Plays by Larry Maness
Larry Maness is the author of two books of plays:
3 Plays, introduced by Pulitzer Prize-winner William Inge (Coronado Publishing, 1972)
Read introduction by William Inge
It is a refreshing experience, reading these several short plays by Larry Maness. One feels in them the absence of any adulterating influences and of any pretentiousness. Maness’s theatrical concepts are all his own, and he is to be admired for his originality. If these plays are difficult for the reader totally to comprehend, it is the nature of a new aesthetics which aim to give the reader, or audience, something more than merely a literal experience. The plays are aimed directly at one’s subconscious, and they must be seen, not just read, if their full impact is to be felt. Reading them may be compared with studying the maps of new continents which may be located and defined on paper without being wholly experienced.
William Inge
This House Has Quiet Rooms (Performance Publishing, 1978)
A word about the four unpublished plays below: You may download each—click on the name of the play below to read it, right-click (or control-click on a Mac) to download it to your computer—at no cost and make necessary copies for each production. Contact Larry Maness at ljm@larrymaness.com for production permission. All scripts are in PDF form.
Harry Gates, a college professor who believes he is invisible, uses his special gift to wage war for his career, his wife, and his very life.
First performance: The American Theatre of Actors in New York City.
Acts: two.
Set: A large open space.
Characters: five men, one woman.
Time: Present.
Nightly performance fees: $50.
Bailey Vorhees invites his former sweetheart to the moon after discovering that his wife is having an affair.
First Performance: The American Theatre of Actors in New York City.
Acts: two.
Set: Living room.
Characters: three men, two women.
Time: Present.
Nightly performance fees: $50.
Colby, a disillusioned middle school principal, pays children to listen to him as he dispenses his theory for a successful life.
First performance: The One Man Talking/New Work Series at TaDa Theatre in New York City.
Acts: two.
Set: A large open space.
Characters: one man.
Time: Present.
Nightly performance fees: $40.
This play, suitable for high school performances, focuses on the Evans Alternative Center, a school for young girls who have made bad decisions. The Center is about to close unless it can prove to the Budget Committee it has a new and workable method for helping the girls improve their lives.
Acts: two, three scenes.
Set: A large open space.
Characters: two men, two women, five teen-aged girls (the number of girls can increase as needed).
Time: Present.
Nightly performance fees: $30.