The Playwrights Database
DENNIS WARD
(1953 - )Nationality: USA
email: Click here to contact Website: n/a
Literary Agent: n/a
I came to writing later in life after studying Creative Writing at University College, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LouisianA. Also, I have studied French and Spanish languages for fifteen years immensely enjoying reading French literature. I had my first one act play produced in October 2008, Lowered Expectations. In May/June 2010, my first full length play, Chez Gisele, a drag musical comedy noire, was produced and received overwhelmingly successful. It had a encore run in March 2011. In May 2011, Chez Gisele was honored as a finalist in the New Orleans Saints and Sinners literary festival. In September 2011, I had an enormously successful three week run of my full length musical comedy, the Roadkill Diner. I am now writing plays, short stories, poems, songs and even attempting to write the novel, Chez Gisele. I am very grateful for all the events in my life: good and bad. I am content that I wake up each day with my mind overflowing with fodder to carry on my writing goals.
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below is a list of Dennis Ward's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Chez Gisele Roadkill Diner, TheChez Gisele
Synopsis:
Chez Gisele, a gay comedy noire, is the true story of a beautiful French woman, Gisele "Gigi" Carrinton(1928-2008), who had the infamous nightclub in Lafayette, Louisiana in the late 1960s to early 1970s. It was an era of emerging gay culture and rights in gay history. Gisele's Parisian style nightclub was a safe haven amongst gay people from Houston to New Orleans. Everybody wanted to see Gisele's live, wildly popular shows which featured three regular drag queens, Miss Marie, Miss Doo and Miss Fancy Fontenot. Gisele hired the handsome bartender/bouncer, Clarence Dupuis, who she took into her home after he was abandoned by his family. Clarence was a good for business as he protected the club from gangs of hoodlums who threatened customers and vandalism. One fateful night turned the world of Chez Gisele upside down forever when Clarence Dupuis was murdered in the parking lot of the club; a murder that remains mysteriously unsolved to this day. Despite the circumstances of homophobia, bigotry and even murder, Gisele is still a beloved legend in South Louisiana. Gisele's legacy of unconditional love and grace is still growing today with each performance of Chez Gisele.
Notes:
the 4 drag parts could be men or women. the parts of Miss Poole, Sheriff And Mucky Racker were played by one Actor in our production. the part of the Louisiana governor is A cameo.
1st Produced:
Cite des Arts Theater, Lafayette May 2010
Organisations:
Cite des Arts
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:
Dark comedy. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of PageRoadkill Diner, The
Synopsis:
What happens to the Nutt family when a shotgun wedding, a birth, a death and a funeral all happen at the same time? the audience takes a wild roller coaster ride when playwright Dennis Ward serves up a blue plate special of Southern-fried comic meloDrama in this rollicking, hilarious musical about the dysfunctional Nutt family set in the Roadkill Diner. Big Daddy Nutt, the despot patriarch of Buzzard Mountain has just died leaving his family with nothing but debts. Desperate, his oldest daughter, Ima Nutt, sets out on a ruthless path to put the Nutts back on top. She meets her match in Connie Coffee, the fiery, AK-47 tongued, Roadkill Diner waitress who easily makes mincemeat of the Nutt sisters. Annie Lu, the beautiful, talented Roadkill Diner waitress happily marries Dub Nutt, the heterosexual, drag queen son of Big Daddy. they plan to leave Buzzard Mountain and become a professional entertainers. the Nutt family members all collide into a frenzied train wreck at the grand annual Nutt family reunion that exposes all their lurid secrets. AM Radio station KARP frequently broadcasts roadkill alerts where to pick up the freshest meat sponsored by Ethyl Mae's Beauty and Chain Saw Repair. the funny/poignant ten original songs and lyrics that assist to tell the story are by the incomparable blues jazz singer/songwriter Roddy Barnes.
Notes:
Music And lyrics by Roddy Barnes; book by Dennis Ward. At this point there Are ten original songs; however, four songs Are being Added by early 2012.
1st Produced:
Cite des Arts Theater, Lafayette 09 Sep 2011
Organisations:
Cite des Arts
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:
Musical comedy. - - Gay/Lesbian, of interest
Parts:
Male: 6 Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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