Schedule of Discussions

"Romeo and Juliet"                                                                             Saturday, October 13, 2007 (8pm)
             by William Shakespeare                                                         Sunday, October 14, 2007 (2pm)
Shakespeare explores romance, passion and tragedy in the most famous love story ever told.  The Bard weaves a tale of deadly enmity, revenge, betrayal, irresistible love, and heartbreak.  This classic tale of star-crossed lovers is as relevant and mesmerizing today as it was 400 years ago. Dr. Perault will discuss what happens to passion and romantic love.
Discussant: Peter Perault, M.D.

"Crimes of the Heart"                                                                    Saturday, November 10, 2007 (8pm)
              by Beth Henle                                                                    Sunday, November 11, 2007 (2pm)
The McGrath sisters are having a really bad day: Lenny is turning 30 and dealing with dying Grandaddy; Meg is reeling from her failed singing career; and Babe, the youngest, forces a sisterly reunion when she is bailed out of jail after shooting her husband.  Warm-hearted, irreverent and funny, this winner of the Pulitzer Prize and New York Drama Critics Circle Award is a southern comedy teeming with humanity and humor.
Discussant: Roni Cohen, Ph.D.

"The Little Prince"                                                                          Saturday, December 15, 2007 (8pm)
             by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar                                Sunday, December 16, 2007 (2pm)    
           based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
When a disenchanted Aviator crashes his plane in the Sahara, he is surprised to meet a visitor from a far away star.  Through the startling insights shared by this "Little Prince," the Aviator is reminded of what is truly important in life.  Few stories are as widely read and as universally cherished.  This holiday season, PlayMakers is thrilled to present this gift of family theatre to our theatre family.         
Discussant: Harold Kudler, M.D.

"Topdog/Underdog"                                                                           Sunday, February 17, 2008 (2pm)
               by Suzan-Lori Parks
From Parks' spectacular theatrical imagination comes the Pulitzer Prize-winning story of two African-American brothers, Lincoln and Booth, whose names were given to them as a joke by their father.  Abandoned by their parents as teenagers, the brothers fight for position and legitimacy in the world.  Haunted by their past and their obsession with the con game three-card monte, they are forced to confront the shattering reality of their future.
Discussant: John Tisdale, DMin

"Doubt: A Parable"                                                                          Saturday, February 23, 2008 (8 pm)
               by John Patrick Shanely                                                   Sunday, February 24, 2008 (2 pm)
What if the fate and reputation of a man lies in your hands? Set in a Bronx Catholic school in 1964, a strong-minded principal wrestles with conscience and uncertainty as she is faced with concerns about one of her male colleagues.  This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner is a riveting exploration of paranoia and suspicion that calls into question faith, justice and our assumptions about the nature of truth.
Discussant: Steven Bennett, Ph.D.

"Amadeus"                                                                                                Saturday, April 19, 2008 (8 pm)
               by Peter Shaffer                                                                        Sunday, April 20, 2008 (2 pm)
The tale of Mozart and the court composer Salieri is a sometimes-funny, sometimes-tragic, brilliant examination of a man at war with his god.  Salieri battles with a god who has condemned him to a life of mediocrity, while burdening him with the ability to recognize the genius of the upstart, Mozart.  Amadeus earned the coveted Tony Award for best play and went on to become a major motion picture that garnered eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Peter Shaffer.
Discussant: Paul Brinich, Ph.D.