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Home , Alfred Uhry, David Rabe, Doug Wright, George Furth, John Lahr, Joshua Rosenblum

re p resenting the american DRAMATISTS by publishing and licensing the works PLAY SERVICE, INC. of new and established playwrights. atplay ISSUE 2 SPRING 1998

david ives’ mere mortals yasmina reza’s “art” new plays changing scripts, yes or no? page to stage production calendar

THE IRISH ARE COMING! MARTINMARTIN MCDONAGH’SMCDONAGH’S GIFTGIFT OFOF GABGAB BYBY JOHNJOHN LAHRLAHR new to the from the play service mail room

After Easter by Anne Devlin A Belfast woman confronts Service nicest newsletter I’ve gotten in a very long time. her identity. Imaginative and different in layout, yet very I’m having one of those “Maybe I should let readable, and with interesting topics and even a “Art” people know when they do something cool” dash of humor. I actually look forward to getting by Yasmina Reza days,and wanted to mention that I think it’s ter- the next issue. Congrats. translated by Christopher rific how often you point folks to other play ser- David DiSavino Hampton vices when they come looking for a script that Rainbow Dinner Theatre, PA Three male friends erupt over isn’t in the Dramatists catalogue. a minimalist painting. Kind of reminds me of my favor ite hardwa r e store; We just rec e i ved a copy of the premier issue of At if they don’t have the widget I need, th e y’ll call Pl a y. The article by Craig Pospisil on rights and As Bees in Honey Drown by aro u n d , find out who does and send me there. res t r ictions would be most useful to rep r int in our New York’s long-running I realize this is no big deal, but in a time when upcoming news l e t t e r . Our membership includes boulevard comedy. too many businesses take the “if we don’t have it, both professional and community , as wel l you don’t need it” attitude, it’s great to see an as high school troupes from across the provi n c e s . The Batting Cage honest customer service ethic. Kathy Classen by Joan Ackermann Pat Kight Theatre Alberta Society, Edmonton Two sisters unravel in a Albany Civic Theater, OR comedy-drama about mourning. Your wish is granted. In fact, if anyone else has established a won- would like to reprint one of Craig’s articles, let us The Beauty Queen of Leenane derful relationship with community theatre s know and we’ll be happy to arrange it. by Martin McDonagh across the country through your participation in The author’s American debut festival exhibits, workshops and award sponsor- I was pleased to see your res t r ictions article in At about mothers, daughters and murder. ship. As a result of your efforts, you have helped Pl ay ’ s pr emier issue. As a community college to demystify the process of acquiring production pr ofessor of theatre, I try to educate the high The Beggar’s rights and have encouraged many theatres to schools around us on theatre laws and res t ri c t i o n s . by John Gay grow and produce successfully. In your next issue could you address the penal- in a new version by John The Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) ties for producing a play without obtaining Caird and Ilona Sekacz. is the premier theatre conference in the United rights or paying royalties? Also, could you address States and your sponsorship honors your compa- the rules for video taping and making changes in The Cripple of Inishmaan ny in a visibly dramatic way. It is also a demon- a script? These are both areas we feel are abused. by Martin McDonagh stration of your interest in the success of com- Pam Cilek An Irish island’s crushing munity theatres across the country. St.Charles County Community College, MO isolation, briefly alleviated Michael Fortner by Hollywood. Theatre ,TN In the past, we’ve forced unlicensed productions The Devils to shut their doors and we’ve hired collection by Elizabeth Egloff Premier Issue agencies to go after our authors’unpaid royalties. Dostoyevsky’s famed novel In terms of script changes, don’t do it. You will find adapted for the stage. Congratulations for an excellent inaugural issue a more complete answer in this issue’s Rights & of At Play. I thought the graphics and layout Re s t r i c t i o n s column. Regarding video taping, our Don Juan were functional yet interesting, and the articles Fall issue will handle that very subject. by Moliere had the right balance of information and,to the translated by Richard Wilbur casual reader, entertainment.Bravo! Damnation meets the I have taken the liberty of confirming that you legendary seducer. will receive future issues of our newsletter, HappyTalk, as well.Who says the Farmer and the Easter Cowman can’t be friends? by Will Scheffer A surreal look at mourning Bert Fink Send correspondence to: Letters, At Play, one’s infant. Editor, Happy Talk,the Newsletter of The RodgersDramatists Play Service, Inc., 440 Park Ave n u e & Hammerstein Organization,NY South, New York, NY 10016. E-mail address: [email protected]. Please include (Cont. on page 5) I get a lot of mail, and most of it is junk. Just your address and daytime phone number. Letters wanted to tell you that I thought yours is the chosen for publication may be edited.

2 At Play Spring the playpen the playpen the playpen Who says new release is No Broadway and “Art” don’t mix? “Mere” Sequel What if your best friend spent $40,000 on an abstract,all-white painting that For some reason, in a city of millions, looks like there’s nothing there? And what if you flat-out called the painting I never have trouble spotting David Ives. “shit,” then tried to persuade your friend that all contemporary art is a sham, Considering the success he’s had since the and that the world (meaning your friend) has been taken in by it? Then,what debut of All in the Timing, I wonder why if your discussion about art turned into one about friendship and one’s taste more people don’t recognize him as well. in women? Soon you saw 15 years of camaraderie going down the tubes,and Tall and slender, with salt ‘n pepper hair all because of a painting. This is the subject of Yasmina Reza’s “Art,” which threw down the Tony and large, dark-rimmed glasses, the late gauntlet last March when it opened on Broadway with Alan Alda,Victor forty-something author usually appears to me Garber and Alfred Molina as the three friends in turmoil. Christopher on the Upper West Side, either waiting for the Hampton (Les Liaisons Dangereuses) is responsible for the play’s English lan- 96th Street subway, or where the rollerblade r s guage translation. do their tricks in Central Park. Was Yasmina Reza nervous about the Broadway debut? “The play’s In his own way, David has a lot in common worked in Moscow,Tel Aviv. If it doesn’t work in New York,that’s life.” Quite with the skaters — there’s only so much you an understatement when you consider the play’s already had over one hun- can do on a pair of skates, or with a one-act dred productions in more than 15 languages around the world, the most play for that matter, right? recent one being its ongoing run in London.There the play won the 1996 Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for best comedy and has been playing But the skaters’ perseverance and creativity to sold-out houses ever since. remind me of the hard-to-achieve, almost math- Originally written in French, “Art” premiered in Berlin before moving ematical precision that David has brought to to Paris where it ran for eighteen months and won two Molière Awards (the th e one-act form. This quality, which made Al l French Tonys).It was in Paris that Sean Connery’s wife saw the play and pro- in the Timing an immense success, is apparent posed that he help produce it in London. Enlisting to on ce again in his new collection, Mere Mortals. write the English translation, and real-life friends Albert Finney and Tom Li k e All in the Timing, Mere Mortals began at Courtenay to star, Connery created a West End phenomenon. And the New York’s Primary Stages before transfer- Broadway run seems no less destined to pulling in the stars:Robert DeNiro, ring to a commercial run. Some of its six and have all expressed interest in the movie roles. It is no surprise that “Art” continues to succeed no matter where it is plays are new, and some are older or revised; produced.The play is charming and highly intelligent, with big ideas and but they’re sure to have Ives aficionado s deeply provocative things to say about friendship.This is also the kind of play arguing about their favorites. In fact, if you people have been dying to see return to Broadway:something serious, but one co uld hear how David’s plays are talked about that flatters the head,heart and funny bone all at .“A salt-and-sugar treat,” at the conventions we attend, you would think is how the Times of Londondescribed it. Newsweekputs it this way:“A mar- th e drama club set had found their own version riage of Molière and Woody Allen…a nonstop cross-fire of crackling language, of baseball cards. serious issues of life and art expressed in outbursts that sound like Don Rickles The plays included in Mere Mortals are: with a degree from the Sorbonne.” And Vincent Canby of the NewY ork Times Foreplay or: The Art of the Fugue, about a has commented that even the play’s sporty length adds to its magic:“Did I say that ‘Art,’ which runs 90 minutes and is played without an intermission,is not battle of the sexes waged on a miniature- only the shortest new play on Broadway, but also the funniest. It moves like golf course; Mere Mortals, which eavesdrops the wind and leaves you exhilarated.It’s theater, pure and elegant.” Heck, even on three construction workers, one of whom John Simon likes it. thinks he’s the Lindbergh baby; Time Flies, Reza has commented that she ori ginally thought she was writing a in which two mayflies decide to spend their t r a g e d y, but then wo n d e red at the reception the play re c e ived as a comedy. lives together but realize they only have an E ven more surp rising to her we re the arguments the play inspired mid-per- hour or two left; Speed-the-Play, a mock f o rm a n c e, with audience members raging in the aisles about cutting edge homage combining all the plays of David a rt .H ow appro p ri a t e, t h e n , that the title of the play comes with its own set Mamet; Dr. Fritz, a Vaudevillian look at a of quotation marks. T h ey not only highlight the subjective nature of the p i e c e, but tell us something about it that we ’ve already figured out: “ A rt ” tourist with food poisoning; and Degas, C’est has people talking. Moi, about a man who wants to be the French —DAG impressionist for the day. —DAG

(Rights to Mere Mortals, and to the individ- ual plays that comprise it, are widely available and published scripts are (Dramatists Play Service will be publishing the acting edition“Art” for available for purchase.) shortly. Production rights to the play are unavailable at this, btimeut please write to us about your interest and we’ll be sure to you when the rights are released.)

1998 At Play 3 The Gift of Gab A new Irish yarn spinner has London (and now New York) in his thrall. by This ye a r ’s bragging rights in English drama who trades tidbits of local news for food.“I will get belong to the twen t y - s e ven - y ear-old London-based on with me three pieces of news so,” he tells his I rishman Martin McDonagh, whose hair is pre- li s t e n e rs . “I will leave me best piece of news till the m a t u rely silver and whose mind has a pre t e rn a t u r- end so’s you will be waiting for it.”As pro m i s e d ,j u s t al gift for story t e l l i n g . after Joh n ny p a t e e n m i k e has revealed that a certa i n In The Beauty Queen of Leenane, which wo n villager threw his Bible into the sea and that Jac k McDonagh the Evening Standard Awa rd for Most El l e ry ’ s goose bit Pat Bren n a n ’ s cat,and the audience P romising Play w ri g h t , a dutiful daughter’s chance is waiting for “about the biggest piece of news at marriage is destroyed by her manipulative Joh n ny p a t e e n m i k e has ever had,” Cri p p l e m o t h e r; the daughter dispatches the old bat with Billy makes his entrance and fores t a l l s all the gleeful re d e m p t ive violence of the wo o d s- the payof f .This is not simple stuff to man knocking off the wolf to save the almost en gi n e e r , but McDonagh makes d evo u red Little Red Ridinghood. On opening it look easy. The audience is n i g h t , the sophisticated London audience was so h o o ke d .D e c re p i t ,c o u g h i n g , caught up in the primal battle between mother d o e - eye d , and dre a my, and daughter that some people actually hissed the Billy shuffles into view: a w i t c hy mother when she coaxed the suitor’s let- rumpled body with a ter of proposal to her daughter out of a cloddish s h a rp wit. He asks messenger and threw it into the fire. Jo h n ny p a t e e n m i ke to McDonagh’s second outing, The Cripple of stop calling him Inishmaan, is a more polished and more persuasive C ri p p l e, and say s , evening. McDonagh, who has set the play on a “We l l , do I go calling remote island off the west coast of Ireland in 1934, you ‘Jo h n ny p a t e e n- puts a wider cast of characters through more com- m i ke with new s plicated reversals of plot, and spins a tragicomic th a t ’ s so boring it’d yarn about the mutation of spirit that is a byprod- bo r e the head off a uct of the landscape’s punishing emptiness. dead bee’?” B u t The island’s scuffed and monumental granite when the news is cliffs have taken a brutal beating from nature;so, we finally broadcast it is learn, have the people who inhabit them.At the big indeed. The Am - village store, where seventeen-year-old Cripple e rican f i l m m a ke r Billy Claven lives with his two maiden caretak- R o b e rt Flah-ert y i s ers—the childlike “Aunt” Kate and the starchy shooting “Man of Ar a n ” “Aunt”Eileen—the windows,the walls,the shelves on a neighboring island. of canned peas, and even the counter are can- An opportunity has tilevered like elements in a Cubist painting. Each ap p e a r ed on the villagers’ ble a k character enters not only with his own idiosyn- ho ri z o n , and Billy is not the crasy but with his own distinct idiom.McDonagh only one to grasp at this flimsy skillfully juggles rhythms and repetitions so as to st r a w. illuminate the sadness, defensiveness, and longing The news also captures for connection underneath the characters’ badi- the manic imagination of nage.For instance, before we see Cripple Billy, his S l i p py Helen, a tatterd e- profound disadvantage is relayed to us by the two malion terma g a n t . Sh e shopkeeping aunties, who pass judgment on his swag g e r s around the disability without seeing their own: stage in he r was p - wa i s t e d Ei l e e n : Poor Billy’ll never be getting th re a d - kissed.Unless it was be a blind girl. Kate: A blind girl or a backward girl. Eileen: Or Jim Finnegan’s daughter. Kate: She’d kiss anything. Eileen: She’d kiss a bald donkey. Kate: She’d kiss a bald donkey. And she’d still probably draw the line at Billy. Poor Billy.

McDonagh knows that the trick of the tale is to delay revel a t i o n , and he gives this narra t i ve insight to the town gossip, Joh n ny p a t e e n m i k e,

4 At Play Spring ba r e raincoat and torn tights,al t e r nately browb e a t i n g relents and kisses him before she exits. Cripple NEW (cont. from page 2) her oafish little brot h e r ,Ba rt l e y,and giving lip to any- Billy is finally embraced.In that stunned and won- one who crosses her path. Sl i p p y Helen is so called derful moment, his manhood and the promise of because she’s forever “d ro p p i n g ” the eggs she’s sup- joy are confirmed. Billy laughs; then, just as sud- Gross Indecency: The Three posed to deliver to the store.“I didn’t drop them eggs denly, McDonagh wipes the smile off both his face Trials of Oscar Wilde at all,” she tells Eileen. “I went pegging them at and ours.Billy coughs and starts to spit blood.The by Moises Kaufman Father Barra t t , got him bang in the gob with fecking lights fade on him looking at his hand—the Wilde’s oracular brilliance four of them.” This information appalls and bewi l - promise of joy replaced by the promise of death.It’s proves little use in this de r s Eileen. “S u r e, pe g g ing eggs at a prie s t , is n ’ t it a destiny of impoverishment as desolate and unfor- factual courtroom drama. pu r e against God?” she asks.To which Helen rep l i e s , giving as the dark rocks that loom in the back- “ O h ,m aybe it is, but if God went touching me arse ground behind him. The Herbal Bed in choir practice I’d peg eggs at that fecker , to o .” M c D o n a g h ’s pro s p e c t s , by contrast, s e e m by Peter Whelan McDonagh never lets the audience get ahead assured. He’s a natural, who has most certainly The adultery trial of of his story; he adroitly turns the tables on every arrived.In the way of the English press,McDonagh Shakespeare’s eldest daughter. expectation.Cripple Billy, by forging a doctor’s let- has been discovered, ballyhooed, published, and ter saying he has tuberculosis—a piece of emo- despised all in one year. But his characterizations Hollywood Pinafore tional panhandling that later comes true— and the richness of his comedy insure a healthy book and lyrics by George S. talks himself onto the boat taking Helen commercial life for his plays. The Beauty Queen of Kaufman to Aran and Flaherty’s production. Leenane is the first of what McDonagh calls his music by Sir Billy, not Helen, gets to Ho l l y wo o d Connemara Trilogy;the next two plays—A Skull in 1940’s Hollywood sung to for a screen test. “But they didn’t Gilbert and Sullivan. want me,” he explains, back in Inishmaan.“A blond lad from “I didn’t drop them eggs at Hot ‘n’ Throbbing Fort Lauderdale they hired by instead of me. He wasn’t al l ”, she tells Eileen. “I went A struggling single mother crippled at all, but the Ya n k takes to writing porn. said ‘ A h , better to get a nor- pegging them at Father Barratt, mal fella who can act crip- The House of Bernarda Alba pled than a crippled fella got him bang in the gob with (La Casa de Bernarda Alba) who can’t fecking act at by Federico Garcia Lorca all.’”His travels have at least fecking four of them.” in a new version by Emily Mann. c l a rified his feelings for Slippy He l e n ; even t u a l l y , he Connemara and The LonesomeW est—will have been Ivanov and Six Short Plays pl u c k s up the courage to ask produced by the Royal Court in conjunction with by Anton Chekhov her out walking.“It isn’t out the Druid Theatre. Meanwhile, McDonagh, who translated by Paul Schmidt walking you’d be anyways, it has a few more plays yet in his trunk, says he has would be out shuffling,because talked with the American producer Scott Rudin you can’t walk,” she say s , and asks (“The Addams Family,” “The First Wives’ Club”) The Joy of Going Somewhere hi m , “What wou l d you and me about writing a screenplay, which he has already Definite want to be out shuffling for?” begun work on. He “only saw eight plays” when by Quincy Long “ For the ,” Billy say s . he was growing up, he says,and was “always more music by Joshua Rosenblum “And for the way sweethearts be.” interested in films than theatre,” so Hollywood may A Fargo-type look at three At these wo rds of endearm e n t , seem an easy fit.It’s not facility but maturity, how- lumberjacks trying to save a Slippy Helen spends a full thirty sec- ever, that McDonagh requires to turn his great gift marriage. onds trying to contain her sniggering into great drama. And if he can find maturity in before shutting the shop door on Billy Hollywood he really will have the luck of the Irish. Lighting Up the Two-Year-Old and his humiliation without so much as by Benjie Aerenson a goodbye. Minutes later, as the devastat- Horse racing and blackmail. ed Billy is about to leave home for a sec- “The Gift of Gab”by John Lahr. ond time, Slippy Helen sticks her head Copyright © 1997 by John Lahr. The Lonesome West back inside the door. “All right so I’ll go Reprinted by permission of Georges by Martin McDonagh out walking with ya,” she says, “but only Borchardt,Inc. for the author. All rights Two hateful brothers battle a somewheres no fecker would see us and reserved by the author. Originally appeared priest. when it’s dark and no kissing or in The New Yorker,January 27,1997. groping, cos I don’t want you Marcus is Walking ruining my fecking rep- by Joan Ackermann u t a t i o n ,” bu t , o f Editor’s Note: Marcus trick-or-treats for the c o u rs e, s h e As of this writing, The Cripple of first time alone. Inishmaan is scheduled to open at the Public Theater next month. However, Mr. McDonagh’s Mojo American debut, The Beauty Queen of by Jez Butterworth Leenane, has transfered to Broadway A brutally funny look at after an enormous critical response to British rock’n’roll. its off-Broadway engagement. The play is now eligible for the 1998 Tony Award. Our congratulations (Cont. on page 6) to Mr. McDonagh.

1998 At Play 5 NEW (cont. from page 5) rights and r e s t r i c t i o n s

Mud, River, Stone Script Ch a n g e s : Who hasn’t read a pl a y by that they thought they couldn’t im p r o v e ? An African vacation tests a It’s so obv i o us. It just needs a li t t l e co uple seeking their roots. cu t t i n g . Nothing that will change th e The Old Settler au t h or’s inte n t or the sp i r i t of the play. by John Henry Redwood Two older black sisters There’s just one problem: It’s illegal. face love and disappointment in 1940’s by Craig Pospisil, Director, Non-Professional Rights Harlem. No. However, depending on the importance and Ourselves Alone “The play must be size of the part (yes, there are small parts) some by Anne Devlin presented in its published form, without any changes, authors may not mind a gender change as long as Devlin’s stage play about alterations or deletions.” the lines are not changed.But they are unlikely to three women in an IRA That is the first condition on all of our licenses for approve sex changes for major characters. We are family. a reason.The plays we publish are protected by often asked about all-male productions of The Federal Copyright Law, which prohibits anyone Womenor all-female productions of The Zoo Story. Plunge from making unauthorized changes to a script or Neither will ever be approved,and illegal produc- by Christopher Kyle from producing the play without obtaining per- tions of these have been shut down. Again, you Can friendships formed in mission. The copyright laws were established to must always ask for and receive written permission your twenties really last? encourage creativity by giving the creator (play- before any changes may be made. wright, , lyricist, librettist, etc.) exclusive A Question of Mercy control over his/her work for a period of time.The “Is it okay to split up this one by David Rabe term of the current copyright statute is the author’s character and give his lines to The debate over life plus fifty years. some of the other actors?” euthanasia takes No. However, sometimes an author will allow a troubling form. I think what confuses people is that intellectual high school or similar group to do this with minor property covers a wide set of rights, all of which characters.But only sometimes.And these changes A Skull in Connemara are separate.As the copyright owner of the play, the must be approved in writing. by Martin McDonagh author licenses rather than sells the stage perfor- A graveyard worker must mance rights to his/her play. This is what enables “The show is running too disinter his own wife. an author to have multiple productions of a play, long. I just need to make both professionally and on the amateur level. a few cuts. It won’t affect Skyscraper Copyright ownership gives the author the right to the message/tone/overall by control the play, both artistically and on the busi- feeling of the play.” Strangers unite to ness side too.This is very different from the sale of If the running time of a show is important to you, prevent a suicide. film or television rights to a work, where the I urge you to choose a shorter play.You may not author has no further control over the material. make any cuts to shorten the running time. Three Days of Rain by Richard Greenberg Another thing that makes intellectual prop e rt y “Can I change the title?” The children of a complicated is that it’s not tangibl e .You ’ re paying for Please don’t even ask me this question. revolutionary architect something which cannot be seen or held. It ’ s help- examine his memoirs. f u l ,t h e re f o re, to think of stage performance rights as something you are re n t i n g .P retend that The Crucible The Water Children is a car you ’ ve rented from Avi s . You ’ re free to drive At this point, I’m sure you all think I’m a terribl e by Wendy MacLeod the car arou n d , but you can’t have it rep a i n t e d . Or cu r mud g e o n , but these are the rules and the Play A pro-choice actress makes tu r n it into a convert i bl e . “L o o k , ” you might say, Se r vice must enforce them. If , after all of this, ho w- a pro-life commercial. “I ’ ve improved the car. It feels great to have the ever , you still want to inquire about changing some wind blo wing through your hair.” Avi s , ho wever , element of a play in prod u c t i o n , please feel free to wr ite to us with your proposal and we’ll look into it. A Yard of Sun ma y take a dim view of your “i m p r ovem e n t s , ” and I by Christopher Fry doubt that your insurance would cover it. If you want to know more about copyright, and Family tensions explode “Can we cut profanity?” you have access to the Internet,I recommend that in a 1940’s Siena palazzo. No. However, some authors don’t mind toning you go right to the source. The U.S. Copyright down profanity and some even provide alternative Office web site (http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/) The Young Girl and the language. But you must always ask for and receive has the answers to many of your questions, and Monsoon written permission to make any changes. includes the actual text of copyright law. Another by James Ryan good site is 10 Big Myths About Copyright A divorced father wrangles “I didn’t get enough men ( w w w. c l a ri . n e t / b r a d / c o py my t h s . h t m l ) , which is with his teenage daughter. trying out. Can I cast self-explanatory. Most libraries will also have useful this role as a woman?” material on the subject.

6 At Play Spring Dramatists Play Service licenses hundreds of professional productions each year.For your con- venience, here’s a Fall schedule of some of them.You can access an even more comprehensive page to stage list of professional, and selected non-professional,productions by visiting www.dramatists.com June — December 1998 and selecting PAGE TO STAGE.

ALABAMA DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NEW HAMPSHIRE TEXAS SCOTLAND ROAD by Jeffrey DEALER’S CHOICE by Patrick DEATHTRAP by Ira Levin; BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY by Hatcher; Theatre ‘Round the Marber; Studio Theatre, Barnstormers Theatre, Tamworth. Pearl Cleage; Ensemble Theatre, Corner, Huntsville. (OCT.) Washington. (SEPT.) (JUNE) Houston. (AUG.) ARIZONA FLORIDA LATER LIFE by A.R. Gurney; THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO by GOING TO SEE THE ELEPHANT by THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO by Peterborough Players. (AUG.) ; Zachary Scott Theatre Karen Hensel and Elana Kent; Alfred Uhry; Asolo Theatre NEW JERSEY Center, Austin. (NOV.) Arizona TheatreWorks, Flagstaff. Company, Sarasota. (DEC.) THE NERD by Larry Shue; Surflight by ; Stage West, (JULY) A SENSE OF PLACE by Lanford Theatre, Beach Haven. (SEPT.) Fort Worth. (JULY) SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Northstar Wilson; American Stage Company, SHERLOCK’S LAST CASE by Charles STEEL MAGNOLIAS by Robert Harling; Productions, Flagstaff. (JULY) St. Petersburg. (JUNE) Marowitz; Surflight Theatre, Beach Granbury Opera House. (NOV.) CALIFORNIA IDAHO Haven. (SEPT.) UTAH AN AMERICAN DAUGHTER by SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Idaho SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Surflight HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE by ; TheatreWorks, Repertory Theatre, Moscow. (JULY) Theatre, Beach Haven. (OCT.) Paula Vogel; Salt Lake Acting Palo Alto. (SEPT.) ILLINOIS NEW YORK Company. (NOV.) BALM IN GILEAD by ; ANOTHER ANTIGONE by A.R. DEATHTRAP by Ira Levin; Cortland VERMONT Encore Theatre, San Francisco. Gurney; Illinois Theatre Center, Park Repertory Theatre. (JULY) LIPS TOGETHER, TEETH APART by (JUNE) Forest. (OCT.) DEATHTRAP by Ira Levin; Terrence McNally; Weston COLLECTED STORIES by Donald THE VALUE OF NAMES by Jeffrey Forestburgh Playhouse. (AUG.) Playhouse. (JULY) Margulies; Berkeley Repertory Sweet; Illinois Theatre Center, Park DEATHTRAP by Ira Levin; Bristol LOVE LETTERS by A.R. Gurney; St. Theatre. (SEPT.) Forest. (SEPT.) Valley Productions, Naples. (JUNE) Michael’s Playhouse, Colchester. COWGIRLS book by Betsy Howie, INDIANA JEFFREY by Paul Rudnick; Hangar (AUG.) music and lyrics by Mary Murfitt; DEATHTRAP by Ira Levin; Brown Theatre, Ithaca. (JUNE) OLD WICKED SONGS by Jon Marans; Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley. County Playhouse, Bloomington. OLD WICKED SONGS by Jon Dorset Theatre Festival. (SEPT.) (NOV.) (AUG.) Marans; Hangar Theatre, Ithaca. VIRGINIA CURTAINS by Stephen Bill; KANSAS (JULY) QUILTERS book by Molly Newman International City Theatre, Long ME AND JEZEBEL by Elizabeth L. SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Depot and Barbara Damashek, music and Beach. (JULY) Fuller; New Theatre Restaurant, Theatre, Westport. (JULY) lyrics by Barbara Damashek; EYE OF GOD by Tim Blake Nelson; Overland Park. (SEPT.) TAKING SIDES by ; Wayside Theatre, Middletown. International City Theatre, Long KENTUCKY Shadowland Theatre, (AUG.) Beach. (NOV.) FULL GALLOP by Mark Hampton Ellenville. (AUG.) SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Barter THE GRAPES OF WRATH adapted and Mary Wilson; Actors NORTH CAROLINA Theatre, Abingdon. (JUNE) from Steinbeck by Frank Galati; Theatre of Louisville. (DEC.) CRIMES OF THE HEART by Beth WASHINGTON Santa Susana Repertory Company, LOUISIANA Henley; Blowing Rock Stage COLLECTED STORIES by Donald Thousand Oaks. (SEPT.) by Terrence Company. (JULY) Margulies; ACT Seattle. (JULY) THE MUSICAL COMEDY MURDERS McNally; Southern Repertory THE FOREIGNER by Larry Shue; QUILLS by Doug Wright; ACT OF 1940 by John Bishop; Theatre, New Orleans. (DEC.) Temple Theatre Company, Sanford. Seattle. (AUG.) Melodrama , MARYLAND (JUNE) WISCONSIN Bakersfield. (OCT.) HELLCAB by Will Kern; Rep Stage THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO by BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY by NIXON’S NIXON by Russell Lees; Old Company, Columbia. (OCT.) Alfred Uhry; PlayMakers Repertory Pearl Cleage; Milwaukee Repertory Globe Theatre, San Diego. (JULY) NIXON’S NIXON by Russell Lees; Company, Chapel Hill. (SEPT.) Theater Company. (OCT.) THE OLD SETTLER by John Henry Round House Theatre, Silver Spring. THE YOUNG MAN FROM HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE by Redwood; Old Globe Theatre, San (SEPT.) by ; Southern Paula Vogel; Madison Repertory Diego (JULY) MASSACHUSETTS Appalachian Repertory Theatre, Theatre. (OCT.) THE SISTERS ROSENSWEIG by THE BOYS NEXT DOOR by Tom Mars Hill. (JULY) THE LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO by Wendy Wasserstein; Western Stage, Griffin; Merrimack Repertory OHIO Alfred Uhry; Milwaukee Repertory Salinas. (SEPT.) Theatre, Lowell. (NOV.) MERE MORTALS by David Ives; Theater Company. (DEC.) TALLEY’S FOLLY by Lanford Wilson; DEALER’S CHOICE by Patrick Contemporary American Theatre THE OLD SETTLER by John Henry TheatreWorks, Palo Alto. (JUNE) Marber; Gloucester Stage Co., Columbus. (SEPT.) Redwood; Milwaukee Chamber TALLEY’S FOLLY by Lanford Wilson; Company. (AUG.) MOLLY SWEENEY by Brian Friel; Irish Theatre. (NOV.) International City Theatre, Long HAVING OUR SAY by Emily Mann. and American Repertory Theatre, THREE VIEWINGS by Jeffrey Beach. (JUNE) Adapted from the book by Sarah L. Columbus. (JUNE) Hatcher; Madison Repertory COLORADO and Elizabeth Delany with Amy Hill NIXON’S NIXON by Russell Lees; Theatre. (SEPT.) AFTER-PLAY by Anne Meara; Hearth; New Repertory Theatre, Contemporary American Theatre CANADA Theatre On Broadway, Denver. Newton Highlands. (NOV.) Co., Columbus. (OCT.) A CHRISTMAS CAROL adapted (JUNE) I HATE by Paul Rudnick; PENNSYLVANIA from Dickens by Doris Baizley; THE ONLY THING WORSE YOU Foxboro Regional Center. (JUNE) THE CRYPTOGRAM by David Chemainus Theatre Company, BC. COULD HAVE TOLD ME… by Dan MICHIGAN Mamet; City Theatre Company, (NOV.) Butler; Theatre On Broadway, SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Tibbits Pittsburgh. (SEPT.) THE DINING ROOM by A.R. Gurney; Denver. (SEPT.) Summer Theatre, Coldwater. (JULY) THE FOREIGNER by Larry Shue; Theatre on the Grand, Fergus, THE YOUNG MAN FROM ATLANTA MINNESOTA Pennsylvania Center Stage, Ontario. (JULY) by Horton Foote; Arvada Center. BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY by University Park. (JULY) HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE by (SEPT.) Pearl Cleage; Penumbra Theatre SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Mountain Paula Vogel; Centaur Foundation CONNECTICUT Company, St. Paul. (SEPT.) Playhouse, Jennerstown. (SEPT.) for the Arts, Montreal, Quebec. THE GREY ZONE by Tim Blake OLD WICKED SONGS by Jon THE TURN OF THE SCREW adapted (OCT.) Nelson; Long Wharf Theatre, New Marans; Minnesota Jewish Theatre, from James by Jeffrey Hatcher; City MARVIN’S ROOM by Scott Haven. (SEPT.) St. Paul. (OCT.) Th e a t r e Company, Pittsburgh. (SEPT.) McPherson; Festival Antigonish I HATE HAMLET by Paul Rudnick; MISSOURI TENNESSEE Summer Theatre, Nova Scotia. Centennial Theatre Festival, AN AMERICAN DAUGHTER by DANCING AT LUGHNASA by Brian (JULY) Simsbury. (JULY) Wendy Wasserstein; Unicorn Friel; Clarence Brown Theatre OLD WICKED SONGS by Jon DELAWARE Theatre, Kansas City. (JUNE) Company, Knoxville. (JUNE) Marans; Prairie Theatre Exchange, THE GIFTS OF THE MAGI book and OLD WICKED SONGS by Jon SYLVIA by A.R. Gurney; Playhouse Winnipeg, Manitoba. (OCT.) lyrics by Mark St. Germain, music Marans; Repertory Theatre of St. on the Square, Memphis. (AUG.) STEEL MAGNOLIAS by Robert and lyrics by Randy Courts; Louis. (OCT.) Harling; Huron Country Playhouse, Delaware Theatre Company, Grand Bend, Ontario. (JULY) Wilmington (DEC.)

1998 At Play 7 DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC. atplay

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Phone 212.683.8960 Fax 212.213.1539 [email protected] www.dramatists.com AT PLAY: dps p.s. dp s p. s . dp s p. s . DOUG GRABOWSKI, Editor ALLEN L. HUBBY, Design For forty ye a rs , A f ri c a n - sion to point out the statues of famous writers depicted in bronze: CRAIGPOSPISIL, Contributing Editor JOHN LAHR, Guest Contributor Am e r ican men from Al a b a m a Robert Burns,Sir Walter Scott,William Shakespeare….My niece, a pre- wer e subjected to a terribl e cocious 8-year-old, had just one question: ‘So where’s the statue of ©1998 Dramatists Play Service, Inc. All rights se c r et experiment to track the Wendy Wasserstein?’” res e r v e d . pr ogress of untreated syphilis. DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC. The men never gave their Shanley (Psychopathia Sexualis, Italian American Reconciliation OFFICERS: co n s e n t . After the HBO movi e and other plays) has written a remake of the Kim Novak-James STEPHEN SULTAN, President GILBERT PARKER, Vice President of David Fel d s h u h ’ s Miss Ever s ’ Stewart romance Bell,Book and Candlebased on John van Druten’s ever- HOWARD ROSENSTONE, Secretary Boy s a p p e a re d , P re s i d e n t popular play of the same name. DIEP NGUYEN, Assistant Treasurer Clinton made a national DIRECTORS: ap o l o gy to the men invol ve d . Will Kern’s Hellcab, about a taxi driver on Christmas Day, is being made William Craver Polly Pen into an independent film with Steppenwolf Theatre veterans Laurie Mary Harden Howard Rosenstone Paul Rudnick Tou r ing plans are in the wor k s Metcalf and Moira Harris.Along for the ride are John Cusack, Julianne Gilbert Parker for The Diary of Anne Fran k Moore, Kevin O’Connor and Gillian Anderson from the X-Files. Stephen Sultan which is currently being ROBERT VAUGHAN, Professional Rights revi ved on Broa d w ay. Ri g h t s Keep your eyes open for Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, now a film CRAIGPOSPISIL, Non-Professional Rights to the play are re s t ri c t e d . starring . ELEANORE SPEERT, Publications ALLEN L. HUBBY, Operations MICHAELROSENHECK, Comptroller R o b e rt Wa l d m a n , t h e Depend on The Simpsonsto be at the forefront of American culture. DOUGGRABOWSKI, Communications composer of the original stage Seasons ago, they parodied the American musical with a rendition of Oh! music to , Streetcar, starring Marge as Blanche Du Bois.Now,you'll be able to attend has music available for The Heiressby Ruth and Augustus Goetz.Contact the San Francisco world premier of Andre Previn's new opera … A customer service for information. Streetcar Named Desire.

You probably haven’t had the chance to see Terrence McNally’s Tony A film of Keith Reddin’s Life DuringW artimerecently premiered at the Award winning Master Classyet (or produced it,for that matter).The play prestigious Sundance Institute. remains under option by the producer who originally toured it with as Maria Callas.Of course, you can read the play, but to Quills, Doug Wright’s hair–raising look at the , censor- get the full flavor you might want to listen to ship and artistic responsibility, is under two CDs from EMI Classics: Maria Callas:At option for a film by Fox Searchlight. Juilliard, featuring actual recordings of Maria Callas’master classes; and Maria Callas Master “I’m kind of Blade to the Heat, Oliver Mayer’s hot and Class, featuring the music from the play. enjoying it, but I sweaty slugfest about homophobia in the Latino boxing world, has been under a Congratulations to this year’s recipient of the still haven’t fig- film option by . She and Mr. American Theatre Critics Association’s New ured out what Mayer have collaborated on the screen- Play Award, Peter Parnell (Flaubert’s Latest, An play. Imaginary Life, The Rise and Rise of Daniel the velour part is Rocket) for The Cider House Rules,Part II, all about.” Overheard at a performance of Terrence adapted from the novel about McNally’s Love! Valour! Compassion!: “I’m abortion, medicine and romance in New England.Also recognized by kind of enjoying it, but I still haven’t figured out what the velour part is the Association is John Henry Redwood,author of The Old Settler, a old- all about.” fashioned tale about two aging sisters in 1940s Harlem. and ’s mystery-comedy Getting Away From the NewY ork Times’Metropolitan Diary:“Recently I had the plea- with Murderis being made into a film retitled An Hour to Kill. sure of a weekend play date with my sister’s young children in Central Park. We visited the statues of Alice in Wonderland, Hans Christian When asked to discuss the meaning of some of his plays recently, Arthur Andersen and Mother Goose….After a photo session at the statue of Miller declined, saying:“I don’t know how to characterize any of my Balto, the Eskimo sled dog, we went directly to the carousel for a couple plays, but that’s O.K.When people ask me, I always just say that Death of of rides.On our way home we walked along the mall.I took the occa- a Salesman is about a salesman and he dies.”