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The Play’s the Thing
By Stephen Peithman
The Long & Short
Plays from 10-minute to full-length
Theatre is not a one-size-fits-all proposition —
whether in terms of subject matter or the amount
of time required to cover it — as evidenced by this
month's roundup of recently published plays that range
from 10-minute plays to full-length productions.
Manifesto Series V.1 is an anthology from Rain City
Projects, Seattle's 16-year-old playwright service organization.
Works chosen by Editor Erik Ehn include Great Men
of Science, No. 21 & 22 by Glen Berger; Back of the Throat
by Yussef El Guindi; Tornado & Avalanche by Bret Fetzer
& Juliet Waller-Pruzan; Cleveland Raining by Sung Rno;
Stray by Heidi Schreck; and Two Birds and a Stone by Amy
Wheeler. This is an edgy collection with an often apocalyptic
spin on everything from politics to science, from war to
natural disasters. These plays of varying lengths aren't for
everyone, but all strive to help us see the world around us
in a very different way. [Rain City Projects, $19.95]
Don Nigro's My Sweetheart's the Man in the Moon
takes on the story of Evelyn Nesbit, the beautiful chorus
girl at the center of an explosive and deadly love triangle
involving architect Stanford White (her married lover) and
Harry K. Thaw, her wealthy and demented husband, who
eventually shot White at Madison Square Garden in 1906.
The affair plays a part in the musical Ragtime, but here it's
a bit more like Chicago — a darkly comic play (for three
women, two men) chronicling the events leading up to
the murder and Nesbit's subsequent wild ride through the
American tabloid press. While most accounts have pushed
the sensational aspects of the story, Nigro lets the facts
speak for themselves. The result is a quirky, ironic account
that expertly combines real-life situations with nonrealistic
theatricality. [Samuel French]
Another history play is Bill W. and Dr. Bob, by Stephen
Bergman and Janet Surrey. It's the story of the two men
who founded Alcoholics Anonymous, and of their wives,
who pioneered Al-Anon. Richly textured with the ragtime
and jazz of the era, the play comes across as an unusual
American success story. The message is nicely handled
through well written, often humorous scenes that include
a number of significant supporting characters — most
notably the two wives — including two actors who play
the various men and women helped by the team of Bob
and Bill. What's particularly fascinating is AA's successful
launch, despite the profound differences in the personalities
and backgrounds of those two titans of temperance.
This is a real audience-pleaser, as proven by the 118-
minute DVD of the original off-Broadway production,
which also includes a 25-minute question-and-answer
session after the show. Both script and DVD are available
from Samuel French.
Brett Neveu's The Last Barbecue is a quietly dark comedy
about Ted and Jan's barbecue held during a 10-year
reunion of their son's high school graduation, and the
one-year anniversary of the death of their next-door
neighbor. In the first act, the parents attempt to get ready
for the barbecue, oppressed by regret and the heat. Their
son, Barry, and his wife join the barbecue. Barry, a bit of a
bully (like his father), makes fun of the situation and looks
forward to going to his high school graduation that night
to show everyone how much he's changed. (He hasn't,
really.) His wife tries to rein him in as he pushes his father's
buttons, revealing how much both have in common, and
how much both wish they weren't who they have ended
up becoming. The second act takes place late the same
night, when Barry shows up again, looking for beer and
a chance to have it out with his father. There's no real
change for anyone at the end of this beautifully written
slice-of-life drama, with the four characters remain locked
in a continuous cycle of clichés and crushed dreams.
[Broadway Play Publishing]
The 10-minute play as an accepted dramatic form is a
fairly recent development. Some would say its popularity
stems from our diminished attention span, and there may
be some truth in that. On the other hand, it's been taken
up by theatre companies across the country as a way to
help emerging playwrights, or established playwrights to
experiment with new forms. And, in fact, the "best" plays
in the new volumes, 2006: The Best Ten-Minute Plays
for 3 or More Actors, are the ones that depart most from
conventional drama. The new collection includes 13 plays
for three actors, nine plays for four actors, and three for six
or more actors. Some of the playwrights may be familiar
(Don Nigro, Craig Pospisil), but most are from talented,
but relatively unknown writers who strut some very good
stuff, indeed. The same can be said for 2006: The Best Ten-
Minute Plays for 2 Actors, which includes 16 plays for one
man and one woman, four plays for two women, and five
plays for two men. [Smith & Kraus, $19.95 each]
www.stage-directions.com • April 2008 41