Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
aces25
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/13/04
#2re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:20pm
Angels in America
Long Day's Journey Into Night
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
#2re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:22pm
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
With Clay Aiken in Spamalot, all of Broadway is singing a collective "There! Right! There!" -Me-
"Not Barker, Todd is the only person I've ever known who could imitate Katherine Hepburn...in print." -nmartin-
#3re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:23pm
Angels in America
The Pillowman
nmartin
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/3/05
#4re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:23pm
A Streetcar Named Desire
Death of a Salesman
Our Town
Ghosts
These four are essential.
#5re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:29pm
A RAISIN IN THE SUN
DEATH OF A SALESMAN
#6re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:32pmOedipus Rex, Hamlet, Volpone, The Importance of Being Ernest, The Playboy of the Western World, The Glass Menagerie, Waiting for Godot...
blaxx
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/28/05
#7re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:32pmI love how secluded North American theater is. Like there aren't tons of masterpieces from all over the world. This post will be filled with North American plays and the odd classic import.
#8re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:34pm
A Doll's House
Miss Julie
Mary Stuart
Faust
Woyzeck
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#9re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:35pm
The Oresteia
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Death of A Salesman
A Streetcar Named Desire
Long Day's Journey Into Night
The Cherry Orchard
A Doll's House
The School for Scandal
Crimes of the Heart
The Bald Soprano
#10re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:37pm
The Scottish Play (don't want to say cuz of bad luck)
Death of A Salesman
Mother Courage
Endgame
A Doll's House
Doctor Faustus
SporkGoddess
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
#11re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:38pmI highly recommend Beaumarchais's Figaro Trilogy.
jordangirl
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
#12re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:45pmHmmm... 2 threads on plays to read... I think I smell a research paper someone's working on...
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
#13re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:52pm
ANGELS IN AMERICA
TOP GIRLS
THE CRUCIBLE
THE GLASS MENAGERIE
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
A DOLL'S HOUSE
HAMLET
MOTHER COURAGE
CAROLINE, OR CHANGE (yes,I know it's not a "play" per se)
FENCES
#14re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:52pm
Hamlet
Othello
Oedipus Rex
A Doll's House
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Fences
Waiting for Godot
The Glass Menagerie
The Cherry Orchard
ETA: I forgot Angels in America! That makes it 11, but oh well. And I'm gonna add Rhinocerous, too.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#15re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:58pm
Angels in America - Kushner
Long Day's Journey Into Night - O'Neill
Waiting for Godot - Beckett
Hamlet - Shakespeare
The Shape of Things - LaBute
Rhinocerous - Ionesco
August: Osage County - Letts
The Weir - McPherson
Spring Awakening - Wedekind
Dr. Faustus - Marlowe
aces25
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/13/04
#16re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 5:59pmNope! Just trying to increase my summer reading list! :)
#17re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 6:17pmAngels in America, Doubt, The Scene
#18re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 6:24pm
Does anyone else have a fetish for Irish playwrights?
'The Pillowman' - Martin McDonagh
'The Weir' - Conor McPherson
'Translations' - Brian Friel
That's just narrowing it down to one each by my three favourites. XP
Be careful with reading Shakespeare; he's hard work, and SO MUCH better performed! If you fancy cheating, rent Kenneth Branagh's 'Hamlet' and watch it with the subtitles. ;D
Actually, I was thinking about Shakespeare today, and I think the only way to experience him fairly would be to encounter at least six of his plays; two each of the Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. I think I worked out my personal ideal list would be:
'Comedy Of Errors' - silly Comedy
'Much Ado About Nothing' - romantic Comedy
'Henry V' - totally awesome best History
'Richard III' - awesome in a different way History
'Romeo & Juliet' - romantic Tragedy
'Hamlet' - long but fun Tragedy
Although you can work out your own list. But 'Henry V' is TOTALLY my favourite and my best. :3 But I figure if you go for the widest range of Shakespeare available to you, it's an easy way to work out if he's going to work for you. If you like 'Henry V', read 'Henry IV' (both parts) too. If you like 'Richard III', don't miss 'Henry VI' (at least the third part, but the second and even first are relevant too).
Damn, I'm too obsessed with the Histories. But srsly; I love them SO much better than the Comedies or Tragedies. :3
You should also read Edward Albee. I guess people will say "ooh, go for 'Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf'!", but I prefer 'The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia'. Read as much Albee as you can. 
I'm sure I used to have a brain, but I'm blanking on a great many plays right now, I now. ;_;
#19re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 7:44pm
Yes, yes, yes to reading as much Albee as you can.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Seascape
Three Tall Women
The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?
A Delicate Balance
The Play About the Baby
All amazing plays.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
#21re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 7:56pmI know it's probably not his best, but I love HEDDA GABLER by Ibsen. Hedda is one of my favorite characters EVER.
sally1112
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/13/04
#22re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 8:01pm
Jitney, by August Wilson, and if possible read his entire Pittsburgh cycle.
Doubt
anything by Christopher Durang
Updated On: 6/4/08 at 08:01 PM
heathurrr
Broadway Star Joined: 12/9/06
#23re: Top 10 Plays to Read Before You Die
Posted: 5/29/08 at 10:12pm
Angels in America!!
The Homecoming
A Streetcar Named Desire
The Crucible
Dearest, how can this be so? You were dead, you know. - Candide
Oh my god, this show has everything! Half naked guys and girl on girl action! - [title of show]
(My avatar? Why, yes! That is Laura Benanti making out with a chick!)
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