THE STORIES: EAT CAKE. A biting satire in which a frowzy housewife, absorbed in her TV is visited by an eccentric rapist--whose demands are somewhat different from what might be anticipated. (1 man, 1 woman.) HAROLD. Two doctors examine a patient (p

Reproduction of the original: Seven Short Plays by Lady Gregory

A collection of plays with natural dialogue and believable situations for two to six actors.

These seven imaginative short theatre pieces by one of America's most inventive and highly regarded playwrights range widely in content, mood and style. The plays offer a stimulating challenge in terms of selecting, arranging, and mounting the diverse com

In the fall of 2011, The Long Story Shorts One Act Festival was launched, featuring performances of short plays written by undergraduate students in the Writing for the Screen and Stage minor, an interdisciplinary, dramatic writing program housed in the Department of Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Marking the first five years of the festival, this anthology showcases works written to be performed in ten minutes with a small production budget. The festival gives students a unique opportunity to participate in a collaborative, developmental environment led by experienced faculty and professional actors and directors, and the plays included here rise to the occasion. Whether they are humorous, poignant, powerful, or provocative, they demonstrate why the short play form has become so popular; why this event has become one of the highlights of the university's cultural scene; and why the Writing for the Screen and Stage program has thrived.

This one-of-a-kind anthology features thirty-six hilarious short plays by major American playwrights and emerging new voices, all guaranteed to send readers and audiences into peals of laughter. From the surrealistic wit of Steve Martin's "The Zig-Zag Woman" to the biting political satire of Steven Dietz's "The Spot," from Christopher Durang's wonderfully loopy "Wanda's Visit" to Shel Silverstein's supremely twisted "The Best Daddy," there's something in here to make everyone laugh. There are plays for casts of all sizes, from monologues to large ensembles, with diverse and challenging roles for actors of every age and type. Even the titles are funny: Mark O'Donnell's "There Shall Be No Bottom (a bad play for worse actors)," Elaine May's "The Way of All Fish," and Alan Ball's "Your Mother's Butt." A bonanza for theatergoers, performers, and comedy fans, Laugh Lines will bring down the house. From the Trade Paperback edition.