Reckless and Other Plays

Craig Lucas

• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9781559362115
• eBook ISBN:
  9781559368117
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: American Drama
• Index: Literature

This volume combines some of Craig Lucas’ best known work, including Reckless ("a bittersweet fable for our time"—Frank Rich, The New York Times) and Blue Window ("…the clarity of a Mozart quintet. And it is faultlessly spun."—Dan Sullivan, The Los Angeles Times) with his newest play, Stranger. The three plays continue the author’s exploration of the nature of relationships in an ever increasingly distant society.

Craig Lucas is the author of Prelude to a Kiss, both a success on Broadway and as a motion picture, The Dying Gaul, God’s Heart, Missing Persons and Longtime Companion. He is currently at work on numerous projects for theatre and film.

Also available by Craig Lucas
What I Meant Was: New Plays and Selected One Acts
PB $17.95 1-55936-159-X • USA
Prelude to a Kiss and Other Plays
PB $16.95 1-55936-193-X • USA

BLUE WINDOWFor Dr. Tim

PRODUCTION HISTORY

Blue Window was first presented by The Production Company (Norman René, Artistic Director; Abigail Franklin, Managing Director) at Theatre Guinevere in New York City on May 28, 1984. The production was directed by Norman René, with sets by Loy Arcenas, costumes by Walker Hicklin and lighting by Debra J. Kletter. The cast was as follows:

EMILY	Maureen Silliman
TOM	Lawrence Joshua
LIBBY	Randy Danson
NORBERT	Matt Craven
BOO	Christine Estabrook
GRIEVER	Brad O’Hare
ALICE	Margo Skinner

The following year René staged Blue Window at New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre and Costa Mesa’s South Coast Repertory; the South Coast production went on to a commercial run at the New Mayfair Theatre in Santa Monica.

Blue Window won the first George and Elisabeth Marton Award, a Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Award and a Drama-Logue Award. It was televised on American Play house in 1987.

CHARACTERS

EMILY

TOM

LIBBY

NORBERT

BOO

GRIEVER

ALICE

TIME

Sunday evening, 1984.

PLACE

Scene 1 occurs in five separate New York apartments simultaneously. Scene 2 takes place in Libby’s apartment, shortly after Scene 1. Scene 3 returns to four of the original five apartments later that same evening; again they are seen simultaneously.

SETTING

The floor, walls and upstage scrim are all a light blue. Five open doorways stage left. Black, sculptural shapes flecked with bright confetti markings represent furniture. Down right is Libby’s bar unit. Up right, Alice and Boo’s sofa unit. Center, Tom and Emily’s ottoman. Up left, Norbert’s armchair. Down left, Griever’s dressing unit and mirror. Upstage, slightly tilted toward the audience, hangs a large transparent canvas, framed like a window, splattered with bright paint. Several smaller units hold flowers and phones. The feeling is open and attractive; only a little sterile.

ABOUT THE TEXT

As stage directions suggest, dialogue often overlaps, but is printed here consecutively for ease in reading. Two or more conversations may be taking place simultaneously; two, three or even four characters may speak at once. The effect desired is verbal music, with main themes and counterpoint or accompaniment. Those interested in producing the play should consult the acting edition, in which parallel columns are used.

SCENE 1

LANGUAGE TAPE VOICE (In the darkness): Uno, due, tre, quattro, cinque, sei, sette . . .

Lights up slowly. Birds; traffic. Emily stands alone. She is dressed for a cool day. She unwraps and chews a piece of gum. Tom enters with sheet music, pencil, beer. In fits and starts, we hear the song he is trying to write. He makes a correction in the music and we hear the altered melody. Emily crosses upstage behind the canvas, visible through the splashes of paint.

Libby ente...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Preface
• RECKLESS
• BLUE WINDOW
• STRANGER
• About the Author