# Favorite Plays **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467 "2000-11-30T23:33:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/1 "2000-11-30T23:33:04Z")
I’m going to come back to this thread, I’m sure, when I get home and look at my books, but here’s an impromptu list of my favorite things to read, watch, and/or act in. _Angels in America: Millennium Approaches_ and _The Illusion_ by Tony Kushner _Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead_ by Tom Stoppard _Betrayal_ by Harold Pinter _Savages_, _Treats_, and _The Philanthropist_ by Christopher Hampton _Antigone_ by Jean Anouilh _True West_ by Sam Shepard _Cat on a Hot Tin Roof_ by Tennessee Williams _All in the Timing_ by David Ives _Jeffrey_ by Paul Rudnick _Beyond Therapy_ by Christopher Durang _Here_ by Michael Frayn _Crimes of the Heart_ by Beth Henley _Otherwise Engaged_ and _Butley_ by Simon Gray _Van Gogh/Gauguin_ by Johnny Simons _Five Guys Named Moe_ by Clarke Peters _The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged_ by The RSC Hmm, looking back, the list is disturbingly dominated by white guys. And, for the most part, British white guys or gay white guys. 😃 That’s the history of theater for you, I suppose…anyway, I haven’t acted for two years, so I’m probably not up on the latest playwrights. How 'bout the rest of you? Favorite plays? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/2 "2000-11-30T23:48:32Z")
My wife and I saw a few plays at the Shakespeare Theatre in DC the last few years. Enjoyed them all. They were: [ul] [li]Othello, starring Patrick Stewart[/li][li]Peer Gynt[/li][li]Merry Wives of Windsor[/li][li]Sweet Bird of Youth[/li][/ul] Also, I like musicals: [ul] [li]Oliver[/li][li]The Sound of Music[/li][li]West Side Story[/li][li]Brigadoon[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/3 "2000-11-30T23:54:00Z")
_Dancing at Lughnasa_ by Brian Friel _Rent_ _Blue Man Group_ (I haven’t seen it yet but the music is great so I’m looking forward to it) _The Tempest_ Shakespeare _Godbaby_ A local Chicgo production-I cried with laughter I’m sure I’ll think of more, but I’ve got to make dinner now… ---
**Author:** ![DigitalMuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@DigitalMuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalMuse)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/4 "2000-12-01T02:31:09Z")
A Streetcar Named Desire By Tennesse Williams The Glass Menagerie by Tennesse Williams He rocks!! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/5 "2000-12-01T04:11:14Z")
I’ve been in a Shakespeare Ensemble nd a Gradate Engineering Student group. My favorites: “A Man for All Seasons” by Robert Bolt. Bolt’s one of my favorite screenwriters, too (Man for all Seasons, Dr. Zhivago, Lawrene of Arabia, The Mission, The Bounty…), but his stage plays are ver different - AMFAS on stage is a vastly different experience, and a lot of his plays never becam movies (“Vivat! Vivat Regina!” about Elizabeth I, “State of Revolution” about Lenin) “Sleuth” by Anthony Shaeffer (He, too, was a screenwriter, adapting Sleuth fo the screen and writing Hitchcock’s “Frenzy”. But “Sleuth” on stage was better – I don’t want to give it away, but there are things you can do in a play that you can’t d in the movies.) “Amadeus” by Peter Shaeffer, Anthony’s brother. The stage version is so cmpletely different from the movie that they’re really two different stories. I much prefer the play. I also loved “Equus” and “The Royal Hunt of the Sun” by Shaeffer.(A lot of people made the mistake f thinking that “Amadeus” was meant to be a historicall accurate life of Mzart and Saieri. It wasn’t. Shaeffer’s plays are all inspired by historical events, but he doesn’t disguise the fact that he liberally twists facts. His plays are really about God and Man. That’s why the play is called “Amadeus”, and not “Mozart”, or even “Salieri”. “Th Royal Hunt of the Sun” takes the same liberties with the story of Pizarro and Atahuallpa, nd “Equus” isn’t about the real case where a stable boy blinded the horses in his care.) “Macbeth” and “The Tempest” by William Shakeseare “1776” by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards. I love musicals, but I like “1776” because its music has never been played as Easy Listening". Stone, too is a gifted screenwriter (I think that “Charade” and “Mirage” are masterpieces). He also wrote the “book” for the recent musical “Titanic” (which I have not seen). “The Phantom of the Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Bloated, but I’ve alays had a soft spot for the original Gaston Leroux and the Lon Chaney phantom, not the acid-scarred figure of the Claude Reins/Herbert Lom/ Phantom of the Paradise bastardizations. Bsides, Mrs. Cal loves this one. I once dressed up as The Phantom (makeup and all) and serenaded her with “Music of the Night”. “Pygmalion”, “Man and Superman”, and “Saint Joan” I love George Bernard Shaw. I like his other works, too, but I especially like these three (actually, only the “Don Jua in Hell” seqence from M&S)I was lucy enough t see a live performance of Pygmalio before I saw ANY version of My Fair Lady. “Fiddler on the Roof” I saw it on its original Broadway run (with relacement Tevye Harry Goz), then later with Zero Mostel in revival and with Topol (after he did the movie). I know it’s schmaltzy, but it’s also very good. Bette Midler and Bert Convy and Bea Arthur starred in it during its initial Broaday run! “Man of la Mancha” by Dale Wasserman and Mitch Leigh. So what if it cndenses an immensely thick book into an incredibly brief play. It’s wonderful stagecraft, and I like the songs. On the day I was to see Richard Kiley reprise the role, he was sick. There’s a record album of Jim Nabors (yes!), Marilyn Horne, and Jack Gilford performing the lead roles (they never did it on stage – only on record) which I love. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/6 "2000-12-01T04:19:20Z")
I have a host of favorites, but I’ll nominate "Da’ " by Hugh Leonard. I grant you, your enjoyment of this play will depend, in part, on whether you’re Irish (I am). Barnard Hughes was playing the title role when I first saw this show on Broadway, and the moment he took the stage, picked up a tea kettle, and wailed, “Jayzus, Mary and Joseph, that’s hot,” I was hooked. The characterizations were dead-on… for a few hours, it was as if my grandparents had been resurrected and were on stage in front of me. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/7 "2000-12-01T05:07:19Z")
I’m reading _“Art”_ by Yasmina Reza right now; it’s next to be done at a local theatre. (I didn’t think I would like it, but it’s really good.) In addition to most of the ones already mentions (especially _A Man For All Seasons_): (Short list, off the top of my head) _Henry V Six Characters in Search of an Author Lysistra_ (did I spell that right?) _Candide A Doll’s House_ I read _Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde_ before seeing it. Very powerful; I highly recommend it. It’s fun watching macho high school students trying to wipe away a tear without anyone noticing. Another local company did an adaptation of _Moby Dick_ - for the most part, very well adapted (about 2h25m with a 15 minute intermission) and excellent reviews (I read them after I see the show). A couple minor “Hanh?!” moments, but other than that, quite well done. I’ll see if I can find the playwright’s name. **CalMeacham** - _Fiddler on the Roof_ is playing this week with Theodore Bikel. Trying desperatly to get a ticket for Saturday afternoon, but that may not be possible. If I get to go, I’ll think of you. ---
**Author:** ![Serendipity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Serendipity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serendipity)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/8 "2000-12-01T05:46:23Z")
I adore _Rosencrantz and Guildernstern Are Dead_, as well as _Arcadia_, by Tom Stoppard. (I’ve been asking for the movie version of the former for years, but my mom hasn’t been able to find a copy. ☹ ) I’m also a big fan of anything Shakespeare, but I’m especially fond of _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_, as that was the first Shakespearean play I was exposed to. Ibsen’s _Ghosts_ was also good. ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/9 "2000-12-01T05:50:44Z")
To read - The Crucible. To see - Anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber (especially Joseph), and Rent. ---
**Author:** ![DRY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a87d85/32.png) [@DRY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DRY)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/10 "2000-12-01T09:15:14Z")
Believe it or not, my absolute favorite is NOT Shakespeare: The Lion in Winter Though otherwise, it’s pretty dominated by the Bard: Julius Caesar Hamlet Richard II, Richard III, Henry IV (both parts), V and VI (all parts)–I’m an English History fan, OK? Macbeth Romeo and Juliet The Taming of the Shrew Titus Andronicus [sub]OK, I’m just kidding about the last one[/sub] Also: Bang the Drum Slowly 1776 Damn Yankees Kiss Me Kate (This last I saw for the first time on Thanksgiving Weekend. Thought of a certain poster here…but I don’t tell tales out of school.) N.B.: Many, probably MOST of these I’ve seen only as teleplays. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/11 "2000-12-01T13:45:38Z")
Another Lloyd Webber person checking in. I love Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, and his latest, Beautiful Game. However, I consider EVITA to be his best, cause on a scale of 1 to 10 for originality, it scores about 37! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/12 "2000-12-01T13:51:54Z")
I tend to prefer musicals: Kiss Me, Kate My Fair Lady Guys and Dolls The King and I Les Miserables The Music Man A Chorus Line Cabaret Straight plays: Cyrano de Bergerac Hamlet Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead Henry V Anything by Ring Lardner 😉 The Iceman Cometh ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/13 "2000-12-01T14:42:41Z")
Vampire Lesbians of Sodom by Charles Busch Either that or Hamlet. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/14 "2000-12-01T16:40:51Z")
I forgot three: _Loot_ by Joe Orton (hey, he’s gay _and_ British!) _Laughter on the 23rd Floor_ by Neil Simon (I’m not a big Simon fan, but this is a fantastic play) _The Duck Variations_ by David Mamet ---
**Author:** ![Melpomene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Melpomene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melpomene)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/15 "2000-12-01T17:09:05Z")
I’m an actress and theatre fanatic so I’ll see just about anything. I like a lot of plays and enjoy doing critiques on them. There are only a few that I can really consider “favorites”. _Arcadia_ by Tom Stoppard (serendipity! It’s nice to see someone else who knows this one!) _Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead_ by Tom Stoppard _Winter’s Tale_ by Shakespeare _Titus Andronicus_ by Shakespeare _Blythe Spirit_ by Noel Coward _Amadeus_ by Peter Shaeffer _Chairs_ by someone whose name escapes me The smallest, but most fun role I have ever played was the Porter in _Macbeth_. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/16 "2000-12-01T17:13:52Z")
**Melpomene:** Is the _Chairs_ you’re thinking of the one by Eugene Ionesco? (Two characters, an old man and an old woman) If so, that’s a great play. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/17 "2000-12-01T17:18:00Z")
Roles I would kill to play (and indeed will kill to play, if a local theater group puts these on)— • Sadie Thompson in “Rain” (“Sadie Thompson is on her way to HELL!”) • The Emcee in “Cabaret” (always wanted to play that role as what Sally Bowles would become in 20 years—no reason why it has to be a man!) • Katharine in “Taming of the Shrew” (only Shakespeare I’d like to do) • Amanda in “Private Lives” • Sylvia in “The Women” (the Ros Russell role) ---
**Author:** ![Melpomene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Melpomene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melpomene)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/18 "2000-12-01T17:26:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadarene \* > \*\ ***Melpomene:** Is the _Chairs_ you’re thinking of the one by Eugene Ionesco? (Two characters, an old man and an old woman) If so, that’s a great play. \*\* There we go! That’s his name! Thank you! 😃 I was just off trying to find it on the net, but doing a search for “chairs” doesn’t exactly narrow it down. 😉 I believe Rhinoceros is his more well-known play. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/19 "2000-12-01T17:41:24Z")
> [@](#): > > I believe Rhinoceros is his more well-known play. That and _The Bald Soprano_ (which is about as much an exercise in surrealism as you’re likely to find in modern theater, with written stage directions like, “The clock strikes as many times as it likes” and “The clock doesn’t strike at all”). My favorite line from _Rhinocerous_ happens to be one of my favorite lines, period. Keeping in mind I last read the play about five years ago, I believe it goes like this: “Do you deny the rhinocerotic evidence?” Made in reference, of course, to a rhinocerous charging through the streets of a small town, one which most people don’t bother to acknowledge. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2000, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467/20 "2000-12-01T19:21:38Z")
[ul] [li]_Thyestes_ - - Seneca[/li][li]_Arcadia_ – Tom Stoppard[/li][li]_Philoktetes_ – Sophocles[/li][li]_Hedda Gabler_ – Henrik Ibsen[/li][li]_A Man For All Seasons_ – Robert Bolt[/li][li]_Henry V_ --Shakespeare[/ul][/li] There are plenty more, but I can’t summon them up right now. MR [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-plays/43467.md?page=2)