Marowitz Theatre

Plays Available for Production | Past Productions

Plays Available for Production

"LOSERS"

Everybody wants to be an artist. Some, like Matt, devote their whole life to the quest but, rebuffed by one rejection after another, are forced to recognize that it will never be. This is a play about the most painful confrontation in life - acknowledging one’s inadequacy. In passing, it questions the act of devoting one’s entire life to something as flimsy, fleeting and fickle as artistic creation.

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Past Productions

"SILENT PARTNERS"

A stage adaptation of Eric Bentley"s "The Brecht Memoir" which depicts the ambivalent relationship of Bertolt Brecht and his chief translator, Eric Bentley during the period both men lived in Santa Monica, California in the early 1940s. A play about hero worship, mutual exploitation, and the clash of ideologies which eventually soured the relationship between both men. Premiered at the Scena Theatre in Washington D.C. in 2006. Soon to be published by Dramatists Ply Service, NYC.)

"MURDERING MARLOWE"

A callow, ambitious wannabe named William Shakespeare, determined to become a leading light in the early English theatre, convinces himself the only way to achieve this is to eliminate that all-pervasive Elizabethan superstar Christopher Marlowe who dominates the scene. Furtively, using enemies of the successful playwright, he maneuvers them into murdering Marlowe. Once his nefarious goal is achieved, he gains not only the mantle of the great Bard of Avon but succeeds in acquiring Marlowe"s mistress as well. A period murder-mystery written in Shakespearean blank verse and Elizabethan prose and given a highly successful premiere at the Malibu Stage Company, (Published by Dramatists Play Service, NYC.)

"WILDE WEST"

A 28-year old Oscar Wilde is persuaded to go on a lecture-tour of America unaware that in so doing he will be publicizing an upcoming production of "Patience" by Gilbert & Sullivan which actually lampoons the very same Esthetic Movement of which he is the most conspicuous pillar. During his travels in the west, the poet falls in love with a desperado about to be hung and tangles with the legendary outlaw Jesse James. What begins as an incongruous confrontation between British intellectuality vs. the primitiveness of the wild west becomes a touching love-story between two young men drawn together by outrageous circumstances. Premiered at the Main Street Theatre in Houston Texas and published by Dramatists Play Service, NYC)

"SHERLOCK"S LAST CASE"

The great sleuth"s life is threatened by the vengeful son of the late and notorious Professor Moriarty. Dr. Watson, Sherlock"s faithful side-kick, tries to warn him against a tryst set up by the rapacious avenger but Sherlock decides to brazen it out. As it turns out, he is no match for the wily villain who has threatened to end his life. He (and the audience) is shocked to discover the true identity of the would-be assassin and once the plot is foiled, Sherlock exacts a cruel revenge against the evil-doer. Winner of the Louis B. Mayer Playwriting award at the LA Arts Festival where the play was premiered, it eventually transferred to the Kennedy Center and subsequently to Broadway where Frank Langella played the lead role. It has since been revived in theatres throughout the USA and Europe. (Published by Dramatists Play Service, NYC).

"STAGE FRIGHT"

A much-abused acting couple decide to wreak a nefarious revenge on the drama critic whose notices have destroyed their career. They devise a scheme to lure him into an empty theatre where they force him to reconsider their talents. This is a black comedy that explores the wounds to the ego perpetrated by drama critics, and the intensity of the damage they cause to sensitive egos. Originally premiered at the Malibu Stage Company under the author"s direction with James Whitmore and Nan Martin in the lead roles, this is a three-hander which has done the rounds of the repertory circuit and is currently optioned for production in Paris.

"DISCIPLES"

In early days, Wilhelm Reich was Sigmund Freud"s prize pupil but that changed radically as Reich became more and more radical and Freud less so. Eventually, a great animus developed between the two analysts caused by the fact that their world-views were so polarized. This play explores the relationship between Reich and Freud without coming down in favor of either. Much of it is drawn from Reich"s published interviews about Freud. A play that works best with a psycho-analytically in-the-know public.

"BASHVILLE IN LOVE"
Book & Lyrics by Charles Marowitz " Music by Michael Valenti

Based on George Bernard Shaw"s play "The Admirable Bashville", the play depicts the incongruous love affair between a high-born British lady and a rough-hewn pugilist who falls madly in love with her. After overcoming the differences in their station, the two are happily united after the delicate boxer wins a spectacular bout. The play is set in the late 19th century and was voted the Best New Musical of the Year after its premiere at the Texas Stage Company in Dallas/Fort Worth. (Published by Samuel French, Inc.)

"CLEVER DICK"

A spoof on the whodunits of Agatha Christie, the play is a cleverly disguised satire on the absurdities of the class system in England as seen through the eyes of a Scotland Yard detective and his trusty aide-de-camp. Called to investigate the mysterious murder of a distinguished retired Colonel, Inspector Farcus and his sidekick Potts strenuously investigate the suspects in the case but are flummoxed by the class differences between themselves and their social superiors. The plot hots up to a feverish climax and concludes in a very ambiguous finale, in keeping with the nature of the satire. (Published by Dramatists Play Service. NYC).

"BOULEVARD COMEDIES"
[Plays by Henry Becque, Georges Feydeau and Moliere Freely adapted by Charles Marowitz]

This volume contains Henry Becque"s "La Parisienne:", the grand-daddy of all triangular comedies, "Stark Naked", one of Feydeau"s more outrageous affronts against the bourgeoisie, and "Quack", a musical vaudeville based on Moliere"s "The Doctor In Spite of Himself" with music by Michael Valenti. "Quack", the original item in the trio of plays, was premiered at Cal Rep, Long Beach California. The collection was published by Smith & Kraus, Lyme, New Hampshire.)

THE MAROWITZ SHAKESPEARE
(Marion Boyars, Ltd.. UK)

Free adaptations of plays by William Shakespeare. Each version runs approximately ninety minutes " some, two hours " and represent some of the most daring recensions of Shakespeare ever conceived. They have been performed world-wide - both in Europe and the USA and comprise:

THE MAROWITZ HAMLET "

A 90-minute "collage" assembled from different scenes of Shakespeare"s original play which posits a highly unromantic version of the lead character. "Hamlet" as seen through the prism of the central character"s mentally besieged consciousness. Originally presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company directed by Marowitz and Peter Brook with Glenda Jackson as Ophelia, subsequently expanded for production at the Akademie der Kunste in Berlin and then toured throughout Europe. Published by Penguin Books and "The Marowitz Shakespeare" (Marion Boyars, UK.)

"A MACBETH"

Three characters play three divided selves of Shakespeare"s central character in a collage version of the play which proceeds from the standpoint that Macbeth is the victim of an insidious hex cast by the witches and overseen by the Leader of the Coven, Lady Macbeth. ninety minutes in length. (Published by Marion Boyars, Ltd UK.)

"THE SHREW"

A free adaptation of "Taming Of The Shrew" which intersperses key scenes from Shakespeare"s play with original, contemporary scenes for Bianca and Lorenzo written by Marowitz, but leading to Shakes-peare"s original ending. Mordant, cruel and devoid of traditional comedy high-jinks, this is a chilling reincarnation of the original play"s dark and largely hidden sub-text. It has been seen in London, Stuttgart, Amsterdam, New York City and Los Angeles where it won an LA Weekly Theatre Award. (Published by Marion Boyars, Ltd. UK).

"CAESAR"

A collage version of Shakespeare"s "Julius Caesar" drenched in the superstition and mystical undertones that run beneath the political tragedy. Although entirely derived from Shakespeare"s text, speeches and exchanges from the original play are revamped and rearranged to produce a chilling psychological effect. Premiered at the Humboldt Arts Festiva. An early version was published in Marowitz"s "Recycling Shakespeare" (Macmillans, UK). Final version available by applying to this website.

"VARIATIONS ON MEASURE FOR MEASURE"

Shakespeare"s "Measure" with most of the original comedy scenes deleted and the narrative twisted so that Isabella does sleep with Angelo and pays a bitter price for it. The text is Shakespeare"s with two or three "assists" from the adaptor entirely in keeping with Shakespeare"s style. A bitterly ironic feminist take on the original which gained outstanding notices when performed at Tygres Heart Shakespeare Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Reduced cast of ten. Playing time just under two hours without intermission, - Script available on request.

"DEATH OF OPHELIA"

A focus on the character of Ophelia and her relationships with Laertes and the Prince culled from Shakespeare"s "Hamlet". The piece, which has a cast of only three, lasts forty-five minutes and provides Ophelia with several speeches and scenes originally allotted to other characters in the play, and yet makes a cohesive whole underlining the brutalities imposed upon the hapless character which drives her both to distraction and to death. Originally performed in Danish at the Statens Teaterskole in Copenhagen in 2006. Scheduled for future publication. Available in script form from this website.

"AN OTHELLO"

A black power treatment of Shakespeare"s play in which a black Iago assails the black General for leading the white man"s army against brown-skinned men. Scenes from Shakespeare"s play interspersed with contemporary extracts from writers such as Malcolm X, Eldridge Cleaver, Fritz Fanon, etc. Original material is interlarded between and around Shakespeare"s original text creating a double dialogue throughout. Included in the Penguin Paperback of "Open Space Plays".

"SHAKESPEARE"S LOVERS & SHAKESPEARE"S VILLAINS"

A two-part program comprised of several 2-character scenes from a variety of Shakespeare"s plays " viz. "Romeo and Juliet", "Taming of the Shrew", "Othello", "Richard III" "Much Ado About Nothing", "Macbeth" etc. frequently used for scene-presentations in theatre-schools, class-work, auditions, etc. The first half comprise Shakes-peare"s "lovers"; the second, his "villains".

"VARIATIONS ON "MERCHANT OF VENICE"

Set in Palestine during the period of the British Mandate immediately before the creation of Israel, Shylock is identified as being a member of the Zionist resistance only masquerading as a money-lender; in fact, a key member of the Jewish opposition to British rule. Original text has been rearranged so as to legitimize the Jew and enable him to triumph over the Duke and Bellario who, in most productions, utterly defeat him. The text more or less follows Shakespeare"s sequence but a small number of pieces from Marlowe"s "Jew of Malta" have been unobtrusively interlarded. Contained in "The Marowitz Shakespeare" (Marion Boyars, Ltd.) - Script available on request from this website.

"HEDDA"

A collage version of Ibsen"s play translated by Marowitz but created in a series of discontinuous scenes reassembled from the original. The play created a great stir at the Ibsen Centennial in Bergen. Norway and was transferred to Oslo and later London. Short, fragmented scenes from the original play as experienced by Hedda. Liberties taken both with form and style. Serious situations quickly juxtaposed with satire; surreal settings; expressionist props. Requires a highly experienced ensemble of actors to bring it off. Norwegian version published by Aschehouge & Co. Oslo, - also available in collection entitled "SEX WARS" published by Marion Boyars Ltd. UK. Apply to this website.

"TIMON"

A large-scale musical dealing with the Roaring Twenties and the ensuing Thirties Depression derived from Shakespeare"s play "Timon of Athens", incorporating song-and dance-numbers from the period and utilizing original 78" rpm records. Scenes from Shakespeare"s original play are interspersed with Broadway-styled production numbers. Although twice optioned and almost presented on Broadway with Richard Burton as Timon, this large-scale musical has never been staged.

"THE FATHER" by August Strindberg

Strindberg"s play translated and adapted by Marowitz. Also contained in "SEX WARS" published by Marion Boyars, Ltd. UK. Script available from this website.

"CYRANO DE BERGERAC"

A new English translation of Rostand"s romantic classic recently performed by the Shotgun Players in Berkeley, California. Rostand"s text rendered in a fresh, eminently playable version. (Published by Smith & Kraus, Lyme, NH)

POTBOILERS

A collection of three plays containing "Sherlock"s Last Case", "Clever Dick" and "Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life" (Marion Boyars, Ltd. UK). "Sherlock"s Last Case" and "Clever Dick" are described in the Plays Section of this website.

"AH, SWEET MYSTERY OF LIFE" is a black comedy about a couple going through a divorce exacerbated by the fact that the ex-wife is American and the ex-husband resident in London. The comedy explores both the sadism and masochism which are given free reign in certain disastrous cases of divorce.

(For additional information re PLAYS see BOOKS Section of website.)