Streamers (play)

Streamers is a play by David Rabe. After premiering at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut in 1975, the production transferred to Off-Broadway theatre, opening on April 21, 1976 at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, where it ran for 478 performances. The cast included Terry Alexander as Roger, Paul Rudd (born 1940^[1]) as Billy, and Dorian Harewood as Carlyle, with Evans, Sweet, and McMillian reprising their Long Wharf roles. Later in the run Mark Metcalf replaced Rudd as Billy.

Plot synopsis

The last in his Vietnam War trilogy that began with The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and Sticks and Bones, it focuses on the interactions and personal conflicts of a group of soldiers preparing to ship out to fight in the Southeast Asian conflict. Among them are middle class African American Roger, upper class Manhattanite Richie, who is struggling with his sexual orientation, conservative Wisconsin country boy Billy, and fearful loose cannon Carlyle, a streetwise black. In charge of their barracks are abrasive alcoholic Sgt. Cokes, who already has served overseas, and aggressive Sgt. Rooney, who is anxious to get into combat.

Its title a reference to parachutes that fail to open, Streamers originally was a one-act play entitled Knives Rabe completed in the late 1960s prior to writing the first two-thirds of his trilogy. While working as a journalist in New Haven, Connecticut, he expanded it into a full-length play. Under the direction of Mike Nichols, it premiered at the Long Wharf Theatre on January 30, 1976. The cast included Herbert Jefferson, Jr. as Roger, Peter Evans as Richie, John Heard as Billy, Joe Fields as Carlyle, Dolph Sweet as Cokes, and Kenneth McMillan as Rooney.

Awards and nominations

Awards

1976 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play

1976 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best American Play

Nominations

1976 Tony Award for Best Play

Film adaptation

In 1983, Rabe adapted his play for a feature film directed by Robert Altman and produced by Robert Michael Geisler and John Roberdeau (The Thin Red Line). The cast included David Alan Grier as Roger, Mitchell Lichtenstein as Richie, Matthew Modine as Billy, Michael Wright as Carlyle, George Dzundza as Cokes, and Guy Boyd as Rooney. The movie was awarded a Golden Lion for its entire ensemble cast at the Venice Film Festival. The film was released on DVD via Shout! Factory in January, 2010.

Revivals

Streamers was revived by Roundabout Theatre at the Laura Pels Theatre at the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre in 2008. This production was based on the one presented a year before, by the Huntington Theatre. It was directed by Scott Ellis.

The 2008 cast includes J.D. Williams as Roger, Hale Appleman as Richie, Brad Fleischer as Billy, Atoh Essandoh as Carlyle, Larry Clarke as Sgt. Cokes, and John Sharian as Sgt. Rooney.

References

External links

• Streamers at the Internet Broadway Database
• Streamers at the Internet off-Broadway Database
• Streamers at the Internet Broadway Database
• Streamers at the Internet Movie Database