"The Dark at the Top of the Stairs," the last major play by William Inge, turns 50 this year. October 20, 1960. And it's a teenage boy addicted to World of Warcraft. First, the cast read through the entire script, then they rehearsed the entire screenplay on set prior to the commencement of filming. The Dark at the Top of the Stairs is a 1957 play by William Inge about family conflicts during the early 1920s in a small Oklahoma town. You'll have to sign in before you share your experience. This estimator is only for non-equity/amateur productions. This is an ever-changing database of monologues for auditions and performance. DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS by William Inge LOTTIE Do you remember how Mama and Papa used to caution us about men, Cora? The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, which ran to acclaim in 1957, is a reworking of his first play, Farther Off from Heaven, which was written ten years earlier with Tennessee Williams' encouragement. Timmy Everett as Sammy Goldenbaum. Rubin pays for the two boys to go to a movie, then follows his wife up to the bedroom. If you do have it, please feel free to submit it -- otherwise you're more than welcome to check our other movie and show scripts. Enjoy! What do you know about drilling equipment for oil fields? Authors, Performers, and Plays: Restoration & 18th Century Comedy Moliere- Imaginary Invalid; tartuffe; William Congreve- Love for Love; The Way of the World The Country Wife, The Plain Dealer by William Wycherley The provoked Wife by John Vanbrugh Aphra Behn- The Rover Eric Bogosian- Drinking In America, Sex, Drugs, And Rock & Roll, Pounding Nails Into The Floor With My Forehead, SubUrbia, etc. Shirley Knight . This is not being quite fair; there are bits of force, universals, and even good comedy in The Dark, but not enough to lift the play from competence into excellence. A livid Rubin slaps Cora, then storms out of the house. Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) While Rubin tries to keep his job troubles a secret from his family, Cora calls her sister, Lottie (Eve Arden) to visit who brings her husband, Morris (Frank Overton) for support. The always wonderful Champlin is an expert at communicating subtext without playing it on the top, while the amazing Pawk manages several transitions from comedy to drama and back again with the utmost skill. He commits suicide before Act III. Shirley Knight earned an nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Reenie Flood. Sorry that comments are diabled, but some people on this are hateful . These monologues from plays all feature three-dimensional females with space for an actress to show off her character . September 14, 1960. I have hunted for the video but unfortunately there isn't one. Carl Reindel as Punky Givens. Their shy daughter Reenie anxiously prepares to attend her first dance, while her little brother Sonny worships female movie stars and shows other stereotypical signs of turning out to be gay. 800-838-3006. townandcountryplayers.org. No quiet lurking in the shadows as the stigmatized and neglected for them. She finds Rubin on the sofa. The dark at the top of the stairs by William Inge, 1960, Dramatists Play Service edition, in English - Acting ed. Total newbie, just thought I'd throw something up. [12][13] Eve Arden's performance rated among the five best of the year by supporting actresses, according to The Film Daily's poll of over 1,800 critics. Penney Parker as Flirt Conroy. Despite rare roughness and lapses out of context, his intense performance of Sonny is outstanding. You know who goes to church and who don't? Although she wants to stay with him, he drops Reenie at home. They praised the work of Harriett Frank and Irving Ravetch in their adaptation of Inge's play to the screen, and felt the acting was exceptional. The Dark at the Top of the Stairs accentuates a problem visible already in William Inge's overly celebrated Picnic: it is hard to be interesting about dull, ordinary people, even if you characterize them with compassion. Whether discussing views on religion, family, or relationships, we knew what she meant and we knew she meant well. While the acting may have seemed a little over-dramatic at times, there was enough diversity in her performance to make up for it. THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS. Retrieved April 17, 2016. This adds to his worries at home. Archived from on October 23, 2016. Next script on my script shelf: Next play in my little unalphabetized pile of Samuel French plays is The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, by William Inge. Retrieved September 5, 2017. Liz Mamana, who bears a striking resemblance to Parker Posey in both looks and manner, brightens the proceedings every time she enters in the role of Flirt. It was adapted into a film by the same name in 1960, directed by Delbert Mann, and starring Dorothy McGuire and Robert Preston. Scripts and rental materials are not included in this estimate. While there are signs of the childrens unsociable nature throughout the play, we see a different side of Sonny and Reenie when theyre joined by Reenies talkative friend Flirt (Colleen Smith) and two gentleman callers, an inebriated Punky (Trevor Kerns) and an affable Sammy (Nate Mann). Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Sonny has a fear of the dark. She . Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified. MR. CHESTEREFIELD comes back from a trip to talk with MRS. CONNORS about his 'changed' wife. The classifications will be: Contemporary and Classical (before 1920); Comedic, Dramatic, and Serio-Comic; Female, Male, and Non-Specific (Please note that you may find material in a sub-set that is not traditionally assigned to you). Feel free to check out lesleygrigg.com to learn more about her and her writing. THE DARK AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS by William Inge Directed by Kate Fishman June 14-29, 2013 Town and Country Players 4158 York Rd. AU - Bell, David Howard. Cora promises Sonny to stop being so over-protective so he can grow into a responsible adult, then receives a call to say that Sammy has died. Notes: This is a very funny monologue. This tool is unavailable at the moment. The film was based on the Tony Award-nominated 1957 play of the same name by William Inge. LeClair provided Lottie with well-timed and expertly-expressed rants that was deemed the comedic-relief of the play with the amount of audience laughter. "Symbol of the Revolution" - Comedy monologue for female (1-2 minutes) adapted from the play "The Hysterical History of the American Revolution" "Teachers Eat Their Young" - Monologue about bullying - Male or Female from the play script "Bullied, Bungled and Botched" (PDF) ISBN-13: 978-1518661082 It's the same idea - but it's not in the script.) While searching for a What is the English language plot outline for The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960)? On the plus side, Shana Albery's costumes and Paul Huntley's wigs are just what you'd hope to see in a traditional production. She also reveals that Rubin has lost his job. As an actress, she's performed in community theater and independent film before moving behind the scenes as a Stage Manager, Production Coordinator, Casting Assistant and just about every other production job you can think of. Cora is out with her daughter Reenie, buying a party dress. The Film Bulletin gave the film a good review, if they did find it uneven, calling it a 'rather absorbing drama, with goodly shares of humor, warmth, and tragedy'. Attention must be paid to the Transport Group's staging of William Inge's because (1) the acting is superb, even if the direction is odd; and (2) though the play seems to have fallen into disfavor over the decades since its Broadway bow in 1957, it proves to be a minor masterpiece. Color. While issues of religion, bullying, and domestic violence inject some negativity into the play, the signs of domestic bliss and reassessing of life lead to a hopeful ending. A different kind of simple sweetness was seen in Wolfes portrayal of Morris, whose big heart and nervous soul made him lovable and lost at the same time. Academy Award winner Delbert Mann directed the work of Robert Preston and Dorothy McGuire in the production. This small-town family consisted of Cora (Shelli Pentimall Bookler), an unsatisfied housewife of a traveling salesman, Rubin Flood (Larry Krevitz), and their socially awkward children Sonny (Nicholas Tumolo . Start planning your production with a cost estimate you can save and share with your team. Cora's sister, Lottie, and Lottie's husband turn out to be rather joyless, too, under her veneer of exhilaration and his of complacency. Retrieved September 5, 2017. The following morning, they learn Sammy has attempted suicide. He has a father-to-daughter talk with a heartbroken Reenie. "[6] However, Bosley Crowther of The New York Times called it a "flawed adaptation of the original stage play. Cora can't understand Rubin's stinginess with money and, after Reenie meets a troubled Jewish cadet, Sammy (Lee Kinsolver), removes money from Rubin's pants to buy Reenie a new dress for the dance. Rubin tells her Cora has ignored him for years, and while he has remained faithful, he desires Mavis. His wife Cora (Dorothy McGuire) is frigid because of trying to make ends meet. American Film Institute. The Dark at the Top of the Stairs Paperback - January 1, 1960 by William Inge (Author) 20 ratings Hardcover $25.95 4 New from $25.95 Paperback $4.41 8 Used from $3.25 Mass Market Paperback $8.10 6 Used from $3.99 3 Collectible from $4.99 Publisher Bantam Publication date January 1, 1960 See all details The Amazon Book Review Register or Log In Borrow this book to access EPUB and PDF files. While sparring, he inadvertently strikes the boy too hard. January 18, 1960. Retrieved September 5, 2017. About to leave on a sales trip, Rubin learns his company is closing and he is out of a job. Like Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie and several other works by Inge, The Dark at the Top of the Stairs is a play in which domestic troubles carry nearly cosmic emotional import. Lesley has also written, produced and directed her own inde film and staged reading, and is currently writing a series of picture books for children. He does visit Mavis Pruitt, who is more than interested, but he tells her it's no good because he loves his wife. If you do have it, please feel free to submit it -- otherwise you're more than welcome to check our other movie and show scripts. The fear and uncertainty he faced each day as the head of his family and his aging prospects at being successful in the eyes of his family. During their sparring, he inadvertently strikes the boy too hard. But as a whole, especially in getting actors to work together, Kazan reaffirms his right to his reputation. In Oklahoma in the 1920s, Rubin Flood loses his salesman job. Ideal for Adult Females, 20-50. It was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play in 1958 and was made into a film of the same name in 1960. Sammy and Reenie kiss at the party, but Harry Ralston and his wife berate her for bringing a Jew to the country club, where they are not allowed. Rubin goes home and gives Sonny pointers on boxing. Read 26 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. One tragic event leaves everyone rethinking what is truly important in life, and is the turning point to major character transitions in the play. 9/4/2018 0 Comments Oct 17, 2011 Monologues for women. The film went into production in late January. Shirley Knight garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and Lee Kinsolving was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actor. Pro Info. Knight was also nominated for two Golden Globes. In Oklahoma in the 1920s, Rubin Flood (Robert Preston) loses his job as a travelling salesman when the company goes bankrupt. When it comes to the Entertainment Industry, Lesley Grigg has been on, off and around the stage, screen and writing desk. as Sonny Flood. When directors offer eccentric stagings of oft-revived plays or musicals, we can calm our irritation by recalling the three or four previous, superior stagings we saw and looking forward to the next. While Rubin tries to keep his job troubles a secret from his family, Cora calls her sister, Lottie (Eve Arden) to visit who brings her husband, Morris (Frank Overton) for support. Monologue is from the play Hello, Goodbye, Peace . Current Totals: 12498 plays, 5653 writers, 356 monologues, Current Totals: 12498 plays, 5653 writers, 356 monologues,