David Mamet Festival One-Act Plays

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$15.00-$35.00

About This Show

Goodman Theatre’s David Mamet Festival features three programs of seldom-seen one-act plays written by this Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright. The programs, thematically arranged in three evenings, are presented with an ensemble cast of Chicago actors, in repertory with Romance.

HOMECOMINGS
Appearing in repertory on April 2, 4, 8, 12, 14 and 15

The Duck Variations, Directed by Louis Contey
Two elderly men sit on a park bench talking about the ducks, but their simple musings eventually turn to the meaning of life, the nature of knowledge, and the need for companionship. Written while Mamet was an undergraduate student at Goddard University, The Duck Variations was a popular success, and is considered to have established its author as a playwright of note. Length: 50 minutes

The Disappearance of the Jews, Directed by Rick Snyder
In the midst of a devastating divorce, Bobby Gould returns to his old neighborhood to reconnect with a childhood friend. Their recollections eventually create questions about the meaning of their shared history. This play premiered at the Goodman in 1983. Length: 40 minutes.

Home, Directed by Louis Contey
A compact and powerful dissection of a marriage at the moment of its collapse. Length: 20 minutes.

The Ensemble for Homecomings features Maury Cooper, Darrell W. Cox, Joe Dempsey, Laura T. Fisher, Keith Kupferer and Howard Witt.

DAUGHTERS, SISTERS, MOTHERS
Appearing in repertory on April 7, 9, 15, 20, 22

Almost Done, Directed by Ann Filmer
A woman’s childhood memory of a long, cold hike through the snow becomes a meditation on the inevitable lessons of aging. In this hopeful piece, a young woman speaks of family legacy. Length: 10 minutes.

Reunion, Directed by Ann Filmer
An encounter between an aging alcoholic and his estranged daughter forces them to realize the bonds that still tie them together. Mamet premiered this play at Chicago’s St. Nicholas Theatre. Length: 50 minutes.

Jolly, Directed by Rick Snyder
Their parents are dead, but Bobby Gould and his sister Jolly still feel as if they’re being punished like ungrateful children. A story of inescapable family bonds that can be as brutal and manipulative as they are healing. Jolly is the second play of Mamet’s “The Old Neighborhood” trilogy. Length: 35 minutes.

Dark Pony, Directed by Ann Filmer
To allay his daughter’s fears on the long ride home, a father tells the legend of the fearless Dark Pony. Length: 5 minutes.

Featured in Daughters, Mothers, and Sisters are Rengin Altay, Bethany Caputo, Joe Dempsey, Danny Goldring and Todd Lahrman.

GHOST STORIES
Appearing in repertory on April 11, 16, 18, 22 and 23

The Shawl, Directed by Mike Nussbaum
A desperate woman seeks the services of a self-professed psychic to help contact her dead mother in this lyrical exploration of chance, fate and the power of spiritual knowledge in a secular world. The Shawl was originally produced in the Goodman’s 1984/85 season, and featured Nussbaum. Length: 50 minutes.

No One Will Be Immune, Directed by Goodman Associate Producer Steve Scott
A man’s explanation of why he stopped an airplane flight from taking off leads ultimately to more questions than answers. Length: 15 minutes.

The cast for Ghost Stories features Darrell W. Cox, Matt DeCaro, Laura T. Fisher, Christian Stolte and Steve Pickering.

Part of the David Mamet Festival.

Show Details

Dates: Opening Night: April 2, 2006 Final Performance: April 23, 2006