Cover photo by Robert N Redmond

How His Bride Came to Abraham

Karen Sunde

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PERFORMANCE RIGHTS

Note

The Alternative Version, available as a PDF manuscript, is shortened to one-act length for school and community theater needs.

Description

Set in South Lebanon, HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM is a soaring love story. When a fleeing refugee encounters a soldier wounded by a roadside bomb, irresistible Palestinian and Israeli characters clash, then ignite a passion that heals.

Production Info

Cast: 2 total (1 female, 1 male, Multiethnic Cast)
Full Length Drama (about 100 minutes)
Minimal Set Requirements
Contemporary Costumes
Reviews

Press Quotes

“One of the most powerful antiwar plays ever penned … this life-altering script.” —Plays International, London

“Sunde’s timely, gripping, and richly magical play … this modern day ROMEO AND JULIET … an engrossing look at how war can prematurely turn children into adults … emotional pull of her drama … will haunt audiences well after the end of the play … forces beyond man might be at work.” —AmericanTheaterWeb.com

“A masterpiece … no soft edges … goes straight to the heart of the conflict … outstanding writing, sound, direction, and acting — all the elements that make great theater.” —Melissa Kleiner, Bloomberg Radio

“Sunde does not take sides in the conflict, and the dialogue has a crisp, biting edge … gripping drama … timely romantic drama … volatile battle zone … vivid portraits of offstage characters and action … cinematic thrust of the pieces summons the inspiration for a dandy film.” —Variety

“… its events seem ripped right out of today’s headlines … pacifist tragedy … a fateful night that profoundly changes them — and us. Its incisive dialogue, riveting action, and searing audience impact … The play would likewise make a first-rate film.” —Plays International, London

“HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM creates an extraordinary modern pacifist myth in which a wounded male Israeli soldier and a female Palestinian terrorist experience each other’s passionate hunger for their homes and rights … it indelibly etches itself upon viewers’ souls.” —Contemporary Dramatists, London

About the Author

Author

  • Karen Sunde

    Playwright/Screenwriter Karen Sunde was first an actor. Off-Broadway she performed many leading roles and became Associate Director of CSC Repertory. Her plays have been performed Off-Broadway, in regional theatres, on a USA tour, in eleven countries, in seven languages. As screenwriter (adapting her plays) Sunde's won the Gold Prize from Hollywood Screenwriting Contest for IN A KINGDOM BY THE SEA; HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM is an "Official Selection" at Oaxaca Film Festival (www.abrahamfilm.org); UNDERCOVER PATRIOT was finalist at Sundance, THE FASTEST WOMAN ALIVE adapted for Howard S Shulman Productions, NYC. Among her plays: Shakespeare's DARK LADY, produced Abbey Theatre, Ireland; Aalborg State Theatre, Denmark; BALLOON, produced CSC won three VILLAGER awards Off-Broadway, nominated Best Play by Outer Critics Circle; in French, aired by Radio France; TO MOSCOW premiered Ankara National Theatre, Turkey; Chain Lightning, NYC. PLAYS BY KAREN SUNDE includes TRUTH TAKES A HOLIDAY; IN A KINGDOM BY THE SEA produced Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey; HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM, produced PTNJ; Praxis Theatre Project, NYC; The Unicorn, Kansas City. HAITI: A DREAM in FACING FORWARD, produced Seven Stages, Atlanta; radio play produced WNYC, aired WHYY, NPR. ANTON, HIMSELF for Actors Theatre of Louisville, played the Moscow Art Theatre and Yalta Festival in Russia; Peoples Light and Theatre, PA. THE FASTEST WOMAN ALIVE produced Luna Stage, NJ; Praxis, NYC; the Edinburgh Festival. KABUKI OTHELLO, produced People's Light and Theatre; Annenberg Center, Philadelphia; Wisdom Bridge, Chicago. KABUKI LADY MACBETH produced Chicago Shakespeare Theater, cited for five JEFF Awards. ACHILLES (a Kabuki play) toured Hungary, Cyprus, Japan. Sunde cowrote musical QUASIMODO, produced Byrdcliffe Festival, Woodstock, NY; Lahti City Theatre, Finland. For Cheltenham Center, Philadelphia, Sunde wrote LA PUCELLE (Me & Joan) and DADDY'S GONE AHUNTING (Tracking Blood White); for Chain Lightning, WHEN REAL LIFE BEGINS. Scenes from TO MOSCOW; ANTON, HIMSELF; MASHA, TOO; HOW HIS BRIDE CAME TO ABRAHAM appear in SCENES & MONOLOGS FROM THE BEST NEW PLAYS. Sunde lives in New York City and is faculty at New Hampshire Institute of Art's "Writing for Stage and Screen" MFA program.

About the Book

Book Information

Publisher BPPI
Publication Date 2/15/2006
Pages 80
ISBN 9780881453041

Special Notes

Special Notes

Licensees are required to include the original stage producers credits in the following form on the title page in all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all advertising in which the full cast appears in size of type not less than ten percent (10%) of the size of the title of the Play:

Originally produced by The Playwrights Theater of New Jersey

The following must appear within all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play:
How His Bride Came to Abraham is produced
by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC
www.broadwayplaypublishing.com

Productions

Upcoming and Recent Productions

Nonprofessional


2/15/2018 – 2/17/2018
Northfield Mount Hermon
Mount Hermon, MA