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Arthur Reel

ARTHUR REEL  

 Nationality:    African American
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a

Arthur Reel founded the Drama Repertory Theatre in 1973 and has co-produced more than 200 shows, many of which he directed. Mr. Reel has adapted for the stage many prose classics, including Voltaire's Candide and works by Gogol, Gorky, and Chekhov. He currently resides in New York City, where he teaches acting, voice, and communications.

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

         Blue Hotel, The         Candide         Glance At New York, A         Gray Cocks Wi/I Crow         In Search of Jonathan         League Of Youth, The         Maggie, A Girl Of the Streets         Miss Julie         Monster, The         Nose, The         Open Boat, The         Red Devil         Ward Six

Blue Hotel, The

Blue Hotel, The
Winner of the National Endowment for the Arts Award. Adapted from the short story by Stephen Crane. Three strangers arrive at the railroad town of Romper, Nebraska, and seek out a room at a local hotel. Upon their arrival at the hotel, one of the strangers, a Swedish tailor from New York, begins to act strangely. He becomes extremely frightened, so much so, that he fears for his life. the hotel proprietor, Pat Scully, tries to calm him down, but the Swede's paranoia only increases, making the others feel more and more uneasy. As the play progresses, the Swede becomes increasingly alienated and estranged from the group, and his outlandish behavior only creates further hostility that threatens to erupt into violence at any moment.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 90 minutes

1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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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:
full length Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  9            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Candide

Synopsis:
Wickedly funny, this adaptation of the classic novel by Voltaire traces the exploits of Candide as he travels through Europe and the New World. the story begins as Candide is banished from the kingdom of Westphalia after he is caught in the arms of Cunegonde, the Baron's daughter. Friendless and hungry, Candide is duped into joining the Bulgarian army. He escapes from the army only to become shipwrecked at sea while sailing to Portugal. Candide survives, but as he is washed ashore, he arrives just in time to witness a major earthquake. As Candide stumbles through the ruins of the earthquake, he meets up with his old mentor, Pangloss, and learns that Cunegonde has been ravished by an army of Bulgars, sold to several brothels, and is now owned by two men. Determined to find Cunegonde and marry her, Candide sets out trusting in his firm belief that "all is for the best in this world of ours."

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 120 minutes

1st Produced:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Satire, full length Satire

Parts:
Male:  16            Female:  9            Other:  Flexible. (With doubling 16 M, 9 F, extras)

Further Reference:
-

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Glance At New York, A

Synopsis:
A hit in its day, A Glance at New York (1848) was one of the first plays to portray working-class life and speech, providing a snapshot of what life was like for those living in New York's gritty Bowery district. George, a naive country bumpkin, arrives in New York and is escorted about town by his cousin, Harry. Upon his arrival and throughout his visit, George is humorously swindled out of his watch and most of his money by fast-talking street hustlers. Along the way, George and Harry hook up with Mose, a hulking volunteer fireman and butcher, who loves nothing more than getting into street scuffles: "Dere ain't one in dat crowd can floor me." the mischievous three cross-dress to gain access to an all-women's bowling saloon; make a stop at Loafer's Paradise, a grimy bar; and manage to get into a street scuffle.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 60-75 minutes

1st Produced:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy with Songs, full length

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  7            Other:  2 flexible, extras

Further Reference:
-

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Gray Cocks Wi/I Crow

Synopsis:
the war in Vietnam is explored as well as its effects, racially and emotionally, on three men who lose the boundaries of col

Notes:
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1st Produced:
-    1972

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  2 BM, 5 WM, 1 Vietnamese M

Further Reference:
-

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In Search of Jonathan

Synopsis:
It's just before Christmas in the early 1980s and a successful attorney is trying to make sense of her seemingly insane husband, a former lover who has similar problems of his own, and the appearance of her one-night stand with his new lover in tow creating havoc while they all search for the real meaning of the story of Jonathan. . .
- nytheatre.com

Notes:
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1st Produced:
American Theatre of Actors, 314 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019    19 May 2010

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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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League Of Youth, The

Synopsis:
This streamlined adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's the League of Youth (1869), cuts the original play by a third, allowing for Ibsen's humor and wit to be showcased rather than buried. the storyline focuses on the ambitious Stensgard, a two-faced social climber and opportunist, who decides to challenge the political forces in his town by forming a new radical party, the League of Youth. Stensgard, along with the power-hungry farmer, Lundestad, target Bratsberg, the benevolent town elder. Stensgard preaches egalitarian rhetoric to manipulate the townspeople so that he can achieve greater fame and social status for himself. the action is swift in this fresh, farcical play that pokes fun at politics and societal pretension.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 120 minutes

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
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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:
Satire, full length Satire

Parts:
Male:  10            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Maggie, A Girl Of the Streets

Synopsis:
Adapted from Stephen Crane's novel, Maggie, A Girl of the Streets (1896) this play depicts with shocking realism the poverty and desperation of Maggie, a young woman who must work in a sweat shop and endure abuse at the hands of her alcoholic mother. Yearning to escape from the slums, Maggie soon takes up with Pete, an outgoing bartender. Pete takes Maggie to the theatre and to dance halls, where she is dazzled by all the glitz. Soon Pete's interest in Maggie wanes, and he is seen cavorting around town with his old flame, Nellie. As rumors abound that Maggie has been "ruined" by Pete, Maggie's brother and mother cast her out of the house and onto the streets.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 45 minutes

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
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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:
Drama One Act

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  4            Other:  1 flexible, extras

Further Reference:
-

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Miss Julie

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
Original Playwright - August Strindberg

1st Produced:
Provincetown Playhouse, New York    10 Nov 1965

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:
Translation

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Monster, The

Synopsis:
After courageously saving a white boy from a fire, a horribly burned African-American man, Henry Johnson, is forced to wear a hood to hide his face from his fellow townspeople, who view him as a monster. Instead of being heralded for his bravery, Henry finds himself the target of violence as the town's collective fear turns to hysteria. Only the town's doctor stands firm against a mob that seeks to confront that which they fear most-the monster within. Adapted from the short story by Stephen Crane.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 35-40 minutes

1st Produced:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Drama One Act

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  5            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Nose, The

Synopsis:
In this adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's classic short story (1832), Alexey Kovalyov, a mid-level government bureaucrat, awakens one morning horrified to discover that his nose has run off. Kovalyov wanders the streets searching for his lost nose when, by chance, he spots his nose riding in a coach dressed as a high-ranking government official. Not only has Kovalyov lost his nose, but now his nose outranks him! Determined to get his nose back, Kovalyov trails the nose to a cathedral. there, Kovalyov confronts his nose, demanding that it return to his face immediately. But the nose rudely rebuffs him and escapes. Meanwhile, the runaway nose has become fodder for the town's rumor mill, which threatens to destroy Kovalyov's reputation. This adaptation preserves Gogol's whimsical and humorous writing style and pokes fun at the incompetence of bureaucrats and the superficial nature of society's "respectable" classes.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 45 minutes

1st Produced:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Satire/theatre of the Absurd One Act

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  1 flexible, optional extras

Further Reference:
-

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Open Boat, The

Synopsis:
Adapted from Stephen Crane's classic short story, this play chronicles the harrowing events of four men shipwrecked off the coast of Florida. Trapped at sea in a small lifeboat, the men take turns rowing. Soon they spot a lighthouse, but as they get closer to shore, the surf becomes dangerously rough. When no rescue boat arrives, the men become increasingly weary and despondent. Desperate, the Captain realizes that the only chance for survival is to row the lifeboat as close to the shore as possible and then swim the rest of the way. This absorbing and masterful play reveals man's alienation and vulnerability as he faces a fierce and unforgiving existence, and humanity's inexorable search for unattainable answers.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 25-30 minutes

1st Produced:
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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

Booksellers:

Genre:
Drama One Act

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Red Devil

Synopsis:
This adaptation captures Maxim Gorky's stark, naturalistic rendering of five people locked in a dehumanizing system of oppression and violence. Set in a house of prostitution, three women suffer savage beatings inflicted by the sadistic, Red, a man employed by the proprietress to keep the girls in line. But when Red falls off a trolley and breaks his leg, he finds himself at the mercy of his victims. the women are overjoyed to see their tormentor injured and revel in their new-found power. Maska tries to convince the other women to murder Red before his leg heals, but Red's merciful pleas and promises that he will no longer beat the girls evokes pity in Aksinya.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 30 minutes

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
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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:
Drama One Act

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  4            Other:  1 flexible

Further Reference:
-

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Ward Six

Synopsis:
This adaptation of one of Anton Chekhov's most influential short stories, "Ward Six," (1892) depicts the horrors of a Russian mental ward. An idealistic new doctor accepts a post at a hospital in a small town, where he hopes to dedicate himself to helping mental patients. But after witnessing patients being mercilessly beaten, Dr. Rabin seeks the help of the hospital administrator, but his requests are ignored. Disillusioned, Rabin befriends a patient, Ivan Gromov, but their discussions eventually lead Rabin to see the world anew, blurring the lines between sanity and insanity, reality and illusion.

Notes:
Performance Time: Approximately 90 minutes

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
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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:
Drama, full length

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  1            Other:  optional extras

Further Reference:
-

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