. One cast member must play the violin, And A piano is required on stage
1st Produced:
University Of Louisiana At Monroe
2002
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Genre:
Comic romance - two acts
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageFamily Portrait
Synopsis:
Family Portrait is a traditional three-act Drama about the dynamics of a conventional family that is disassembling itself, and the breakdowns in communication, and in hope, that cause it. the play revolves around BRaNDON, the owner of a construction business. Brandon is a patriarch, well-meaning and ingenuous but with little vision beyond his own dream: That his sons come into and eventually take over the business he has built for them. His elder son, however, ROBBIe, left the business -- and his wife and young child -- to go to New York to become a writer. His younger son, Eddie, is now the great hope. Brandon's uncompromising attitude has also created conflict with his wife, JeaNNe; and though he treats his 15 year old daughter, CILLa, like a princess, he is as blind to her potential as he is to his sons' desires. During the play Robbie -- who is, on the surface, charming, likable and flip; but deeply troubled underneath -- returns home (for the first time since he left, two years before) to attend Eddie's high school graduation. the conflict of the play evolves when first, Eddie reveals to Robbie he intends to go to New York, to study acting; and forego a college scholarship and Brandon's desire to have him come into the business. and, second, when Robbie refuses to visit his now four-year-old son whom he hasn't seen since he left -- for reasons Robbie believes in but which make no sense to Brandon.
Notes:
Unit set. Winner, Artistic Director's Award, Playfest Kalamazoo; Semi-finalist, Panowski Competition.
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Yes Plays
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Genre:
Drama - three acts Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageFirebird, The
Synopsis:
Suggested by the classic Russian folk tales, the Firebird deals with how people try to communicate with each other, and the problems they face. It is intended to be performed by a mixed cast of deaf and hearing actors, with both aSL and speech employed simultaneously (rather than interpretatively), for audiences of hearing and/or deaf. the play incorporates music, dance, song and simple magic, while always retaining a subtle consciousness of what it's like to try to communicate despite a language barrier. the story revolves around the journeys of the DUKe OF ROBINDaLe, an heroic but immature young man, who is assigned tasks by the haughty KING OF ROBINDaLe, the first of which is to capture the legendary FIReBIRD. the Duke is assisted by the Firebird herself; and by his extraordinary HORSe, a combination of Polonius and Mr. ed, whose wiles and wisdom (and ego) often save the day. Ultimately, the Duke must bring the King's intended bride to him, the PRINCeSS of the Land of Never (at edge of the world, where there is neither sun- nor moonlight), a feisty and wise young woman; and, later, while retrieving the Princess' wedding gown, he encounters the LOBSTeR, the Ruler of the Sea. the seventh character is the STORYTeLLeR, who provides occasional narration, sign and voice interpretation for various characters, and who participates in the action itself.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Bloomington Playwrights Project (Bloomington, In, United States)
1998
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York
Music:
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Genre:
50-60 min Comedy for young audiences
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: 2 males, 2 females, 3 either (7 actors possible: 2-5 males, 2-5 females)
Further Reference:
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Top of PageFirst Christmas
Synopsis:
a short rendering of an older man's first Christmas as a married man, and how it reinforced his love and belief in marriage.
Notes:
No set required.
1st Produced:
The Barn Theatre, Greensboro, Nc
2001
Organisations:
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Genre:
Five minute play
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageFriends & Relations
Synopsis:
Friends & Relations consists of three thematically related one-act plays. In Old Friends, a dramedy about people coping with being alone in old age, GRIFF, an outgoing 71 year old, encounters LUISa, a shy 65 year old, on a park bench. Both are single -- he, divorced; she, widowed -- and, after an initial discord, they -- surprisingly -- find each other's company very "pleasant," discovering various mutual interests, including that their respective last names are abbot and Costello. each talks about his/her life, how they have responded to being older and alone; and establish the beginnings of a friendship. the Baby, a story-theatre piece about hope and love, deals with how a young woman's pregnancy leads her mother to recall her own past and refreshes her hopes for the future. In it, MaMa re-discovers her hope when her daughter reveals she's pregnant, and she and her husband intend to name the baby after Mama's son whose death, 16 years before, she has been unable to put behind her. Strangers in the Night is a bittersweet comedy about hope and redemption, in which a disaffected young actor working as an "escort" on a cruise ship, encounters on-board a staid matron who is battling her own ghosts. He offends her deeply when he mistakes her for a fellow employee; then in an effort to save his job he attempts to play up, but discovers a genuine interest in her, as she finds in him.
Notes:
Simple sets: A park; A multiple-area setting which may be suggested by cubes And lights; And A ship's deck. the suggested cast consists of 5: 3m (70, 30, 25) And 2f (late 50s; 20), Although A cast of As many As 10 may be used if the production desires.
1st Produced:
Henrico Theatre Company, Richmond, Va
1990
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Genre:
Comedy. evening of related one acts - 80 minutes
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: flexible
Further Reference:
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Top of PageGod's Visit
Synopsis:
a brief comedy about the trials and tribulations of being the Divine. In it, a bookish young man inadvertently calls upon God -- and She appears!
Notes:
Flexible setting. Only one chair is required
1st Produced:
Wild Onion Theatre Company, Chicago
1991
Organisations:
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Genre:
comedy Ten Min
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageHappy Prince And Other Storytelling Tales, The
Synopsis:
there's nothing like real, live storytellers to catch the imagination of youngsters. With these six tales, each told by a pair of storytellers, students can go on an enchanted voyage, whether they're in a classroom, cafeteria or theatre. Let your young audiences, from grades 2 through 9, connect, learn, and be entertained through these inventive scripts in one of the oldest forms of entertainment -- storytelling! Running from 6 to 12 minutes each, they include: "anansi and His Children," the classic African folk tale of a man and his unusually named children; "Bones," a spooky, comic tale about a girl, a skeleton and a fabulous treasure; and "the Doll's Ghost," an english story about a mysterious doll and the rescue of a human child. also included are "the Happy Prince," the Oscar Wilde classic about the true meaning of friendship; "the Spirit in the Bottle," a Brothers Grimm tale of an ingenious girl and the genie she discovers; and "Sweet Porridge," the story of a boy, his mother, a witch and a wonderful pot.
Notes:
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1st Published:
Eldridge Plays & Musicals
Music:
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Genre:
Youth theatre
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: 2-12
Further Reference:
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Top of PageHazardous To Your Health
Synopsis:
a man (with a smarmy attitude) lights a cigarette on an elevator ride -- which deeply upsets one of his fellow riders.
Notes:
Semi finalist, Lamia Ink Competition
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Genre:
One page satire
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageInvasion, The
Synopsis:
the Invasion is a one act about the nature of war. It requires no set or unusual technical effects. Two soldiers -- one from the invading country, the other from the country invaded -- describe their experience and the meaning of being a part of an age-old war, the consequences to themselves, their families and their nations.
Notes:
2 Actors - either gender but must be the same. o set required
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Genre:
25 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageInvestigation, The
Synopsis:
a man and a woman seek the help of a psychic to discover the reason a spirit seems to be present in the woman's house, and, in the process, discover a surprising revelation.
Notes:
Winner: 2003 Lebanon (Pa) Community theatre Playwriting Competition; Winner, 2005 Panoply Arts Festival Competition
1st Produced:
Lebanon (Pa) Community Theatre
2003
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Genre:
mystery Ten Min
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 2 Other: 1 m/f
Further Reference:
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Top of PageJourneys: A True And Comic Love Story
Synopsis:
Journeys is about life's little issues: Love, death, intimacy; and surviving them. Based on the true story of Chicago theatrician Karen Skinner and Wayne Buidens, her best friend, who died in 1993, the play "travels" over a period of about 12 years and across America. the center of the play is JeRRI, a woman who journeys from an abusive marriage to personal and emotional independence, through her relationship with BeN, a gay man who serves as mentor, equal, and, ultimately, as reluctant dependent (in a caretaking relationship) in his passage toward, and beyond, death -- where the relationship continues. the other characters -- Ben's daughter and half-brother, both trying to adjust to the impending loss of their Father and brother, respectively; Jerri's daughter; and a close friend of both principals -- provide a framework for the love and the conflict that exist between the two friends as they wade through the push-pull of their intense devotion to each other which is threatened and repeatedly tested by their awareness of the inevitable separation which neither wants the other to have to bear. Throughout, the characters are presented with humor, and a mix of tolerance and impatience, with each other and themselves. the play is described as a comedy, in the theatrical as well as the philosophical sense: the human comedy that is life -- and, on occasion, death -- itself.
Notes:
Finalist, New Plays in America 1998, Charlotte (NC) Repertory theatre (1998); Runnerup, Chattanooga theatre Center New Play Competition (2002). Includes one original song. the relationships of the play Are intended to encourage diversity in casting. there is A very brief, completely non-sexual, nude scene which is integral to the play's development. the play was developed At Chicago Dramatists.
1st Produced:
Circle Theatre, Chicago
1997
Organisations:
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Genre:
Comedy - two acts Comedy
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageMid Century Blues
Synopsis:
Mid-Century Blues deals with the problems and dreams of America in the middle of the twentieth century. Both are use the same five-actor cast. Tio's Blues (winner of the 2003 Georgia theatre Conference One-act Competition), set on a bare stage with platforms, is a stark and impressionistic story, set in 1957, that explores the loneliness of two social misfits, a savant and an emotionally disturbed young woman, and the violence that results from their trust and needs, especially for love. the companion piece, American Blues (winner, 2003 Ronald Williams Competition), which uses a flexible interior/exterior and is set in 1962, examines two triangular relationships, one between an illusive 41-year-old woman and her young, manipulative, would-be lover, the second between an aging musician (and drug addict) and his lover, a dominant and disturbed blues singer. the two couples are conjoined by a young woman (the older woman's daughter), a dreamer who serves as the point both triangles have in common. In both plays, each character is in pursuit -- actively or in his/her fantasies -- of some dream, and it is the collision of those pursuits that, metaphorically, explores the hope, and the loss of hope, that combine in the dreams of the America of mid-twentieth century and of the present day.
Notes:
Paired one-acts - 103 minutes. the plays use music extensively, including one, original, song. One Actor must play the trumpet (or saxophone); one Actress must sing And have rudimentary familiarity with the guitar.
1st Produced:
Raven Theatre - Chicago (Workshop Prod.)
1998
Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageNighthawks
Synopsis:
Nighthawks, suggested by the well-known Edward Hopper painting of the same title, is in two parts. Both parts utilize the same four actors: Two white males (early 30s; 45-55); one black male (late 20s); one white female (about 20). the suggested set consists of the Diner as painted by Hopper. the first act, entitled Nighthawks, is set in 1943, and is a cinematic mood piece deliberately stylized in the film noir sensibilities of the period. the piece looks at the different lonelinesses of wartime America in the '40s, how the war built some hopes and destroyed others; and the conflicts that grew out of the racial divisiveness rampant both in the army and across the nation during the time. the second act, the Night Cafe, takes place on an early Saturday morning in 1983 and is naturalistic. It probes stereotypes of certain relationships and how we -- the audience -- perceive them. Both plays are ensemble works; throughout, they explore the themes of the painting -- loneliness, the need for contact and the sleepless isolation of the "nighthawks" of American society.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Circle Theatre, Forest Park, Il
1992
Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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Genre:
Drama, 90 min One act
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageOld Friends
Synopsis:
See Friends & Relations
Notes:
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1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
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1st Published:
-
Music:
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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
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Genre:
One act dramedy - 25 minutes
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PagePrelude To A Walk Through the Snow
Synopsis:
Prelude is a short (15 minutes) Drama about the possibilities of reconciliation. It details the first meeting between two women -- a birth mother (LeaH), a terminally ill poet who, after years of avoiding the issue, has finally come to make peace; and her adult daughter (LaURa), an insecure woman who has spent her entire life wondering about her real mother's identity and why she chose to give her up for adoption. the play was developed at Chicago Dramatists and has been produced three times.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Millikin Univ., Decatur, Il (Pipedreams Series)
1994
Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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Genre:
15 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PagePuppet Show
Synopsis:
a girl "loses" her favorite Teddy Bear and enlists her sisters' help in finding it.
Notes:
cast consists of two eight year old girls And A ten year old girl.
1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
-
Music:
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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
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Genre:
5 minute play for children to perform One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSea:Shore
Synopsis:
In movement and language, the play describes how the sea and shore came to border each other.
Notes:
Bare stage
1st Produced:
New York Theatre Workshop
2003
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
-
Music:
-
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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
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Genre:
One page play/movement piece
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: 1 m/f
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSimple Love Song, A
Synopsis:
a boy -- RUSS -- meets a girl -- ROBIN -- at a New Year's eve party. they declare themselves uncomplicated people who feel very out of place amid the pomp and circumstance of the party; instantly they fall in love, But as midnight is about to strike, their respective dates claim them and they're pulled apart and lost among the crowds - without ever having exchanged names. a few days later, in parallel scenes, each is having lunch (at separate restaurants) with their respective best friends, MIKe and DIaNNe. Russ and Robin seem distant; their friends pry the secret of their unhappiness from them: each is in love but has no idea how to find the beloved. So, they search. Of course, as the story ends, the four lovers -- including Mike and Dianne, who were once involved and "tragically" separated, but find each other during their respective searches -- declare their enduring love for each other by singing a simple love song.
Notes:
an hommage to And spoof of the "boy meets girl" musicals of the 1930s. Piano score And demo CD Available.
1st Produced:
Henrico Theatre Company, Richmond, Va
2005
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
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Genre:
30 minute musical comedy One act
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSome Kind Of Love
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Criterion Theatre, London
11 Jun 2011
Organisations:
Third aLaP and West Hollywod Gay Play Reading Festival
1st Published:
-
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Short play. - - Gay, one act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSome Unfinished Chaos
Synopsis:
This is a two-character play about the growth of the soul and learning to live in the face of death. It takes place over a six-month period and requires no unusual technical or physical effects. Some Unfinished Chaos (the title is taken from a poem by F. Scott Fitzgerald) is about learning to live in the face of death. It deals with the never-explicitly-defined relationship that evolves between Eric WITTeNGeR, a frustrated, defensive, once-successful writer who, during the course of the play, learns he is terminally ill; and JeSSaMYN TYLeR, a would-be writer who steadily inserts herself into Eric's life in the hope he will mentor her writing. It explores the ways people create (and sometimes destroy) in order to survive, physically and spiritually, what its characters face in coming to terms with Eric's mortality, and their own respective fears, hopes; and desires, as artists and people, to give something to each other and to the world.
Notes:
Single set (two rooms of An Apartment interior), contemporary costumes. Semi-finalist, 2004 Writer's Network Competition; Finalist, Trustus (SC) theatre New Play Competition (1995); Finalist, National Future Fest (1992)
1st Produced:
Equity Library Theatre Chicago
1992
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
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Genre:
sad comedy - 3 acts
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSound Called Music, The
Synopsis:
the Sound Called Music is a play about two enigmatically lonely people. a MaN and a WOMaN, both unnamed, meet in a dance club and reveal their fragile natures and their need to each other through spare conversation and the urgencies of the moment. a classical chorus, sound and light are used extensively to create mood and effect.
Notes:
Flexible set.
1st Produced:
Bloomington (In) Playwrights Project
1995
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
-
Music:
-
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Genre:
12 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageStars
Synopsis:
Stars is a naturalistic work about understanding and trust. a bright young suburbanite hesitantly reveals affection for a recently-transplanted inner city teen who is both streetwise and emotionally mature. Surprised and, at first, put off at the revelation, the inner city teen is faced with the challenge of accepting the friend for who s/he is, or abandoning the friendship.
Notes:
Cast consists of two males or two females (both in their teens). No set required
1st Produced:
Thruststage, Kalamazoo, Mi
1997
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Contained in: "On the edge Challenging Short Plays For Teen Actors" published by YouthPlays
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
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Genre:
12 minute one act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageStrangers In the Night
Synopsis:
See Friends & Relations
Notes:
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1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
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Music:
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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
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Genre:
One act comedy - 27 minutes One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageTales From Beatrix Potter
Synopsis:
Done in story-theatre format, the play consists of adaptations of three Beatrix Potter stories: the Tale of Benjamin Bunny, (one of the Peter Rabbit tales); her famed Christmas story the Tailor of Gloucester; and Grasshopper Belle and Susan emmet, Potter's adaptation of the aesop fable; plus three poems from the apply Dapply Rhymes. In addition, both very short original songs, as well as songs with which the audience will be familiar (some with original lyrics), extensive movement and music are incorporated. audience participation is used throughout, and the children are involved in solving the "problems" of the play.
Notes:
It requires little or no set, has no complex technical requirements, may be presented with minimal costuming, And will tour easily. Approximate running time is 38 minutes, without intermission. All material used is in public domain.
1st Produced:
Discovery Arena, Decatur, Ga
2001
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Eldridge Plays & Musicals
Music:
-
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Genre:
Youth audience
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: ensemble cast of 5 to 22 actors
Further Reference:
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Top of PageTelling William Tell
Synopsis:
Telling William Tell is the retelling of the story of the mythical Swiss hero -- famed for shooting an apple off his son's head -- framed by a fictionalized story of Rossini writing his famed opera. the script interweaves the two stories, with an emphasis on the role of children in each, drawing attention to the parallels between Rossini's dilEmma (the quest for artistic freedom) and Tell's (the effort for national liberty) -- and their respective resolutions; and those between the societies and political situations of 14th century Switzerland, 19th century France and contemporary America. In the play, ROSSINI -- plagued by his Paris Opera producer, GeORGeS, to finish a commercial opera -- has elected instead to write his version of William Tell. In order to convince Georges of the worth of the tale, Rossini (who doubles as TeLL) "tells" him the story, acting it out. TeLL's son, JeaN, is an independent boy who is as fiercely nationalistic as -- and more hot-headed than -- his father. During the course of the play Tell is assisted (and sometimes guided) by Jean, and his close friend ROXaNe (12), an outgoing and independent girl, as they seek to overthrow the austrian tyranny. the work is both Dramatic and comedic, incorporating adventure, action, romance and farce in its shifts between Rossini's 19th century Paris and Tell's 14th century altdorf.
Notes:
Winner, Jackie White Memorial Playwriting Competition (2006). One man must play the keyboards And one other instrument (ideally, the recorder) proficiently, And it is recommended that two of the women have some operatic Ability. Music-only excerpts from various Rossini works Are used, As is his very funny "Cats" vocal duet; And there is A short folk dance sequence.
1st Produced:
Atlanta's Firststage
2002
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
-
Music:
-
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Genre:
Youth audience
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 3 Other: 3c
Further Reference:
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Top of PageThree Little Pigs And Other Storytelling Tales, The
Synopsis:
there's nothing like real, live storytellers to catch the imagination of youngsters. With these six tales, each told by a pair of storytellers, students can go on an enchanted voyage, whether they're in a classroom, cafeteria or theatre. Let your young audiences, from kindergarten through 6th grade, connect, learn, and be entertained through these inventive scripts in one of the oldest forms of entertainment -- storytelling! Running from 6 to 12 minutes each, they include "the Cat, the Mouse and the Huge Pot of Cheese," the aesop tale of the two traditional enemies who work together; "Finn McCool and the Cucullin," an Irish folk tale about a giant and the peasant woman who outsmarts him; and "Why the Oceans are Filled With Fish," adapted from a tale by Leonardo da Vinci. the three other titles include "the Forever Snowflake," an original Christmas story about the magic of wishes; "the Wonderfully Colored Dragon," about a dragon who loses his ability to breathe fire; and "the Three Little Pigs," the all-time favorite!
Notes:
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1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Eldridge Plays & Musicals
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
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Genre:
Youth theatre
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: 2-12
Further Reference:
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Top of PageTio's Blues
Synopsis:
see Mid Century Blues
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
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1st Published:
-
Music:
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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
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Genre:
38 minute one-act Drama One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageTis the Seasons
Synopsis:
a holiday "anthology" with music in two acts (running time: 100 minutes), 'tis represents tales from around the holiday world, including Chanukah, Chinese New Year, Tet and Kwanzaa -- as well as Christmas. Familiar works like Gifts of the Magi, the Tailor of Gloucester and Yes, Virginia alternate with original stories, folk tales and songs. audience participation is invited.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Theatre Decatur (Ga)
2005
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
-
Music:
-
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Genre:
Holiday pastiche
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: 1m/f, 1b, 1g, chorus, flexible
Further Reference:
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Top of PageTrue Magic: An A cappella Christmas Farce With Unoriginal Music For the Entire Family
Synopsis:
True Magic is in two acts. there is no "fourth wall" and the audience is encouraged to participate at various times. Virtually no set is required. Costumes are conventional. One actor must be able to perform several simple magic tricks. the script allows for as much as or as little dance/movement as a production may wish to include. the play will appeal to both children and adults. the plot elements are drawn from many sources, including a Christmas Carol (of which it appears at first to be a retelling, although it is not), the Comedy of errors and Peter Pan. the story -- which is classic farce, full of mistaken identity, disguised familiar faces, sudden exits and wildly unexpected turns of events -- takes place on Christmas eve and is "told" by the NaRRaTOR, an elf with a string of failures behind her (she was hired to help the three little pigs build a wolf-proof house, for example) whose control of things is interrupted throughout by a series of peculiar happenings. She is assisted by several other eLVeS whose functions are to role-play as she needs them. the other characters include TINKeRBeLL, SaNTa CLaUS, and the richest man in the world, MR. PeLF -- who learns something that surprises him, Santa and the audience.
Notes:
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1st Produced:
Whetstone Theatre Company (Brattleboro, Vt, United States)
1995
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
65-75 min Comedy
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 3 Other: 2 males, 3 females, 1 either (6-19 actors possible: 2-16 males, 3-17 females)
Further Reference:
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Top of PageWilde, At Heart
Synopsis:
Wilde, at Heart is a six (or more) actor play with music (by Linda Uzelac); the material is adapted from three Oscar Wilde fairy tales: the well-known the Selfish Giant, the Happy Prince, and the less-familiar the Star-Child. the total running time is approximately 80 minutes. all retain Wilde's moral message of the value of faith and love and is appropriate for audiences age 8 through adult.
Notes:
70 roles, playable by 2m, 2w, 2 either gender (including one child); may use As many As the production wishes. the set is flexible; representational objects -- ladders, platforms, scrims, gobos -- will be entirely Appropriate.
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
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1st Published:
-
Music:
-
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Genre:
Family audiences
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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