The Road
Play Description
Ralphy, a young gay man, is dying of AIDS and vents his rage on his parents. He leaves and hitch-hikes across America sending his parents a constant stream of abusive and angry letters. All the while he is getting sicker. At home his mother and father have to face hard truths about their son and their now sexless marriage. Decent people trying to do the right thing, they do not understand their son’s attitude toward them. When they discover where he is, they are faced with the decision of whether to leave him there as he wishes or to bring him home to die.
Production Info
Cast: 3 total (1 female, 2 male)Full Length Drama (about 65 minutes)
Single Set
Contemporary Costumes
- Reviews
- About the Author(s)
- About the Book
- Special Notes
- Productions
Press Quotes
“… the bitter, unsettling tale takes hold and makes you squirm. This is the story of Ralphy, a young gay man dying of AIDS. What makes the play so discomfiting is not his impending death, but his cruel rage against his parents and the way he acts it out. … his parents will do anything for their dying son — except speak the truth. Ralphy can’t bear it. He hits the road, peppering his helpless Mom and Dad with angry letters — and final farewells …” —Francine Russo, Village Voice
“… Edwin Sánchez’s poignant dysfunctional-family drama, THE ROAD … Sánchez’s excellent, compelling drama … the heart-rending text … Sánchez’s well-written script offers appropriate comic relief with heartfelt expressions of pain, desire and frustration. THE ROAD is … exhilarating …” —Robert Kent, Next Magazine
Author(s)
Edwin SánchezWinner of the National Latino Playwriting Award for LA BELLA FAMILIA, recent productions include UNMERCIFUL GOOD FORTUNE and TRAFFICKING IN BROKEN HEARTS, both in Los Angeles as well as the world premiere of the romantic comedy I'LL TAKE ROMANCE at the Evolution Theatre in Ohio. Other productions include: DIOSA, produced by Hartford Stage after a successful workshop by New York Stage and Film, TRAFFICKING IN BROKEN HEARTS at the Bank Street Theater in New York, UNMERCIFUL GOOD FORTUNE at the Intar Theater in New York, for which he received the Princess Grace Playwriting Award in 1994, and BAREFOOT BOY WITH SHOES On at Primary Stages in New York. This play was selected by the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference to represent the National Playwrights Conference at the Schelykovo Playwrights Seminar in Russia; ICARUS produced by Fourth Unity, Actors Theater of Louisville as part of their Humana Festival, San Jose Rep and regionally throughout the U.S.; and TRAFFICKING IN BROKEN HEARTS, Atlantic Theater in New York, and productions in Brazil and Switzerland. He was also among the playwrights involved with Brave New World, an organization commemorating the events surrounding September 11th. www.edwinsanchez-writer.com. Edwin is on the playwriting faculty at Primary Stages in New York City.
Special Notes
If original stage producers credits appear in bold below, all licensees are required to include them 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:
First produced by The Fourth Unity, New York
In addition, the following must appear within all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play:
by special arrangement with Broadway Play Publishing Inc, NYC
www.broadwayplaypub.com
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