Leading Women: Plays for Actresses 2 (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Edited by award-winning playwrights Shengold and Lane, this volume includes 22 theatrical works that premiered from 1990 through 2001. Comprising full-length plays, one-acts, and monologs, these works give actresses the opportunity to play characters ranging in age from the teens through the 70s. The array of pieces, by playwrights whose impressive track records have garnered most of the awards throughout the nation, is rich in female attitudes, nuance, and diversity conjured by a variety of situations. Alan Ball (American Beauty) writes a humorously revealing story about five bridesmaids coming in and out of a hotel room before, during, and after the wedding. In a different tone, Julia Jordan's "Smoking Lesson" centers on the angst of three teenage girlfriends after they discover a body in the Mississippi River. Produced at venues such as Playwrights Horizons, New York Theatre Workshop, South Coast Repertory, and the Humana Festival, to name only a few, these pieces are an excellent representation of the poignant writing available for actresses. The writers' bios at the back of the book are filled with information on other works, theaters, writing venues, and awards available in the United States. Recommended for all libraries. Elizabeth Stifter, Brooklyn, NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

The introduction to this anthology begins with a bitter quip from Christopher Durang and Wendy Wasserstein's parodic Medea, decrying the fact that there are many more roles for men than for women in theater. Editors Lane and Shengold quickly explain that this book is dedicated to rectifying that situation. The anthology gathers some of the strongest roles for women in contemporary American theater. Jane Martin's hilarious send-up of Hollywood, Anton in Show Business ; Donald Margulies' moving portrait of literary mentorship, Collected Sto ries; and Alan Ball's killer skewering of weddings, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, are plays in which most or all of the characters are women, as are lesser-known plays by Julia Jordon, Ellen McLaughlin, Kia Corhron, and many others. Four one-acts, including Durang and Wasserstein's Medea, and a handful of monologues also appear. Some may carp about Lane and Shengold's American, pro-New York scope, but maybe they plan a future survey of British playwrights, such as Caryl Churchill, who have built careers writing strong roles for women. Here's hoping. Jack Helbig
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (August 13, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375726667
• ISBN-13: 978-0375726668
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
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• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #112,511 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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