Greatest Play

Posted: 11/22/04 at 7:28pm

For my AP Dramatic Lit class, I need to read a play of my choice over the Thanksgiving Weekend, and I wanted to ask you:

What play should I read? It should be very famous (so I can get it quickly), and not too long (because I only have a week to read it!)

It can be comedy, or serious, from any time period, but it must be considered a classic, because the goal of the assignment is to be able to possibly allude to this play on the AP exam. Thanks!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 7:34pm

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE by Tennessee Williams. On the surface it's the story of a woman's breakdown. On another level, it uses color symbolism to enchance the tale. (There are really two Blance's: the "red" Blanche and the "blue" Blanche. When these two colors meet at the play's denouement [the Della Robbia Blue, which is somewhat lilac] she breaks down and is escorted to an asylum.)

[TGIF]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 7:40pm

Glass Menagerie is a good choice too. I am sure you had to read it in an english class at one point. I agree with Dolly, Streetcar is a great play.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:05pm

definitely Streetcar..I recently read THe Glass Menagerie for the first time. It's also great, but Streetcar is better

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:06pm

the graduate

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:11pm

I vote for The Crucible by Arthur Miller. God knows it has some serious resonance in todays atmosphere.

[geri loves wicked]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:16pm

I dont think its the greatest, but The Devil and Daniel Webster is short and sweet. It's pleasantly weird too.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:28pm

Here are a couple more:

The Zoo Story by Edward Albee
-- considered by many the greatest one act play ever written (or at least written by an American), deals with class conflict and loneliness and the dangers of inaction and the nature of violence. A masterpiece (and very short).

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
-- one of the greatest comedies ever written, in addition to being hilariously funny even today, it is also a sharp and potent satire of the British class system.

Updated On: 11/22/04 at 08:28 PM

[Corine2]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:34pm

The Normal Heart- Larry Kramer

[superperson]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 8:35pm

Honestly I don't think you need to look past "Death of a Salesman". This is probably the best American play ever written, and it's very easy to get through. It deals with basic American themes and is dramatically gripping and tragic. "Streetcar Named Desire" is one of those plays too, but I think "Salesman" holds more general resonance, especially among students.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 9:03pm

Hands down, A DOLL'S HOUSE by Ibsen. There's so much there...
Or, I second THE CRUCIBLE.

[pab]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 9:48pm

Um . . . he said "and not too long"

I'd go with "Zoo Story"

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 9:52pm

I kind of disregarded the "not too long" comment, because all well known plays are generally the same length and can be read very quickly. I love THE ZOO STORY and performed a monologue from it for my acting class, but I think it's far less interesting than others, and if he's looking for something very famous so it's easy to find at a local bookstore or library, it's not all that probable that they will carry it.

[pab]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 10:04pm

"Hell is Other People"

Of course there is always "No Exit" by Jean-Paul Sartre

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 10:05pm

I thought about "No Exit" but I thought it might be a bit much for a Thanksgiving weekend.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 10:17pm

I think you would be safe with almost any Arthur Miller play. I know you said you dont want something too long, but Angels in America is a must read.

[BlueEyedKate]

Posted: 11/22/04 at 11:13pm

"A Streetcar Named Desire" - very commonly read, and for good reason.

I completely agree with MargoChanning re: "The Importance of Being Earnest"

I read, and used heavily "A Man for All Seasons" (can't remember who wrote it for the life of me at this moment) and "Fences" (August Wilson) for my AP exam many years ago. "Fences" has amazing symbolism (especially in terms of social context, as part of the Wilson decadology) and is a comparatively easy read.

I also personally love "Angels in America" as well...

[apdarcey]

Posted: 11/23/04 at 12:05am

personally, i think glass is much better than streetcar... williams would be a good bet for the ap... but what about my favorite? SHAKESPEARE! you said classic... and there certainly is no one better... my favorite is othello though it is generally agreed that king lear is the "best"... i was also thinking of a doll's life by ibsen... if you want a great play you can't read a one act... it just doesn't have a chance to be great...

[Matt_G]

Posted: 11/23/04 at 12:07am

My favorite plays are (in order)

OUR TOWN
THE CRUCIBLE
GLASS MENAGEIRE
SIDE MAN
BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE

[grownupgroupie]

Posted: 11/23/04 at 12:09am

Tons of great choices here. I'm partial to all Williams, but The Glass Menagerie--being autobiographically based *and* a total of 8 scenes long--might be a less lofty goal thematically and length-wise than Streetcar. But they're both divine.

Posted: 11/23/04 at 1:30am

Our Town is easy to do, and an easy read if you can get passed the Stage Manager's lines. Another one of WIlder's plays is The Matchmaker...it's good.

Everything else is good....Earnest was hard for me to read though, but Algy's a great part :)

[Matt_G]

Posted: 11/23/04 at 1:34am

I wouldn't say OUR TOWN is easy to do at all. It's as easy to put that on as any other show, but to get it down and make it WORK, you need a cast of exceptionally talented actors who understand it and all the themes throughout it. It's VERY tough to do a good quality production of that show.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 11/23/04 at 1:36am

Probably not the "greatest play" but one of my favorite plays is Saint Lucy's Eyes by Bridgette A. Wimberly.

Posted: 11/23/04 at 1:55am

But for what he's doing, it'll be easy. It's long though...Three acts.

Posted: 11/23/04 at 2:03am

I'm intrigued that I don't see any O'Neil on this thread.

As to the Shakespeare, of course he is the ultimate classic, but I'd hardly consider ANY of them an 'easy' read - and I'm not sure everyone would consider Lear his greatest work - not with Hamlet floating around.