One of his best-loved and most famous plays, it exposes the lies plaguing the family of a wealthy Southern planter of humble origins.

    What Rebecca Gilman makes of this familiar scenario is something startlingly real and compelling, delving deeply into the small space that can divide a feeling of hope from one of hopelessness, as Curt and Sandy both try to get a foothold in the American dream of a house, a job, a life, a relationship with another human being.Gilman's previous play, Boy Gets Girl, was acclaimed by Time magazine as the best play of 2000, saying that "with Spinning into Butter, her play about race relations on campus, Rebecca Gilman gave notice that she was a playwright to watch. And with this intense drama of a woman's encounter with a stalker, she became one to hail . . . It's not just a gripping play but also an important one." Marked by Gilman's characteristically sharp delineation of character, pitch-perfect dialogue, and effortless use of humor that is both biting and silly, Blue Surge is a worthy successor to these plays--an intimate look at the class struggle in America today as well as a brilliant example of the dramatic craft from one of today's most accomplished practitioners. It will have its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in the spring of 2001.

    The topics include feminism and the role of women in the drama, the American Dream, business and capitalism, the significance of technology, the legacy that Willy leaves to Biff, and Miller's use of symbolism. The authors of the essays include prominent Arthur Miller scholars such as Terry Otten and the late Steven Centola as well as young, emerging scholars. Some of the essays, particularly the ones written by the emerging scholars, tend to employ literary theory while the ones by the established scholars tend to illustrate the strengths of traditional criticism by interpreting the text closely. It is fascinating to see how scholars at different stages of their academic careers approach a given topic from distinct perspectives and sometimes diverse methodologies. The essays offer insightful and provocative readings of Death of a Salesman in a collection that will prove quite useful to scholars and students of Miller's most famous play.

    Albee there is a theme beneath the surface, in this case the corruption of money and the rottenness of this bigoted exurbia where conformity to its illiberal standards and its hypocritical show of respectability is all that counts. The scene is the suburban home of Jenny and Richard, beautifully played by Barbara Bel Geddes and Barry Nelson. The only thing that seems to stand in the way of their happiness is a lack of money. The action starts in an entertaining comedy of manners style. Then abruptly there enters a Mrs. Toothe in the menacing and fascinating person of Beatrice Straight who offers Jenny the opportunity to make more money than they have ever had, to buy a greenhouse and all the other luxuries that they require for their garden and their lives. Richard's realization that their newfound money is being earned by his wife's whoring comes almost simultaneously with the return of their fourteen-year-old son from school and a champagne cocktail party which they are giving to impress their country club friends. As a result, his horror, disgust and rage has to be kept under wraps in order to keep up essential appearances until tragedy strikes, and Richard realizes that the assembled wives are all involved and their husbands are aware and condoning." More than that, they are prepared not merely to justify but defend the ends through which their means are attained and the devastated Richard, left in agonized despair by the ironic events that charge the final moments of the play, must face the fact of his own share in their communal guilt.

    He rules with an iron fist, but when someone from his past steps back in his life, he realizes that he must protect that person from the streets.Lisa—the fast life is no longer something she has a passion for. Her time away gave her plenty of time to think of how her love of money caused her to lose the one the truly loved. She gets a second chance at love, but will deceit creep into this relationship causing it to fail?LaTanza—is a beautiful sister with a haunting past. When she met Carlos Fuentes, the son of Chicago’s leading Latin drug dealer, at the young age of sixteen she immediately fell in love. Now older and married to Carlos she is rich, safe and wants for nothing. But when she eavesdrops on a conversation between Carlos and his father, she hears that the senior Fuentes doesn’t like his son being married to a black woman and wants him to father an all Latin son to carry the family tradition. This sends the unstable LaTanza over the edge. Fearing that she and her daughter will be left out in the cold she carries out a deadly plan—a plan to become ‘The Queenpin’.Rivalries explode. Love is found while it is also lost. Betrayal causes people to hurt the ones they love—all for the love of money. Who will come out on top—or even alive?BioA former undercover narcotics detective, Alex Richardson’s familiarity with the seamy side of the streets adds a steamy kind of street cred and realism to his gritty page turning novels. He spends his time between Chicago and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

    

    has revved up the chaos in her second installment of Pretty Lips That Thugs Love series. Twyla T. intensely catapults the audience into the lives of Ashanti and Kentay as love, drama, and secrets unfold in droves. Kentay Mill adamantly claims Ashanti McNeal as his woman in more ways than one. However, his philandering ways always find its way to Ashanti’s front door—literally when his baby is dropped off at the front door. Kentay has been the man in Ashanti’s life for years, but his constant disrespect and unfaithfulness are pushing her into the arms of another man. And, the kicker is that it’s just not any man, but his very own blood. Regardless of the situation, Kentay vows to keep Ashanti as his by any means necessary. He hates to lose and declares that he will win no matter what. Not trying to entertain the thought, he decides to take matters into his own hands and takes desperate measures to ensure that she will always be his. Ashanti is not feeling the love for Kentay that she used to feel. She knows that she is a good woman and has grown tired of his ill treatment of her. When she wasn’t looking, Ashanti finds love in an unexpected place when it literally bumps into her by the name of Ahmad Jones. Their budding friendship develops into something more that neither of them could deny any longer. After watching Ahmad and his team win the NCAA Championship for his college Mississippi State University, Ahmad and Ashanti celebrate with a hot and passionate kiss on live TV that the world sees and she knows that there is no turning back. Ahmad and Ashanti enter new relationship territory and can’t wait to explore their new found love. They are ready to deal and to tackle the fallout with Kentay in order to start their lives together, but they know it won’t be easy. Just as things are looking up for the new couple, tragedy strikes that sends all of their lives in a tumultuous domino. Secrets will no longer remain secrets. No one will go unscathed as lives are turned upside and inside out. Lives will be changed. Relationships will be tried and tested. Pain is inevitable. Love still rules in the end. As darkness descends over the lives of Ashanti, Kentay, and Ahmad, will any of them find light at the end of the tunnel? Whose love will endure the torrent of disasters? Discover who will survive all of the hazy drama that is unrelenting and unlimited in the second installment of this urban fiction love story in Pretty Lips That Thugs Love 2

    They were the eldest of the James/Santos offspring who were all either siblings or cousins and ranged in age from infants to early teens. But, now that the three boys were older, they had to face real life issues and responsibility. Lil Q’s name had already been run through the system due to the parents of his first puppy love, Jyla. Now the majority of his summer vacation was spent going back and forth to the courthouse trying to clear his name. Cons’ vacation was spent on his new career, but he later finds himself walking the footsteps of his father. Cons was a go-getter and had been that way since he could comprehend that people catered to children. Once Cons’ career blew up, he also figured out how much it brought attention from his peers, be it good or bad. Now that Cee saw how much drama had come into his family from his little brother and cousin, he chose to keep his feelings for his best friend at bay, not knowing that she liked him too. Cee, Cons, and Lil Q all knew the rules of the James and Santos family. Now that they were older, their parents felt they needed a little more freedom, but would it all be taken away after their parents learned just how much chaos surrounded their children?

    School is her get away, and her safe haven, because at home, she suffers through an abusive relationship with her boyfriend William.Due to the stress of life and school, Amelia loses her job, but quickly bounces back and finds a better opportunity, and with a new job on the horizon, she falls into the arms of the owner of the business, Ceedric.Ceedric is a savage street king who goes legit and leaves his past behind, opening a construction company.The chemistry between these two is real and raw, but what will she do about William? With the fear of leaving William, and falling into something new with Ceedric, hearts and lives are on the line and in the way.Can Ceedric use his tru savage ways to hold on to his woman, or will she slip through his fingers, and stick to what she knows, abandoning her chance at happiness?

    As she helps women plan and execute their special day, Reese is secretly waiting for the day it is her walking down the aisle. However, it seems that with Cordell, a well-known Miami DJ, that will never happen. Though she thought she had a fairy tale, after finding out a secret, Reese has to do her best to move on. It may be easier said than done, though. Anthony is a rapper, and to the outside eye, he has everything. The money, the cars, and the picture perfect trophy girlfriend, Elysia. However, with her continuously pressuring Anthony to get married, he strongly doubts their relationship and where it's meant to head. When he meets Reese, the inevitable happens. With her outgoing and vibrant smile, he finds himself easily attracted to her. However, all is not fair in love and war. Will their hearts be the casualty?

    

    This 1960's French farce adapted for the English-speaking stage features self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German, and American fiancees, each beautiful airline hostesses with frequent "layovers." He keeps "one up, one down and one pending" until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris and Bernard's apartment at the same time.

    Hairspray (978-1-5578-3514-7); Rent (978-1-5578-3737-0); Fiddler on the Roof (978-0-8791-0136-7)

    One act play, Drama. Two wanna-be rock stars await their takeout delivery--or is it their rock-n-roll messiah? An early work by "True West" playwright and actor Sam Shepard. Librarian's Note: No separate publication found at this time. Generally published in collections of Shepard works.

    Though completely dissimilar to Beckett and Pinter, she is surely now in their class.” – WHATSONSTAGE.COMJack would do anything for Sam. Sam would do anything. And around this simple premise, Caryl Churchill slyly crafts her new play depicting a deeply dysfunctional gay relationship—which is actually all about America. Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? is another speedy, taut two-hander that shows off Churchill’s uncanny ability to write both topically and elliptically at the same time. It was first produced at London’s Royal Court Theatre and subsequently staged at The Public Theater in New York.Caryl Churchill has written for the stage, television and radio. A renowned and prolific playwright, her plays include Cloud Nine, Top Girls, Far Away, Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?, Bliss, Love and Information, Mad Forest and A Number. In 2002, she received the Obie Lifetime Achievement Award and 2010, she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.