10 most important American plays?- Page 2

[Basely Tearful]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 6:29pm

"What is important about August: Osage County?"

It's a harrowing, realistic portrayal of modern American life and how burried secrets never stay hidden too long.

[Revolutionary]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 7:28pm

Wah, no votes for The Iceman Cometh?

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 8:54pm

1. A Streetcar Named Desire
2. Death of a Salesman
3. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
4. The Glass Menagerie
5. Our Town
6. The Crucible
7. Lost in Yonkers
8. Fences
9. August: Osage County
10. Angels in America

- said the sixteen year old Tennessee Williams fanatic.

[whatever2]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 9:02pm

fwiw, I agree with many of the common suggestions, especially Angels in America, Our Town, Streetcar, and the Crucible.

I also want to throw out a dark horse: The Kentucky Cycle.

Won the Pulitzer, was a critical rave in Seattle, LA, and DC; bombed here in Gotham -- i'd say inexplicably, but i suspect it's lack of success on Broadway actually can be explained.

Brilliant drama chronicling key themes in American mythology across almost three centuries.

Though, technically it's 9 plays. (Whatever -- Angels is 2!)

[South Fl Marc]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 10:24pm

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"
"The Crucible"
"True West"
"Long Days Journey Into Night"
"A Trip to Bountiful"
"Angels in America"
"Talleys Folly"
"You Can't Take It With You"
"Waiting for Lefty"
"The Piano Lesson"
"Streetcar Named Desire"

I think every list should have O'neill, Williams, Shepherd,August Wilson and Lanford Wilson.

Oh, and "Our Town" is NOT on my list.
Updated On: 12/3/09 at 10:24 PM

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/3/09 at 11:39pm

OK, here it goes, (and f*ck ten):

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Seascape (the 3 act version)
Lolita (oh yes, let's fight about it)
The Children's Hour
The Normal Heart
Angels In America
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof
A Streetcar Named Desire
Suddenly, Last Summer
The Glass Menagerie
Angels In America
Glengarry Glen Ross
The Adding Machine
Home of The Brave (we can fight about this too)
Long Day's Journey Into Night
The Skin of Our Teeth
Bus Stop
Death of a Salesman (begrudgingly)

P

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 12:13am

In no order:

Angels in America
1776 (The book is DAMN strong)
All My Sons
The Crucible
August: Osage County
Glengarry Glen Ross
Streetcar Named Desire
Harvey
The Laramie Project

And no, I didn't count Our Town (I really don't see it's influence anywhere) or Death of a Salesman (I really really HATE that play)

[duffny1]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 10:08am

Important about August Osage County? I thought it was beautifully written (and performed) and dealt with many issues Americans deal with Alcoholism, Monogamy, Suicide, Addition, Control. I guess to me it seems like a reflection of reality. That is why I would put it among the most important american plays.

I thought it was interesting that you mentioned August: Osage County and not say--The House of Blue Leaves or M Butterfly. These are shows that I found important.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 10:15am

Any list that does not list OUR TOWN as the #1 should be discredited IMMEDIATELY.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 10:26am

I don't know if I would consider House of Blue Leaves on a list of 10 Most Important Plays, but I adore it. Even though it has that mid 60s/early 70s time setting and sensibility, the way the characters strive for love, fame and contentment and are continually thwarted and humiliated by their dreams has a lot to say about American life, especially as celebrity culture has become even more pervasive since Guare wrote that play.

Minority opinion and I expect to be flamed for this, but I think August: Osage County is a ludicrously stupid play, though beautifully staged and performed. M. Butterfly I think too seemed better than it was due to John Dexter's highly charged and wildly theatrical original production. On rereading, I don't think it holds up all that well.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 11:36am

Yea, August sticks out on these lists like a fly in the punch bowl.

It's television onstage. Entertaining but not "important". There's nothing wrong with that, but to borrow a phrase that's dating as fast as August, it is what it is. And nothing more.

[jagfkb]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 11:48am

Bryan 26

1- Angels in America
2- Long Day's Journey Into Night
3- Fences
4- The Crucible
5- Our Town
6- Doubt
7- A Streetcar Named Desire
8- Lost in Yonkers
9- The Kentucky Cycle
10- August: Osage County

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 1:48pm

I love when people claim a list to be invalid, simply because they don't like the fact a title is missing.

[raker]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 4:38pm

I didn't like August: Osage County. I thought it was shallow, artificial, and completely implausible from beginning to end, so why bother.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 4:46pm

I think BUG is a better play than AUGUST. I haven't seen/read SUPERIOR DONUTS yet, but I get the feeling it isn't as "important" as those other two.

Oh, and I think Friedkin's film of BUG is right up there with ANGELS IN AMERICA (and WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?) as not only one of the best stage-to-screen transfers but one of the best dramatic films of the last 10 years. Not a popular opinion, not that that matters.

P

[AlgonquinProd2]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 5:22pm

If indeed the criteria is 'important' as opposed to 'well-crafted' or 'entertaining', I think some of my favorites would not be on it. "A Raisin in the Sun" is a more important play than "Fences" or "Doubt", I would say. I believe that for a play to be on the list of most important it should have in some way changed the way theater was viewed up to that point. That's a pretty tall order, but with that in mind, my list would be:

1) Our Town
2) The Iceman Cometh
3) Death of A Salesman
4) The Children's Hour
5) A Streetcar Named Desire
6) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
7) A Raisin in the Sun
The Glass Menagerie
9) Angels in America
10) Marat Sade

[Smaxie]

Posted: 12/4/09 at 5:26pm

Marat/Sade is the work of German playwright Peter Weiss, so not applicable to a list of important American plays. Good play, though.