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Martin Sherman

MARTIN SHERMAN

  (1938 - )
Nationality:    USA
facebook     email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    Casarotto Ramsay and Associates Ltd  

Martin Gerald Sherman is an American dramatist and screenwriter best known for his 20 stage plays which have been produced in over 55 countries. He rose to fame in 1979 with the production of his Pulitzer Prize-nominated play Bent, which explores the persecution of homosexuals during the Holocaust. Bent was a Tony nominee for Best Play in 1980 and won the Dramatists Guild's Hull-Warriner Award. It has been produced in 35 countries and was adapted first by Sherman for a major motion picture in 1997 and later by independent sources as a ballet in Brazil.

Research:    Member of the Dramatists Guild of America (as at 2015)

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

         Absolutely! (Perhaps)         Aristo         Bent         Blackout         Boy From Oz (American Version)         Chain Play, The         Cracks         Fat Tuesday         Gently Down The Stream         Madhouse In Goa, A         Messiah         Miser, The         New York! New York!         Next Year in Jerusalem         Night Before Paris, The         Onassis         Passage To India, A         Passing By         Rio Grande         Rose         Soaps         Solitary Thing, A         Some Sunny Day         Things Went Badly In Westphalia         When She Danced
Absolutely! (Perhaps)

Absolutely! (Perhaps)
No one has ever seen Signor Ponza's wife and her mother, Signora Frola together. Also, the neighbours have become suspicious because Signora Ponza never leaves her home and start asking questions. Ponza claims that this wife is really his second wife, the first having died in an earthquake that destroyed all records. Meanwhile his wife only pretends to be Signora Frola's daughter to humour Signora Frola, who, he claims, is insane. Thoroughly bewildered, Agazzi demands to meet Ponza's wife, who arrives heavily veiled proclaiming herself as both the daughter of Signora Frola and the second wife of Signor Ponza. Absolutely! {Perhaps} is brilliant comedy on the elusive nature of identity and reality and, like all of Pirandello's work, shows truth as subjective and relative and Drama itself a mystery.

Notes:
Original Playwright - Luigi Pirandello (Cosi e, si vi pare). Version by Martin Sherman

1st Produced:
Wyndham's Theatre, London     2003

Organisations:
Sonia Friedman Productions

1st Published:

Music:
-

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  7            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Aristo

Aristo
Based on the last years of the life of the wealthy shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis who after a notorious affair with Maria Callas married Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of US President John F. Kennedy, in 1968. the play explores his complex interwoven relationships with Callas, Kennedy and his son by Callas, Alexandros, who died in a plane crash in 1973. Based in part on Peter Evans' book Nemesis, Aristo is an explosive account of how those in positions of enormous power and wealth often live lives detached from the realities and moral codes of everyday existence.

Notes:
Based On Material Innemesis By Peter Evans

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

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Bent

Bent
seminal gay play. In 1930s Berlin Max and his lover/flatmate Rudy begin a nightmare odyssey through Nazi Germany, which placed homosexuals on a lower scale than Jews. Max refuses to abandon Rudy and soon they're caught. Fn route to Dachau, Rudy is killed and Horst, another homosexual prisoner, warns Max to deny Rudy, which he does. Max opts for the label 'Jew' rather than 'queer' but he and Horst are attracted to each other; when Horst is callously killed Max declares himself before committing suicide.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Waterford, Connecticut     1978

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Amber Lane Press, Ambergate, Derbyshire, 1979
Methuen Drama, London   

Music:
-

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Genre:
Play/Drama. - - Gay, full length

Parts:
Male:  11            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Blackout

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1978

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:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Boy From Oz (American Version)

Boy From Oz (American Version)
Life and music of singer/songwriter Peter Allen

Notes:
Based on "the Boy From Oz" by Nick Enright. Music by Peter Allen

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   

Music:
Original Broadway cast recording: Universal Music Catalogue 2006

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Genre:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  6            Other:  1b, ensemble 18 mixed

Further Reference:
-

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Chain Play, The

Synopsis:
One off performance of chain writing to celebrate the National theatre's 25th anniversary. A scene each from all the authors for a performance on one night

Notes:
Written By Terry Johnson, Philip Ridley, Charlotte Jones, Lee Hall, Sebastian Barry, Zinnie Harris, Kevin Flyot, Nick Dear, Tanika Gupta, Frank McGuinness, Nick Stafford, Stephen Sondheim, Colin Teevan, Patrick Marber, David Lan, Sarah Daniels, Martin She

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Conceived and commissioned by Angus Mackenchnie

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:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Cracks

Cracks
a comedy set in the gay scene in California of the 70s where an assassin is on the loose.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Waterford, Connecticut     1975

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
in "Gay Plays 2", Methuen, London, 1985
Methuen Drama, London   

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:
Adult Comedy Comedy. - - Gay, theme/character full length

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Fat Tuesday

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1966

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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Gently Down The Stream

Gently Down The Stream
At the start of internet dating. Beau meets Rufus. As he has been hurt so many times Beau is cautious. What Beau had thought would just be a fling turns into a great love affair

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Public Theatre, New York     04 Mar 2017

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Methuen Drama 2017   

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:
Gay full length

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Madhouse In Goa, A

Madhouse In Goa, A
Part 1 blackmail scheme to persuade guest to move for the King; Part 2 expatriate's existence ruptured by volcanic eruption on Santorini

Notes:
includes A Table for A King And Keeps Rainin' All the Time

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Amber Lane Press, Oxford, 1989   

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:
Double Bill Play/Drama. - - Gay, theme/character full length

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Messiah

Messiah
set in Poland in 1665 following the Cossack uprising in which over a third of the once thriving Jewish community has been slaughtered

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Amber Lane Press, Oxford, 1982
Methuen Drama, London   

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:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Miser, The

Synopsis:
We all know someone who's 'careful' with their money. . . first out of the taxi, last at the bar, wouldn't give a door a bang. Sound familiar? the difference is that the Miser makes the skinflint you know look positively generous! This comedy classic is brought bang up-to-date by award-winning playwright, Martin Sherman. Wealthy skinflint, Harpagon is so mean he steals oats from his horse and can only bring himself to lend rather than give you a good day. His children are useful commodities to be used to increase his coffers through advantageous marriages. Whilst he obsessively guards his wealth and plots their nuptials, they connive to part him from his beloved money and take control of their destinies. Wily servants, a true stage villain, and rivalry in love, Moliere's satirical masterpiece about obsession and status endures. Fast, funny and full of energy, this sparkling new version is as pertinent today as it was when first written and performed by Moliere in the 17th century.

Notes:
Original Playwright - Moliere

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   

Music:
Music composed by Keith Clouston

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:
adaptation

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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New York! New York!

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
Written by Dennis Andersen; Ann Burr; Allan Knee; Kenneth Pressman; Philip Magdalany; Jeremiah Murray; Steven Shea; Marsha Sheiness; Martin Sherman and David Epstein

1st Produced:
Playwrights Horizon, New York     1974

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:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Next Year in Jerusalem

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1968

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:
National Library of Scotland ref: Traverse - Dep.256/Box 60/2

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Night Before Paris, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1969

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:
National Library of Scotland ref: Traverse - Dep.256/Box 60/2

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Onassis

Onassis
Onassis portrays the last years of the life of the wealthy shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who after a notorious affair with Maria Callas, married Jacqueline Kennedy, widow of US President John F. Kennedy, in 1968. A millionaire at 25, he had become one of the world's richest men, but it was the glamour of the women in his life which brought him real fame, causing him to pursue personal vendettas and amassing empires on an international scale. Based in part on Peter Evans' book Nemesis, Onassis is an explosive account of one man's voracious appetite for sex, money and power. the play depicts Onassis' complex interwoven relationships with women and his family, as well as his long-running feud with the Kennedy family and the American establishment. With hints of Greek tragedy and hubris, it explores how those with great wealth and political influence live their lives detached from the moral code and realities of ordinary mortals.

Notes:
Based On Material Innemesis By Peter Evans. Revised version of Aristo

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Derby LIVE

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

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  musicians, ensemble

Further Reference:
-

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Passage To India, A

Passage To India, A
Before deciding whether to marry Chandrapore''s local magistrate, Adela Quested wants to discover the 'real India' for herself. Newly arrived from England, she agrees to see the Marabar Caves with the charming Dr Aziz. This adaptation explores the absurdity of Anglo-Indian life in the 1920s.

Notes:
from novel by F M Foster

1st Produced:
Milton Keynes/Tour     2002

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:  8            Female:  3            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:
-

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Passing By

Synopsis:
Simon and Toby meet in a cinema - but will it be love ever after?

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1974

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
in "Gay Plays 1", Methuen, London, 1984   

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. - - Gay, full length

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Rio Grande

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1976

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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Rose

Rose
Rose is a survivor of the Warsaw ghettos. She arrives on the boardwalks of Atlantic City, the Arizona canyons and salsa-flavoured nights in Miami beach. the play is sharply drawn reminder of some of the events that shaped the century

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:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Soaps

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New York     1975

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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Solitary Thing, A

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
music by Stanley Silverman

1st Produced:
Oakland, California     1962

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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Some Sunny Day

Some Sunny Day
Cairo in the summer of 1942. Various people are holed up in an hotel wondering if and when the Germans will invade. There is Alec who is sleeping with an army officer. Robin a New Zealand newspaper reporter with a shady past. A Russian Duchess. A woman with only one lung and an official from the British Embassy besotted with a belly dancer

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Amber Lane Press, Oxford, 1996   

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:
Gay full length

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Things Went Badly In Westphalia

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Storrs, Connecticut     1971

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
in "the Best Short Plays 1970", Chilton, Philadelphia, 1970   

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:
One Act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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When She Danced

When She Danced
Isodora Duncan in Bohemian Paris, 1923, tries to escape a living in the twilight of her prime

Notes:
Sergei Esenin, Isadora Duncan

1st Produced:
Guildford, Surrey     1985

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Amber Lane Press, Ambergate, Derbyshire, 1988   

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. - - Gay/Lesbian, historical characters

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  5            Other:  3m non speaking

Further Reference:
-

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