Morality ~ A Comedy in Three Acts. Three-act comedy by Ludwig Thoma. Translated and adapted by Denise Elaine Heap.
Ludwig Thoma came up with the idea for this play while jailed in Munich's Stadelheim Prison in 1906 for insulting that city's "Morality Club" in the political satire-zine SIMPLICISSIMUS. The play debuted nearly simultaneously in Munich and Berlin in 1908.
Heap has taken Ludwig Thoma's biting satire and made it relevant for a US public. She preserved the turn-of-the-20th-century setting, but action takes place in Houston, Texas instead of Munich, Germany.
The bawdy, funny tale (PG-content, not R-rated) of the local politician who is also president of The Morality Club resonates with an American public tired of false family values. Though the basic plot ~ of course the president of The Morality Club is listed in the local Madam's little black book ~ is not new, the "solution" to the problem is creative. And of course, funny.
Women come off well in Thoma's original play and Heap's adaptation. The 'wise old woman' is pivotal to the serious undertones of the opening discussion. Her realistic (or cynical) approach to questions of morality reflect true family values.
Nineteen players in all: 12 adult males, 6 adult females, and 1 teenage (or YA) female.
Must order either 1 only for perusal, or minimum of 20 for the cast and director.
Royalties: $50 for first performance, $35 for each additional performance. No percentage of ticket sales.
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ISBN (print version): 978-0-9767183-4-5. Printed on acid-free paper. Email or write us for firm quote for your performances. Also contact us for quote for print version, as price depends on quantity and turnaround.
ISBN (digital version): 978-1-956508-32-1.
© 2007.