Speech and Debate (play)
Speech & Debate is a play written by Stephen Karam. The play concerns three misfit teenagers who live in Salem, Oregon.
Production history
Speech & Debate opened Off-Broadway at Roundabout Underground on October 2007 and ran through February 28, 2008 in a Roundabout Theater Company production.[1] Directed by Jason Moore, the cast featured Gideon Glick (Howie), Sarah Steele (Diwata), Jason Fuchs (Solomon) and Susan Blackwell (Teacher/Reporter).[2]
The play was originally performed as a workshop production at Brown/Trinity Playwrights Repertory Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island in July 2006.[3] It was directed by Lowry Marshall.[4]
Plot
The play, a dark comedy with music, concerns three misfit teenagers and their attempts to expose a drama teacher who preys on teen boys.
Reception
The New York Times reviewer wrote: "Stephen Karam’s dark comedy seems to be about a frumpy girl, a nerdy guy and an openly gay guy who band together to disclose the truth about a teacher who preys on his male students. But that topical plot is almost window dressing. The play’s real accomplishment is its picture of the borderland between late adolescence and adulthood, where grown-up ideas and ambition coexist with childish will and bravado."[2] The Variety reviewer wrote: "...the conflicts explode in consistently intriguing ways. And Karam uses both the advantages and perils of cyberspace to make amusing, original points."[5]
According to TCG, it was one of the most produced plays of 2009-10 [6]and has received over 150 productions as of 2014.
References
- ↑ 'Listing" roundabouttheatre.org, accessed ay 15, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 James, Caryn. "Theater Review. 'Speech & Debate'" The New York Times, October 30, 2007
- ↑ "'Speech & Debate' Listing and History" artistsrep.org, accessed May 15, 2012
- ↑ "'Speech & Debate' Listing, 2006" brown.edu, accessed May 15, 2012
- ↑ Rooney, David. "Legit Reviews. 'Speech & Debate'" Variety, October 29, 2007
- ↑ https://www.tcg.org/publications/at/ATtopten.cfm#2009