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William Luce

WILLIAM LUCE

  (1931 - )
Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    Click here

Literary Agent:    William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC  

William Luce's MY BUSINESS IS TO LOVE starred American soprano Renee Fleming, with Julie Harris and Claire Bloom. Its joint New York/London world premiere at Lincoln Center and Barbican Centre was directed by Charles Nelson Reilly. Luce's play NIJINSKY premiered at Parco Theatre in Tokyo and was directed by John Tillinger. Luce's Broadway hit BARRYMORE starred Christopher Plummer as John Barrymore and was directed by Gene Saks. Plummer won the Tony Award for Best Actor. Actress Judy Davis directed the Sydney Opera House production, starring Australian actor Barry Otto. BAPTISTE, Luce's comedy on Moliere, premiered at Hartford Stage, direction by David Warren. Luce wrote his Broadway and London success THE BELLE OF AMHERST for Harris, who won her fifth Tony Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Emily Dickinson, with Reilly directing. The record album received a Grammy Award. IBM's production of BELLE won three Christopher Awards. Thames Television's production of BELLE, starring Claire Bloom with direction by Adrian Brown, won the International Emmy Award. For her portrayal of Isak Dinesen in Luce's play LUCIFER'S CHILD (directed by Tony Abartemarco), Harris received a Tony nomination. Harris also starred in Luce's "Bronte" for WGBH (Elinor Stout directing) and Irish Television (Delbert Mann directing), garnering the Peabody Award and Columbia University's Armstrong Award. Luce's play BRAVO, CARUSO! celebrated The Cleveland Play House's seventy-fifth anniversary and was directed by Peter Mark Schifter. It starred Joseph Mascolo and Joseph Sicari. Luce's CHANEL premiered at Parco Theatre in Tokyo, direction by Philip Wm. McKinley. Luce's Off-Broadway THE DIVINE ORLANDO featured The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble, direction by Paul Lazarus. Luce's SOUND PORTRAIT OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE for NPR starred David Warner, David Dukes, Peter Donat, Arthur Hill, Julie Harris, Joan Hackett and Marian Mercer, with direction by Charles Marowitz for Paper Mill Playhouse. Luce wrote the libretto for the musical SAYONARA, choreography by Susan Stroman, direction by Robert Johanson, lyrics by Hy Gilbert, music by George Fischoff. A later production by Theatre Under the Stars featured choreography by Tony Stevens and direction by McKinley. With composer Henry Mollicone, Luce wrote A RAT'S TALE for narrator, orchestra and children's chorus. He was also a Writers Guild Award nominee for his two CBS movies: "The Last Days of Patton," starring George C. Scott and Eva Marie Saint, direction by Mann, and "The Woman He Loved," starring Jane Seymour, Anthony Andrews, Olivia de Havilland, and Julie Harris, direction by Charles Jarrott. Luce lives on the Oregon Coast.

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

         Baptiste - the Life Of Moliere         Barrymore         Belle Of Amherst, The         Bravo, Caruso!         Bronte         Last Flapper, The         Lillian         Lucifer's Child         Sayonara         Zelda
Baptiste - the Life Of Moliere

Synopsis:
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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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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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Barrymore

Barrymore
legendary actor prepares for stage come back in Richard III, covers the full spectra - the wives, the women, the drink and the glory

Notes:
aka One Helluva life

1st Produced:
Stratford Festival, Ontario, Canada     1996

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1998   

Music:
Unabridged radio dramatization: Brilliance Audio 2010 (9781441892188)

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Genre:
Drama Biographical

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  1 voice

Further Reference:
-

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Belle Of Amherst, The

Belle Of Amherst, The
the Belle of amherst delicately explores the life of America's greatest woman poet, emily Dickinson at various stages in her experience from the age of 15, when she was full of hope and success, until she died at 56, a virtual recluse with her door closed against society. Her life is recreated with liberal excerpts from her poetry and by the method of her playing the roles of her father, teacher and friends. Julie Harris played the role on Broadway to great acclaim and won the 1977 Tony award as Best aactress.

Notes:

1st Produced:
Moore Egyptian Theatre, Seattle, Washington     1976

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Houghton Mifflin, New York, 1976
Dramatists Play Service, Inc. NY (2015)   

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:
Drama Biographical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Bravo, Caruso!

Bravo, Caruso!
backstage at the Metropolitan opera, Christmas 1920, meet Caruso

Notes:
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1st Produced:
The Cleveland Play House     1991

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1992   

Music:
-

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Bronte

Synopsis:
Bronte takes place in the course of a single day in a sitting room of the Broete house, where Charlotte has returned to live with her stern God-fearing Father after burying the last of her siblings, her sister anne. Based on letters written between Charlotte and her childhood friend and confident, ellen Nussey, the play sheds light on Charlottes fears, her need for love, her sense of loss and quiet suffering. Most importantly it casts light on the genius of the woman who despite the repressive environment she grew up in, dared to challenge conventional wisdom that women ought to confine themselves to making puddings. . .knitting stockings. . .playing on the piano. Her fierce independence and remarkable imagination is perfectly relevant today.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
Marines Memorial Theatre, San Francisco     1988

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1989   

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:
Drama Biographical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Last Flapper, The

Synopsis:
the story of Scott Fitzgerald's wife Zelda set in a lunatic asylum during the last days of her life

Notes:
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1st Produced:

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1990   

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:
Drama Biographical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Lillian

Synopsis:
the setting is an austere waiting room in a New York hospital, where Lillian Hellman awaits the death of her longtime companion, Dashiell Hammett. as she maintains her vigil, Miss Hellman's mind is flooded with memories: her exciting but tempestuous years with Hammett; her girlhood in New Orleans and New York; reminiscences of her beloved parents; and her days of success and failure as an artist and a public figure committed to liberal causes (some of which brought her into sharp conflict with the powers-that-be). With occasional pauses to peer into the adjoining (offstage) sick room, she recalls the people and incidents that shaped her life-glittering figures from the worlds of Hollywood and the New York theatre, literary giants who were both friends and foes, and dearly loved personal associates like her black nanny, Sophronia, who perhaps more than any other, helped her to gain her burning social consciousness. In the end the play is both a tour de force for an accomplished actress, and also a vital, fascinating, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but always compelling portrait of a remarkable woman-and artist-whose contributions both to the theatre and the conscience of our nation will never be forgotten.

Notes:
From Lillian Hellman

1st Produced:
Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York     1986

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 1986   

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:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Lucifer's Child

Lucifer's Child
how the baroness went to Africa married a Baron and suffered his neglect and unfaithfulness as well as his syphilis

Notes:
Based on the Writings of Isak Dinsen

1st Produced:
Music Box Theatre, New York     1991

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French, NY, 1991   

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:
Drama Biographical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Sayonara

Sayonara
American jet pilot Major Ace Gruver falls in love with the lead actress of an all female acting group

Notes:
Music by George Fischoff; lyrics by Hy Gilbert; book by William Luce. Based on the book by James A Michener

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French 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

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Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Zelda

Synopsis:
Life of Zelda Fitzgerald

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French 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

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Genre:
Monologue play

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
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