-Playwright-
Joseph McDonough
PLAYS
ONE (Full-Length, 2W, 1M)
One tells the moving story of three lonely people—a deeply disturbed young woman, a conceited Hollywood actor, and a grieving Emily Dickinson scholar— who each become obsessed with the heartfelt letters written over a hundred years ago by a doomed Civil War soldier to his lost love. The lives of these three struggling people become intertwined in unexpected ways.
World Premiere -- Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
Produced in New York at the Spoon Theater
“Smart with a savvy sense of humor . . . beautiful language and real emotional warmth . . . a real crowd-pleaser.” Jackie Demaline, Cincinnati Enquirer
“A script that reaches out and grabs you by the heart as you become increasingly involved with these troubled souls . . . One has rewards for those who put themselves in the hands of writer McDonough and follow his story threads to their unexpected conclusion.” Hap Erstein, Palm Beach Post
To read an extensive portion of One, click here:
WAYFARER’S REST (Full-Length, 2W, 1M)
During the German bombings in England in World War II, an American woman wanders into a forest and encounters two strange, mysterious and magical people who have the ability to tell the future. Should she ask them her own future? Does she want to know? Can she live with that knowledge? Wayfarer’s Rest is a moving modern fairytale that explores the nature of suffering in the world and how one must strive to confront it.
World Premiere -- Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati
“There’s something epic about this play . . . just a good story, simply told . . . McDonough has the courage to create a remarkably optimistic treatise about the human will to survive.” David
Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer
“Powerful . . . the story-telling is simply too good to disappear into the crowded theatrical archives of the past . . . worthy of becoming a classic .” Caroline Willis, The News Record
To read an extensive portion of Wayfarer's Rest, click here:
TRAVELS OF ANGELICA (Full-Length, 4M, 3W)
1657: A writer wanted for treason barely escapes from England with his daughter to start a new life with a new identity in Virginia. Can he outwit his blackmailing neighbor and escape capture before completing his most important work? Today: Two graduate students come to Virginia in search of clues about this forgotten author, hoping to make an important literary discovery. As the play twists and turns between the past and present, this time-traveling tale explores history, hope, heart and the possibility of a remarkable future.
World Premiere -- Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
Winner of the Mickey Kaplan New American Play Prize.
“Most rewarding is the way McDonough luxuriates in the language, wielding his words masterfully to weave a complex and almost mystical dramatic tapestry . . . a mature work by a mature playwright.” David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer
“Travels of Angelica creates theater magic.” Richard O. Jones, Cox Newspapers
To read an extensive portion of Travels of Angelica, click here:
STONE MY HEART (Full-Length, 4M, 1W)
Stone My Heart is a jazz-infused, darkly comic reimagining of Othello set among the political machinations in the Chicago city morgue. The stammering Robby secretly loves Jessica, who is living with Marcus, the city's new chief coroner. Jessica struggles with the recent death of her father, while at the same time sensing the collapse of her stormy relationship with Marcus. Into this mix, the manipulative Terrence seizes all opportunities to use their desires and secrets for his own gain, destroying one after the other in this compelling story about the destructive forces of obsession, passion and power.
World Premiere -- Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park
Winner of the Mickey Kaplan New American Play Prize
“An affecting drama . . . an attractive work for other regional theatres to produce.” Rick Pender, Backstage.com
To read an extensive portion of Stone My Heart, click here:
THE CELEBRATED JUMPING FROG OF CALAVERAS COUNTY
(One-Act, Theatre for Youth Audiences, 2 M, 1W, 1M/W, flexible cast size)
This rambunctious adaptation of Mark Twain's classic short story tells the tale of schemer and braggart Jim Smiley, who decides to make his fortune by entering his frog in the first annual Calaveras County Frog Jumping Contest. Smiley has certainly had his share of good luck, but the people of Calaveras County are getting a bit tired of being duped by Jim, and they may just have a scheme of their own.
Originally Produced by Art-Reach Touring Company, toured to twelve states
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is licensed for production by Playscripts, Inc. Click on the button to visit Playscripts’ Celebrated Jumping Frog page:
