Really Obscure Play Titles

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 11:46am

Never Live Over A Pretzel Factory

A Case Of Libel

6 Rms Riv Vu

Wheelbarrow Closers

Knockout

Warp

 

Anyone else have any choices?

Updated On: 9/14/15 at 11:46 AM

[ljay889]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 12:16pm

Children! Children!

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 12:23pm

Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad: A Pseudoclassical Tragifarce in a Bastard French Tradition

 

See also: Longest Play Titles

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 12:48pm

I actually saw all the titles I mentioned

 

Pretzel starred Robert Preston

Warp was to be a 3 part story with 3 separate productions. They were one and done.

 

Another title : We Interrupt This Program

[finebydesign]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:07pm

The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore

 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:09pm

The Red Devil  Battery Sign

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:10pm

The Red Devil  Battery Sign

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:21pm

This weekend I stopped by the Drama Bookstore on 40th, and browsed through the "used plays" section. Nothing but obscure plays (with the occasion O'Neill or ancient Greek playwright thrown into the mix). I can't remember any of the specific titles, but my god, I had no idea there were that many super-obscure plays that had been published. 

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:24pm

A Patriot For Me

[Rinaldo]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:31pm

Mr Roxy said: Warp was to be a 3 part story with 3 separate productions. They were one and done.

True, in New York. But the whole trilogy had been a success in Chicago, so much so that it had a return production there in 1980. I happened to move there just at that time and saw all 3 parts. I could see both why it was an affectionate local favorite (campy fun, with ingenious staging in the round on gym mats) and why it didn't travel well to another city (there's no real reason to go see it, and there's not really enough of it for three full plays). A classic transplant story.

6 Rms Rv Vu isn't all THAT obscure. It had a nice midlevel full-season run (October through May) and got Jane Alexander (who costarred with Jerry Orbach) a Tony nomination. No doubt a light comedy made a welcome change of pace and image for her (still in the process of getting better known) after the angst of The Great White Hope on stage and film.

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 1:36pm

I think he meant the "title" was obscure, not the "play" was obscure.  But, I could be wrong.

 

But, you are correct if he meant an obscure play and then mentioning 6 Rms Riv Vu, it was also a successful TV movie with Carol Burnett and Alan Alda.  It is also a popular choice for regional and community theaters.

 

 

Updated On: 9/14/15 at 01:36 PM

[Jay94]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 2:02pm

P.S. Your Cat is Dead

[Fantod]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 3:06pm

I've read a lot of these plays. Oh Dad, Poor Dad is a favorite of mine

How about: Stupid F*CKing Bird

[yfs]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 3:09pm

Robert Preston did not star in Never Live Over a Pretzel Factory, which I saw on opening night. He did star in a really good, obscure play called Nobody Loves and Albatross, however. Much better play than Pretzel Factory. 

 

 

[After Eight]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 3:56pm

Dennis O'Keefe starred in Pretzel Factory. Martin Sheen had a supporting role, and he was very good in it.

[yfs]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:08pm

Anyone see "Nathan Weinstein, Mystic Connecticut"? That was a puzzler, written by a writer who went on to great success in movies and TV. 

 

 

[After Eight]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:13pm

 

^

 

I did see that one. I found it quirky and funny. I laughed quite a few times at Zohra Lampert's offbeat performance.

 

Come to think of it, I enjoyed both Pretzel Factory  and Nathan Weinstein a gazillion times more than the rotten fare that wins critical raves, Tony awards, and Pulitzer Prizes nowadays.

Updated On: 9/14/15 at 04:13 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:20pm

Just when you think AfterEight is gonna be a civil board member and share his decent insights...

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:29pm

Better yet, WARP was turned into a comic book series!  WARP cover gallery

[Sauja]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:33pm

Just recently, Soho Rep did: We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915

 

Which, I should note, I saw and adored.

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:38pm

The Virgin Molly  https://www.playscripts.com/play/1121  Obscure - and definitely bizarre.

 

[gypsy101]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 4:44pm

Jay94 said: "P.S. Your Cat is Dead"

 

A play by one of the Pulitzer Prize winners from A Chorus Line is not exactly obscure.

 

The Season has many that I had never heard of, Happiness is Just a Little Thing Called a Rolls Royce and Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights being two of my favorite titles.

[JoseLee_]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 5:01pm

"Straight White Men"

"Women Laughing Alone With Salad"

[Jarethan]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 5:12pm

The Leaf People -- produced by Public Theatre at the Booth...awful!!!

There's a Girl in My Soup -- also painfully bad

Checking Out -- a comedy about suicide...if I remember, the author was also the lead

UTBU -- if I remember correctly, this had Tony Randall and Thelma Ritter

The Astrakhan Coat -- remember the title, not much about the play

The Secret Affairs of Mildred Wild -- Maureen Stapleton...I loved this show...it was hysterical

 

Updated On: 9/14/15 at 05:12 PM

[Timmer]

Posted: 9/14/15 at 6:06pm

Mr. Nowack said: "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad: A Pseudoclassical Tragifarce in a Bastard French Tradition

One of my favorite titles!