Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

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Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 1:40am

Does anyone know of any uncommon plays or musicals that should be read or heard? In the next semester of school I have to direct a lot of scenes. And I don't want to do anything everybody has seen before over and over again. Thanks for the help. Plus I just want to read more plays...

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:12am

A great one that is basically forgotten today is ALBUM by David Rimmer. It's perfect for young adults. It's about four teenagers growing up in the 60's, and the effect of popular music (Bob Dylan, The Beatles and The Beach Boys, to be specific) on their lives.

Kevin Bacon was in the original cast Off-Broadway at the Cherry Lane. It's a cast of four, two girls and two boys, all seniors in high school. It was Off-Broadway in 1982, and used to be done a lot, but I don't think anybody does it anymore, and it's perfect if you're directing either high school or college students. Check it out.

Updated On: 1/1/05 at 02:12 AM

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:21am

I'm not sure how uncommon it is, but the play ART by Yazmina Reza is great. It's got a cast of I believe, 3 or 4 20-Something guys. It's good, check it out.

"This is what I trained to do, and this is what I love about theater. What I love about being an actress is being able to really look into myself and understand another human being. And out my own self, to shape and form and fashion a real human being--and to present that in such a way that people see something of themselves or their own understanding in that human being." --Phylicia Rashad

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 2:25am

I don't know if you're looking for comedies or dramas, or really what is considered uncommon- because on these boards you'll always find someone who knows of a play you're going to bring up. However, I can say some good ones that I don't hear about too often include Fools and Deathtrap.

And hang on, when did you win the discus?

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 4:16am

I won't say that these plays are uncommon but you should read them and they are not usually the popular ones put on by community theaters or revived very often:

"The House of Blue Leaves" - John Guare (I would suggest that you look for other Guare plays as well)

"Balm in Gilead" by Landford Wilson (again also look at some of his other plays like "The Rimers of Eldritch")

A lot by Sam Shepard. One of my favorites is "Buried Child" and there is also "Curse of The Starving Class" and many more.

There are so many plays out there and if you can be more specific about what you are looking for then I'm sure you would get some help.

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 5:33am

Spring's Awakening by Frank Wedekind

La Ronde by Arthur Schnitzler (the musical Hello Again was based on this)

This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan

She's tall enough to be your mother

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 4:13pm

A lot by Sam Shepard. One of my favorites is "Buried Child" and there is also "Curse of The Starving Class" and many more.

The drama society at my college recently did BURIED CHILD, and they murdered it. My opinion is that high school and college theatre groups should present works that: a) appeal to their audience and not try to force-feed them something they clearly will not like or understand; and b) are within the grasp and talent limits of the cast and crew. I've seen far too many great plays ruined by lofty concepts and naive assumptions (my drama society is now working on a "dark reimagining" of THE WIZARD OF OZ....**shudder**).

BlueWizard's blog: The Rambling Corner HEDWIG: "The road is my home. In reflecting upon the people whom I have come upon in my travels, I cannot help but think of the people who have come upon me."

Updated On: 1/1/05 at 04:13 PM

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/1/05 at 7:47pm

Well, seeing as the original post was about reading plays and directing scenes from uncommon plays, I don't see the harm in "Buried Child" or any of the other plays mentioned. I'm sorry that your college botched its production but that does not mean that everyone else will. If the plays are produced or not, they are all worth reading.

"Smart! And into all those exotic mystiques -- The Kama Sutra and Chinese techniques. I hear she knows more than seventy-five. Call me tomorrow if you're still alive!"

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 6:18am

Thanks to all. I definitly will look up some of these plays. At our college you normally see alot of Albee, Shepard, and more along these lines. And normally people direct scenes from these plays. Which I think they are great shows, but I just wanted to do something different for a change. I normally lean more towards dramas. I don't know why but I tend to like them better.

#10

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 10:44am

bbroadwaybb, the play "The Blue Room" was also based on LA RONDE, as well.

"I know now that theatre saved my life." - Susan Stroman

#11

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 10:52am

This isn't a play, but a very good musical is Lippa/Brown's 'John and Jen'. It only involves two people and it's absolutely amazing!

#12

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:00pm

The Diviners

#13

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:16pm

Complete History of America, Abridged
HILARIOUS!

#14

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 2:18pm

There are some lovely two person scenes in "Lydie Breeze" by John Guare.

And although it screams "Thirty-Something," you might want to read "Loose Ties" by Michael Weller. Also look at his play, "Moonchildren."

#15

re: Uncommon plays that everyone should read or hear?

Posted: 1/3/05 at 3:27pm

Day of Absence by Douglas Turner Ward
A great play set in a small Southern town where all the blacks have disappeared. It's sort of the reverse of a minstrel show - black actors go "whiteface" to play stereotypical whites.

12-1-A by Wakako Yamaguchi
About a Japanese family in an internment camp during the WWII era.

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