Today, I've decide to run through a list of my top 25 plays everyone should know about and if any of them are playing around Arizona this season. (I did a
in September 2015) Recently, I saw a post on Facebook where people were outlining shows they had been in, most recent roles, if they'd ever died on stage, etc. etc. One thing I noticed was A) plays were referred to as shows, which weirded me out; musicals and plays are both shows and B) many kids didn't have a play or said "I don't know many plays." I think it is very difficult to be a theatre person and JUST know musicals. Obviously, it's what we are more exposed to in the Valley. However, today I wanted to go over some plays (or groups of plays) I believe everyone show know somthing about. Some of the plays are included because of who the playwright is; there are also playwrights who everyone should read.
Now, obviously, this is all my opinion; I have my own bias towards certain plays, so although some of these will include huge Broadway blockbusters, it also includes a few plays I find otherwise culturally significant or interesting. I also tend to prefer plays published between 1940 and 1965, so that's a heavily represented time range. Also, just because it's on this list, doesn't mean it is necessarily my favorite play-- I don't like a couple of these plays, but I understand they are important. I think history is important; knowing where we came from is essential to knowing where we are going.
**The list is not in the order I think they are the most important; all of these are important for different reasons. The list is chronological.**
So please enjoy! And if you feel like I missed anything, comment below what play you think is the most culturally significant, let me know in the comments below.
A Doll's House (1879)
Author: Henrik Ibsen
Brief Summary: The most important thing to know about this play is it's conclusion: the protagonist, Nora, decides to leave her husband and children because she wants to find herself. Going back, it starts during Christmas time with Nora coming home to her husband, Torvald, who teases her for buying so many Christmas presents. Then, a man who works at the bank with Torvald shows up and Torvald he intends to fire the man, Krogstad, for forging someone's name. Krogstad blackmails Nora because he knows she forged her father's name to acquire a loan. He puts a letter in Torvald's mailbox detailing Nora's crime and the rest of the plot heavily deals with her attempting to block Torvald from getting the letter.
Why It's Important: A Doll's House is highly significant because of the critical approach it takes towards marriage (in the 19th century anyway) and it's themes still speak to people––especially women––today. It's considered one of the first feminist plays and Ibsen's greatest work. (Also, go Henrik Ibsen; what a man.)
Broadway productions: It has been produced 13 times of Broadway, most recently in 1997, starring Janet McTeer as Nora.
The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
Author: Oscar Wilde
Brief Summary: Both protagonists, John and Algernon, maintain fictitious personalities in order to escape their responsibilities. John, under the name Earnest, plans to marry Algernon's cousin, Gwendolen, but her aunt, Lady Bracknell, refuses because John has no parents and was found at a train station in a handbag as a baby. Algernon discovers his friend "Earnest" has actually been named John all along and also discovers a large estate in the country. He travels there, under the guise of being John's troubled brother, Earnest. He falls in love with John's beautiful ward, Cecily. Here's the catch: neither Gwendolen or Cecily will marry someone unless they are named Earnest. Eventually, all the characters end up at John's estate and, as with most comedies, hilarity ensus.
Why it's here: Earnest is definitely the most influential and well-known comedy of this era. It's a prominent satire, poking fun at absurd Victorian social constructs, like connections and the importance of a name. Its comedy endures due to its high farce and witty dialogue.
Broadway productions: It has been produced on Broadway nine times, most recently in 2011, starring Santino Fontana as Algernon.
Around AZ: Desert Stages from June 16 to July 23
Uncle Vanya (1898)
Author: Anton Chekov
Brief Summary: In this play, Alexsandr, a retired professor, visits his estate in the country which helps support his urban lifestyle with his much-younger second wife. The estate is run by Vanya and Astrov, who both fall for Alexsandr's wife's good looks. Meanwhile, Sonya, the professor's daughter from his first marriage and the neice of Vanya––hence the title––bemoans her own lack of beauty and her unrequited feelings from Astrov. The plot is complicated when Alexsandr announces his intentions to sell the estate.
Why it's here: Like the above Ibsen and Wilde plays, Uncle Vanya is here because of Chekov. Chekov is one of those authors, like Shakespeare, who colleges dedicate entire college courses to. He is credited along with Ibsen as starting the modernism movement in theatre. His later plays, including Uncle Vanya, represent the "theatre of mood" which place real life on the stage.
Broadway productions: It has been produced on Broadway ten times, most recently in 2000, starring Laura Linney as Yelena, the Professor's wife, and Amy Ryan as Sonya.
The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939)
Authors: George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
Brief Summary: Radio wit Sheridan Whiteside slips and falls on the front stoop of Ernest Stanley and his family when he goes to their house for dinner. He is then confined to their house for a month and drives everyone insane by being generally ornery, calling long-distance, and bringing over weird guests. Then, it becomes known that he wasn't actually hurt at all! He was pretending so he could keep his secretary from leaving because he needs her. Then, in the end, he grows a heart and lets his secretary go so she can be married... but then he slips and actually hurts himself.
Why it's here: "Mackenna, why did you choose this play and not You Can't Take It With You?" Because I prefer this one! Kaufman and Hart are one of the best-known comedy writing duos throughout the 20th century. They wrote this play for their friend, Alexander Wollcot, who actually slipped and fell in Hart's house and then terrorized his house. Kaufman and Hart are famous also for the play, Merrily We Roll Along, and Hart's life is depicted in the play, Act One.
Broadway Productions: 1939, 1980, and 2000. In 2000, Sheridan was portrayed by Nathan Lane.
The Glass Menagerie (1945)
Author: Tennessee Williams
Brief Summary: The prototypical family drama. Amanda shares an apartment with her children, Tom and Laura. Amanda worries about Laura's future because Laura has a limp and has received no gentlemen callers to the house. Tom works to support the family, but thinks his exsistence is futile and spends all his time escaping reality at the movies. Pressured by Amanda, Tom brings a friend from work home to call on Laura. It turns out the friend, Jim, is the man Laura had a crush on throughout all of high school. Eventually, Laura and Jim share a kiss by candlelight, before Jim reveals he is engaged to be married. At the end, Tom, the narrator, reveals after the incident he left home and never returned.
Why it's here: This is Williams' most famous play, partly due to it's autobiographical nature. It's based on his own experiences with his family, particularly his sister, Rose, who became handicapped after a lobotamy. It's also the prime example of both a family drama, but more importantly, a memory play, where an unreliable narrator presents events as he remembers them, not necessarily as they actually happened.
Broadway productions: The Glass Menagerie has been produced on Broadway seven times, with another production planned to open on March 9th, starring Sally Field, Joe Mantello, Madison Ferris and Finn Wittrock.
Arthur Miller plays (Death of a Salesman-1949, The Crucible-1953, A View From the Bridge-1955)
Why they're here: So there were so many Arthur Miller plays I wanted to include that I just placed them in a category. Miller is without a doubt one of the greatest American playwrights who focuses on very American ideas. Death of a Salesman comments on the futility of the American dream. The Crucible shines a light on two of our national shames: the Salem Witch Trials and McCarthyism. A View from the Bridge is an immigration story, talking about bridging two cultures.
Broadway productions: Death of a Salesman has been produced six times, most recently in 2012, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Willy Loman. The Crucible has been produced six times as well, most recently this year, starring Saorise Ronan as Abigail Williams and Ben Whishaw as John Proctor. A View From the Bridge has been produced five times, most recently this year, starring Mark Strong as Eddie.
Waiting for Godot (1953)
What it's about: Nothing.
(Okay, really, Waiting for Godot is about two old men, Vladimir and Estragon, waiting for a figured called Godot (who never actually shows up) by a tree in the middle of nowhere. They also encounter Pozzo and Lucky, another curmudgeonly old man and his friend/servant who he keeps tied up on a long rope. But, really, nothing happens and that's kind of the point.
Why it's here: Waiting for Godot is by far the most famous example about absurdist and exsitentialist theatre. Due to the play's intentionally vague nature, there are hundreds of interpretations from this play, from political to religious to philosophical. One of the most famous theory is that Godot in God and what Vladimir and Estragon are really waiting for is for God. At the end of the play, when Vladimir realizes Godot will never come, under this interpretation, he realizes there is no god and doesn't tell Estragon because Estragon will kill himself if there is no God and Vladimir doesn't want to lose his friend.
Broadway productions: This play has been produced on Broadway in 1956, 1957, 2009 and in 2013. In 2013, Ian McKellan played Estragon and Patrick Stewart played Vladimir.
Long Day's Journey Into Night (written 1941-42, published 1956)
What it's about: This play tells the story of the Tyrone family––a mother, a father and two brothers. The mother, Mary, is a drug addict and one of the sons, Edmund, is ill with tuberculosis. In addition, the whole family is addicted to whiskey, the father refuses to spend money on anything (including to help his family), and his older brother is a promiscuous man. This play takes place over the course of one day. The family is portrayed in a negative light, with everyone flinging horrible accusations at each other, escalating as day goes on into night.
Why It's Here: This play is considered Eugene O'Neill's greatest work, even though it was published three years after his death. He waited to publish it posthumously because it is largely based on the story of his own family, with O'Neill being represented in the play as Edmund. Clearly, there is a trend that a playwright's greatest work tends to be their story. (Like Tennessee Williams' with The Glass Menagerie.) His mother was super addicted to morphine and she serves as an influence for many of O'Neill's plays.
Broadway productions: This play has been produced on Broadway six times, most recently in 2016, where John Gallagher Jr. played Edmund and Jessica Lange played Mary.
A Raisin in the Sun (1959)
What It's About: The play tells the story of the Younger family who try to make a better life for themselves. At the opening of the play, five people are living in a small two-bedroom apartment in Chicago's southside. One day, a life insurance check for $10,000 arrives at the house after the death of Mama's husband and Walter and Beneatha's father. Walter wants to invest the money in a liquor story, but Mama doesn't want to give it to him for that purpose. However, she eventually decides to put some of the money down on the house and give the rest to Walter, who then has the money stolen by his "partners" on the liquor store investment. The play ends with the Youngers moving into their new home and the white representative of the Home Owner's Assocation asking them to leave becasue folks won't treat them well, but mostly because a black family living in the neighborhood with drive prices down. The Youngers decide to stay.
Why It's Here: The play is the first one written by a black woman to become a critical success. Additionally, two plays––Clybourne Park and Beneatha's Place––have been written in response and as continuations to A Raisin in the Sun and are now a part of what is called "The Raisin Cycle." Like many of the other plays on this list, this play echoes the life of the playwright, Lorraine Hansberry, and what happened to her family when a white neighborhood tried to push them out as well.
Broadway Productions: This play has been produced on Broadway three times, in 1959, 2004 and 2014. In 2014, Denzel Washington played Walter Lee Younger.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1962)
What It's About: This play is about the breakdown of a marriage between a wealthy (but not crazy wealthy couple) at an after-dinner get together with a younger couple. The older couple, Martha and George, are physically and emotionally abusive towards each other. Part of their conflict derives from their son, with George deciding to tell Martha that their son has died. George is upset that Martha brought up their son because he doesn't like to talk about him. However, at the end of the play, it is revealed that the son is entirely made up.
Why It's Here: So, Edward Albee is an absurdist writer, but this play is probably the least absurd of his. (If you want to read about a truly absurd play of his and you're a bit older, look up The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?) However, it's definitely Albee's most famous play. Our American sensibilities tend towards family and marriage dramas and this play is a keystone in the genre. It plays on the idea of reality and illusion and is a modern critique of social expectations.
Interesting tidbit: In the movie of the play, George and Martha were played by Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, whose own tumultuous relationship mirrors the marriage they were portraying in many ways.
Broadway Productions: This play has been produced four times on Broadway, in 1962, 1976, 2005, and 2012. In 2012, the roles of George and Martha were played by Tracy Letts and Amy Morton.
The Odd Couple (1965)
What it's about: This play recounts the events of what happens when the tidy, but highly neurotic Felix Unger moves in with the sloppy and very laid-back, Oscar Madison. Felix moves into Oscar's apartment after being thrown out by his wife. The rest of the plot deals with Oscar struggling to also not throw Felix out.
Why it's here: Neil Simon is one of the most prolific American comedy playwrights of all time. His comedies are constantly being produced on Broadway and by various theatre companies, including high schools. Out of all of his plays, The Odd Couple has had the most profound cultural impact. It became a film, then a TV series in the 1970s, then Simon adapted the play and reversed the genders, and last year, a new TV series premiered on CBS.
Broadway Productions: This play has been produced on Broadway three times, in 1965, 1985 (the female version) and in 2005. In 2005, Nathan Lane played Oscar and Matthew Broderick played Felix. In the female version, Rita Moreno played Olive and Sally Struthers played Florence.
Amadeus (1979)
What it's about: This play is a fictionalized recount of the careers of composers of Mozart and the lesser-known Antonio Salieri. The play is narrated by Salieri as an old man, who claims to the audience to have poisoned Mozart, which led to his death. It flashes back to Salieri's first encounter with Mozart, where Salieri overhears a lewd conversation between Mozart and his fiancee. Salieri, a God fearing man, cannot believe God would bestow such a beautiful gift on such an ugly man, so he denounces God and vows to take down Mozart.
Why it's here: Amadeus is significant for its status as a "historical myth." The playwright, Peter Shaffer, plays upon a perhaps small amount of animosity between the two playwrights and escalates it into the intense drama of the pay. The play also uses a lot of Mozart and Salieri's music to carry forward the plot. The play is notable for being adapted into a movie which won the 1984 Academy Award for Best Picture.
Broadway productions: Amadeus has been produced on Broadway twice: in 1980 and in 1999. In the revival, Mozart was played by Michael Sheen and Salieri was played by David Suchet.
Noises Off (1982)
What it's about: Noises Off is written in three acts. The first act, we see the dress rehearsal for the upcoming play, Nothing On, where the actors are woefully unprepared for the performance. In act two, we a see performance of the show mid-run from backstage. And finally, the third act, we watch the show during a performance near the end of their ten week run.
Why it's here: Michael Frayn writes a lot of metatheatre, where he mostly pokes fun at theatre constructs, including actors, audiences, stage managers, etc. Noises Off is definitely his most popular play and is one of the most produced plays in the world, especially by high school and college theatre departments. It's also one of best modern examples of the farce genre
Broadway productions: Noises Off has been on Broadway three times, in 1983, 2001, and this year. The 2016 production featured Andrea Martin as Dotty and Megan Hilty as Brooke.
Fences (1983)
What it's about: Fences tells the story of Troy, an older black man struggling to provide for his family in Pittsburgh. Troy was a successful baseball player in his youth, but was unable to make any real money doing it since the color barrier hadn't yet been broken. Troy's son, Cory, tells Troy and his wife, Rose, that he has an opportunity to have a football scholarship, but Troy says no because he fears Cory will be discriminated against. Seven years later, Troy has died and Cory returns home from the military, initially refusing to attend the services for his father, but eventually goes at his mother's request.
Why it's here: August Wilson is by far the most famous playwright concerning the experience of African-Americans. Fences is the most popular play in the 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle, which also includes the influential plays Joe Turner's Come and Gone and The Piano Lesson. The play is lauded for it's heavy subject matter and its adept examination of race relations in America.
Broadway productions: Fences has been produced on Broadway twice, in 1987 and in 2010. The 2010 production starred Denzel Washington as Troy and Viola Davis as Rose. Those two will be reprising their roles in the upcoming film, which comes out Christmas Day.
The Normal Heart (1985)
What it's about: The Normal Heart, broadly, concerns the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City, as viewed by the activist, Ned Weeks, the founder of one of the biggest AIDS advocacy groups. Weeks prefers a louder, in-your-face approach to activism, whereas his partner, Felix, prefers a calmer approach. Their disagreement to threatens to hinder their relationship and their overall goal.
Why it's here: The first thing to note is the character of Ned Weeks is highly representative of the playwright Larry Kramer, which renders the play semi-autobiographical, which we've learned is a great of way getting your play on this list. In addition, this play came out at the end of the rise of the AIDS epidemic and is seen as a polemic piece of writing which shed even more light on the AIDS epidemic. Larry Kramer is furious in this play and it ends up being one of the most outspoken, passionate plays ever written.
Broadway productions: This play has only been produced on Broadway once in 2011. It starred Joe Mantello as Ned Weeks and Jim Parsons (aka Sheldon from Big Bang Theory) as Tommy, another activist.
Angels in America (1991)
What it's about: Angels in America is a play cycle in two parts––Millenium Approaches and Perestroika. The play is an almost-experimental approach to discussing the AIDS epidemic and the lives of homosexual men in America during the 1980s. Part One opens with Louis discovering his partner Prior has contracted AIDS. Louis moves out, leaving Prior alone, who begins to have visions of angels and ghosts come to him. Meanwhile, we meet Joe Pitt, a conservative law clerk, who has just come out to his wife as gay. The characters are connected by Roy Cohn, a powerful conservative lawyer who has just learned he has also contracted AIDS. Part Two is a continuation of these relationships.
Why it's here: Angels in America is the Pittsburgh cycle for the LGBT community. It is by far the most representation of the gay experience in American theatre. It deals with many subjects which impact the homosexual experiences, including religion, politics, etc. The play is also highly controversial and became a part of the "culture war" in the 90s.
Broadway productions: Angels in America has been produced on Broadway once in 1993. Millenium Approaches premiered in May and Perestroika opened later in October. Louis was played by Joe Mantello.
Arcadia (1993)
What it's about: Arcadia is...complicated. To narrow it down to it's smallest parts, Arcadia is about Thomasina, a brilliant 13 year old girl in 1809. She is tutored by Septimus and she ends up writing one of the greatest mathematical proofs of all time. Many years later, researchers come to the house where Thomasina and Septimus lived in 1809 to work on the very theory Thomasina figured out; however, Thomasina's notebooks were never found. In addition, they are investigating a hermit who once lived in the house. The hermit turns out to be Septimus and they find Thomasina's drawings.
Why it's here: Tom Stoppard is the king of complicated as hell historical plays and Arcadia is his crown jewel. It's also considered the finest science play ever written. It is also a deeply philosophical play. The actions in 1809 and present day happen simultaneously, which helps question the importance and even the existence of time.
Broadway productions: Arcadia has been produced on Broadway twice: once in 1995 and once in 2011. In 2011, Billy Crudup played Bernard, a researcher, and Raul Esparza played Valentine, a graduate student of mathematics.
How I Learned to Drive (1997)
What it's about: This is a play about a sexual relationship between a young woman and her aunt's husband which starts during her adolescence and continues on through adulthood. The relationship begins one night when the uncle is teaching her to drive.
Why it's here: So this play is significant for numerous reasons. For one, besides the actors who play Lil Bit and Uncle Peck, the rest of the characters are portrayed by a greek chorus. So this play reinvents that concept to be applicable in a modern play. In addition, this play is significant for its frank portrayal of rape and incest.
Broadway productions: The show has actually never been on Broadway. The original production was Off-Broadway starring Mary-Louise Parker as Lil' Bit.
Proof (2000)
What it's about: Proof tells the story of two sisters: Catherine, who stayed behind to take care of their ailing father, and Claire, who moved away to start a new life in New York City. Their father has died and Claire comes home with the intention of taking Catherine to New York with her. However, as they go through their father's thing, one of her father's students, Hal finds a brilliant mathematical proof in Robert's drawer. However, Catherine claims she was the one who wrote it. Hal and Claire don't believe her as she never even finished college.
Why it's here: Proof is one of the most popular plays among people our age, mostly due to the two female protagonists, which is rare for plays. Like Arcadia, Proof is also lauded at a mathematic/scientific play. The play was also adapted into a movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Broadway productions: Proof has not yet been revived on Broadway, so it has only been on during the original production in 2000. The role of Catherine was played by Mary-Louise Parker.
Doubt (2004)
What it's about: Doubt is a play about what happens when a new priest, Father Flynn, is welcomed into a parish in the Bronx. The principal of the school attached to the parish, Sister Aloysius, becomes suspicious of Father Flynn after he has a weird encounter with the school's only African-American student. Sister Aloysius thinks Father Flynn raped the young boy and sets out to prove it. Father Flynn threatens to removed Sister Aloysius from her position if she doesn't back off; however, she reveals she found out he has had past investigations of this type. He requests a transfer and ends up getting a promotion.
Why it's here: Doubt is famous for its ending: you never find out if Father Flynn did it or not, leaving the audience with their own doubts. Apparently, when the play is produced, only the director and the actor playing Father Flynn are award of whether he is innocent or not. The play also touches on a sensitive social topic, which is the mistreatment of young boys by Catholic priests.
Broadway productions: Doubt has been on Broadway only once in 2005. Cherry Jones played Sister Aloysius.
August: Osage County (2008)
What it's about: This play follows an unfortunate family reunion of the Weston family after the patriarch of the family, Beverly, goes missing. The whole family shows up at the house to help find him. Tension immediately ensues between the matriarch, Violet, and their oldest daughter, Barbara. There's a lot of plot lines in this play, including incest, pedophilia, drug abuse, etc.
Why it's here: So this play is our best example of a modern family drama. It deals with a lot of issues that have been expressed in many of the family dramas put on this list, but put all together and brought into the modern era.
Broadway productions: The play opened on Broadway for the first time in 2007. Barbara Weston was played by Amy Morton.
Clybourne Park (2010)
What it's about: This play is a continuation of A Raisin in the Sun and is played out in two parts. The first act takes place directly after the action of the original play. The first act takes place right after Karl Linder departs from the Younger family house and tries to convince the family selling it to not sell it to them. During the second act, the neighborhood has become a mostly black neighborhood and a white family is trying to move in to the old Younger family house.
Why it's here: So as we discussed with A Raisin in the Sun, this play is seen to be apart of the Raisin Cycle. This play is famous for its two act structure with each act following a different family in the same house and deals heavily with the topic of racism. It also brings in the idea of housing issues and gentrification, which is a popular issue in our modern era.
Broadway productions: The play opened on Broadway in 2012. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2011. It won the 2012 award for Best Play at the Tony Awards.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (2012)
What it's about: This play concerns an autistic boy named Christopher trying to solve the mystery of who killed a neighborhood dog. Throughout the course of solving the mystery, he finds out his father was the one who killed the dog and runs away to live with his mom.
Why it's here: So I feel like this is less of play you need to read and more of a play you need to see. It is definitely a spectacle show, which uses light and sound the represent the way Christopher's autistic mind works. It's also an example of the play-within-a-play structure, as Christopher is recounting this story to his therapist.
Broadway productions: The show opened in 2014 and closed this year on September 4th. Alex Sharp won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Christopher.
Around AZ: The national tour will be at Gammage from June 20 to June 25.
Hope you found some plays you want to read! What other plays do you think belong on this list?
*Dates based on when the play was first published, not first performed
