A collection of Michael J Shannon's plays is now available on Amazon. Click here to purchase 'JFK on JFK and two other plays'. Click here to purchase 'Watching with Lincoln and two other plays'. Click here to purchase 'DEROS on the Funny Farm and two other plays'.
Seneca Falls Forever
“Seneca Falls Forever” is a family drama set in Seneca Falls, a small town in the Finger Lake District of western New York; noted for a women’s rights meeting held in 1848, attended by 300 men and women, including the great grandmother of Gwen Gordon, wife to Russell, and mother of John and Alice. So in the Gordon family of three generations women’s suffrage had always been a hot topic.
Then came America’s entrance into the First World War, which put that topic on the back burner. The nation became deeply involved in the war effort, both at home and overseas, and the Gordon family was no exception. The need for man power put women in jobs never before contemplated; it changed attitudes, both personal and political. It changed the Gordon family as well, especially their children and their sweethearts.
And in the aftermath of that war it led to the passage of the 19th amendment to the Constitution, giving voting rights to all.
“Seneca Falls Forever” is a homage to those who led the way.
Then came America’s entrance into the First World War, which put that topic on the back burner. The nation became deeply involved in the war effort, both at home and overseas, and the Gordon family was no exception. The need for man power put women in jobs never before contemplated; it changed attitudes, both personal and political. It changed the Gordon family as well, especially their children and their sweethearts.
And in the aftermath of that war it led to the passage of the 19th amendment to the Constitution, giving voting rights to all.
“Seneca Falls Forever” is a homage to those who led the way.
A MORE PERFECT UNION
The title of this play is borrowed from the preamble of the Constitution: “We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity .... do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.”
We are in the office of MARCY GRIER, legal counsel to the president, interviewing judge PRESTON WALLACE, a potential candidate for a seat on the Supreme Court. To avoid any possible leak, Wallace only learns that he is being considered for this position during the course of the interview. He didn’t even know there was a vacancy. Is he interested? You bet.
Breathlessly, he retreats to a summer rental to research a book and await a possible summons from the White House.
At the cottage, a scruffy TOM YEAGER, surprises his childhood sweetheart, DALE HARDY, by breaking into the summer rental, also Dale’s childhood home. Shocked but intrigued, Dale plays along reluctantly, reminiscing about the old days, her marriage, divorce, child (at camp), etc., etc....but, in fact, she has clocked Tom from the get go - an escaped felon on the run from
a spectacular Texas trial, his picture all over cable news.
“Why did you come here?” she asks. “Why me? You can’t stay here. The place is rented! You have to turn yourself into the police!” But for Tom, that idea is a non starter.
This is the situation when professor Wallace knocks on the door of his rental, (a day early by the way) looking for rest and recuperation. Instead he becomes entangled in Tom’s case, possibly jeopardizing his eventual nomination to the Supreme Court.
Marcy shows with the news that the professor has been nominated, recognizes Tom, and wants to bail with the professor. But no dice. Tom now solicits her help via the president. While Marcy makes phone calls, Tom and Dale grill Wallace on ‘precedents’, preparing him for the grilling he will get from the Judiciary Committee. Marcy announces a deal has been agreed.
LATER Dale and Tom wait in a motel room to surrender to U.S. Marshalls, On TV we hear Wallace’s opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee, invoking the spirit of Solomon and Lincoln, hoping, if he is confirmed, to walk in their footsteps.
The play reflects, in one particular instance, the often rocky constitutional road between the Framer’s aspiration and fulfilment. Although the road in this tale leads to a love redeemed and an injustice uncovered, it also reveals a constitutional road that is and will continue to be rocky until that more perfect union is realized.
We are in the office of MARCY GRIER, legal counsel to the president, interviewing judge PRESTON WALLACE, a potential candidate for a seat on the Supreme Court. To avoid any possible leak, Wallace only learns that he is being considered for this position during the course of the interview. He didn’t even know there was a vacancy. Is he interested? You bet.
Breathlessly, he retreats to a summer rental to research a book and await a possible summons from the White House.
At the cottage, a scruffy TOM YEAGER, surprises his childhood sweetheart, DALE HARDY, by breaking into the summer rental, also Dale’s childhood home. Shocked but intrigued, Dale plays along reluctantly, reminiscing about the old days, her marriage, divorce, child (at camp), etc., etc....but, in fact, she has clocked Tom from the get go - an escaped felon on the run from
a spectacular Texas trial, his picture all over cable news.
“Why did you come here?” she asks. “Why me? You can’t stay here. The place is rented! You have to turn yourself into the police!” But for Tom, that idea is a non starter.
This is the situation when professor Wallace knocks on the door of his rental, (a day early by the way) looking for rest and recuperation. Instead he becomes entangled in Tom’s case, possibly jeopardizing his eventual nomination to the Supreme Court.
Marcy shows with the news that the professor has been nominated, recognizes Tom, and wants to bail with the professor. But no dice. Tom now solicits her help via the president. While Marcy makes phone calls, Tom and Dale grill Wallace on ‘precedents’, preparing him for the grilling he will get from the Judiciary Committee. Marcy announces a deal has been agreed.
LATER Dale and Tom wait in a motel room to surrender to U.S. Marshalls, On TV we hear Wallace’s opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee, invoking the spirit of Solomon and Lincoln, hoping, if he is confirmed, to walk in their footsteps.
The play reflects, in one particular instance, the often rocky constitutional road between the Framer’s aspiration and fulfilment. Although the road in this tale leads to a love redeemed and an injustice uncovered, it also reveals a constitutional road that is and will continue to be rocky until that more perfect union is realized.
CO-OPS
“CO-OPS” is set in a Manhattan apartment, present day, with a cast of six. The building is more than half empty because the owners are intent on razing it and putting up a multi-storey.
At its center is the Vitale marriage and the pressures that are put on it as the couple becomes more and more involved in preventing, not only their own eviction, but also that of the remaining tenants.
The landlord is never seen or known. As court proceedings continue endlessly without result, harassment of the tenants becomes more and more arbitrary and extreme.
At the heart of the play is the question, “How do you deal with evil? How do you fight it?” Whether a landlord is terrorizing tenants or whole nations, is peaceable resistance possible or must violence be met with violence? Is the very nature of our thought our greatest defense, our greatest weapon?
The tenants struggle to come to terms with these questions, splits the marriage and divides the rest.
At its center is the Vitale marriage and the pressures that are put on it as the couple becomes more and more involved in preventing, not only their own eviction, but also that of the remaining tenants.
The landlord is never seen or known. As court proceedings continue endlessly without result, harassment of the tenants becomes more and more arbitrary and extreme.
At the heart of the play is the question, “How do you deal with evil? How do you fight it?” Whether a landlord is terrorizing tenants or whole nations, is peaceable resistance possible or must violence be met with violence? Is the very nature of our thought our greatest defense, our greatest weapon?
The tenants struggle to come to terms with these questions, splits the marriage and divides the rest.
DEROS ON THE FUNNY FARM
DEROS is a military anagram designating the date a soldier is expected to return to the States. At HQ Company, II Field Force, Vietnam, that date was dragging nearer and nearer for Spec 4 Brewster and for his replacement, Ed Brennan, hardly a hope.
In previous wars a soldier had no DEROS, he was in for the duration. But in Vietnam, generally speaking, it was a year. This was not the only oddity of the Vietnam war which, according to Congress, wasn’t even a war. But for those who served in this twilight zone, especially the combat troops, it was real enough.
For those at II Field Force, time was as much the enemy as the VC, at least for the ones sweating in Quonset huts, serving as clerks, typists, etc. Oh, they built bunkers, stretched barbed wire, pulled guard, filled sandbags, were even attacked during the TET Offensive, but essentially, outside of a stray mortar, external threats were minimal. They knew they had lucked out. Still, they were there, putting n their time and waiting.
In fact the action of this play is “waiting”. What happens in between, is the effect of being on the fringes of a seemingly endless war, for a cause which had become, for some, undefined. Certainly the war was controversial. The reports of riots on the home front filled the airwaves, along with the distant bombing of the B-52s.
Brewster, a day away from departure, was getting a little antsy. I guess that’s why he wandered out to his bunker his last night in country and shot the bull with Brennan, who was pulling his shift for the first time. Or it could have been that Brewster felt a bit guilty deserting his mates who worked in “A&D”, that’s “Awards and Decorations”. The brass wanted to make sure the grunts got their medals before heading stateside. A worthy idea, but for the lads banging out the citations, or preparing for awards ceremonies, it was at best ironic, and often insane.
Brennan, the newbie, was shocked by the callous banter that was hurled around the ‘office’. And even more knocked over when they gave Brewster that phony medal with their straight faced Captain reading the hilarious citation, citing Brewster’s ‘resolute pecking’ stick-to-it-tiveness, etc. It was beyond bizarre. What was this place? A funny farm?
It went a long way to explain why Brewster sat on the bunker till dawn, rocking away; almost as if the rocking was carrying him home. The whole impulse of that rocking seemed like a manic desire to not just get home, but to get back to reason, harmony and good will to men.
In previous wars a soldier had no DEROS, he was in for the duration. But in Vietnam, generally speaking, it was a year. This was not the only oddity of the Vietnam war which, according to Congress, wasn’t even a war. But for those who served in this twilight zone, especially the combat troops, it was real enough.
For those at II Field Force, time was as much the enemy as the VC, at least for the ones sweating in Quonset huts, serving as clerks, typists, etc. Oh, they built bunkers, stretched barbed wire, pulled guard, filled sandbags, were even attacked during the TET Offensive, but essentially, outside of a stray mortar, external threats were minimal. They knew they had lucked out. Still, they were there, putting n their time and waiting.
In fact the action of this play is “waiting”. What happens in between, is the effect of being on the fringes of a seemingly endless war, for a cause which had become, for some, undefined. Certainly the war was controversial. The reports of riots on the home front filled the airwaves, along with the distant bombing of the B-52s.
Brewster, a day away from departure, was getting a little antsy. I guess that’s why he wandered out to his bunker his last night in country and shot the bull with Brennan, who was pulling his shift for the first time. Or it could have been that Brewster felt a bit guilty deserting his mates who worked in “A&D”, that’s “Awards and Decorations”. The brass wanted to make sure the grunts got their medals before heading stateside. A worthy idea, but for the lads banging out the citations, or preparing for awards ceremonies, it was at best ironic, and often insane.
Brennan, the newbie, was shocked by the callous banter that was hurled around the ‘office’. And even more knocked over when they gave Brewster that phony medal with their straight faced Captain reading the hilarious citation, citing Brewster’s ‘resolute pecking’ stick-to-it-tiveness, etc. It was beyond bizarre. What was this place? A funny farm?
It went a long way to explain why Brewster sat on the bunker till dawn, rocking away; almost as if the rocking was carrying him home. The whole impulse of that rocking seemed like a manic desire to not just get home, but to get back to reason, harmony and good will to men.
WATCHING WITH LINCOLN
The play is set in the telegraph office of the War Department, Washington, D.C. It is the evening of November 8th, 1864. Lincoln arrives in the middle of a fierce storm, a storm that parallels his own concerns about re-election. Two months ago he wouldn’t have given a plug nickel for his chances. If he goes down, or the election is even close, pressure to negotiate with the South will be overwhelming. He predicts such a result would lead to the extension of slavery into new territories and the dissolution of the brief experiment in a peoples government.
As he anxiously waits for the slow returns, he relates to his friends in the audience, his fears, doubts, and hopes for the country. He also touches on his personal life, the loss of his boy, Willie, his marriage, his youth in Kentucky and Indiana, fighting with the Illinois militia in the Black Hawk War, and opposing the war with Mexico, a stand that cost him re-election to Congress.
And in between stories, anecdotes, and speculation on the results, he keeps an ear out for the sound of the telegraph operators clicking away, delivering the verdict that will determine the fate of the nation.
Eventually, the cause of the war, the slavery issue is addressed. Views expressed in his famous debates with Senator Douglas are evoked as well
as the triumphs and disasters of the war over the past four years, including Gettysburg and the subsequent Gettysburg Address, a speech he thought was a ʻflat failureʼ.
Agony turns to relief when the final Illinois return clinches a landslide victory. A band and serenaders arrive to celebrate his re-election. In his brief remarks he looks to the future, to a swift end to the war, to reconciliation and to the restoration of peace and prosperity in the country. And to that end he request one of his favorite tunes, “Dixie”. Finally, a special thanks to the audience, to those who have kept the vigil with him, watching with Lincoln.
“Watching with Lincoln” offers a rare insight into the extraordinary experiment in self government, initiated in 1776 and tested violently eighty years later in the great American Civil War. The proposition expressed in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal” lay at the heart of that war. And it is a proposition that is still being wrestled with and fought over, denounced and endorsed throughout the world. In that respect the play is not just a troll through history, or a portrait of the 16th president of the United States, it evokes the primitive, moral right of all mankind to succeed and prosper. If you'd like to view, please click here
As he anxiously waits for the slow returns, he relates to his friends in the audience, his fears, doubts, and hopes for the country. He also touches on his personal life, the loss of his boy, Willie, his marriage, his youth in Kentucky and Indiana, fighting with the Illinois militia in the Black Hawk War, and opposing the war with Mexico, a stand that cost him re-election to Congress.
And in between stories, anecdotes, and speculation on the results, he keeps an ear out for the sound of the telegraph operators clicking away, delivering the verdict that will determine the fate of the nation.
Eventually, the cause of the war, the slavery issue is addressed. Views expressed in his famous debates with Senator Douglas are evoked as well
as the triumphs and disasters of the war over the past four years, including Gettysburg and the subsequent Gettysburg Address, a speech he thought was a ʻflat failureʼ.
Agony turns to relief when the final Illinois return clinches a landslide victory. A band and serenaders arrive to celebrate his re-election. In his brief remarks he looks to the future, to a swift end to the war, to reconciliation and to the restoration of peace and prosperity in the country. And to that end he request one of his favorite tunes, “Dixie”. Finally, a special thanks to the audience, to those who have kept the vigil with him, watching with Lincoln.
“Watching with Lincoln” offers a rare insight into the extraordinary experiment in self government, initiated in 1776 and tested violently eighty years later in the great American Civil War. The proposition expressed in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal” lay at the heart of that war. And it is a proposition that is still being wrestled with and fought over, denounced and endorsed throughout the world. In that respect the play is not just a troll through history, or a portrait of the 16th president of the United States, it evokes the primitive, moral right of all mankind to succeed and prosper. If you'd like to view, please click here
Black Ice on the Western Road
Under its former title, “21 Lincoln Street”, this play was championed by Uta Hagen and the playwright, A.R. Gurney. I met “Pete” in London during the Greenwich Theatre premiere of Gurney’s play, “The Dining Room”. I never met Uta, but through an exchange of letters she clearly was attracted to the play and the complex character, IRIS MILTON, the Phys Ed teacher near the end of her career; and her relationship to the houseboy, John, a graduate student at a nearby university. “Black Ice on the Western Road”, recently revised, unfolds its mysteries like a peeling onion.
Chekhov on the Plains
This play within a play draws a parallel between life on the McCook Army Base in middle America and life in a rural Russian town as depicted in Chekhov’s. ‘The Three Sisters” In both cases the army is the primary influence on the quality of life, both culturally and financially. And in both cases the presence of the army is threatened by a Base closure or by order of the Tsar.
The isolation of the three sisters mirrors the insulation of the population at McCook and the nearby town. While the three sisters yearn for “Moscow”, a metaphor for a fuller meaning to life, the locals at McCook also have similar longings, fears and hopes.
The isolation of the three sisters mirrors the insulation of the population at McCook and the nearby town. While the three sisters yearn for “Moscow”, a metaphor for a fuller meaning to life, the locals at McCook also have similar longings, fears and hopes.
JFK on JFK
When I was a student, I wrestled with a Chekhov monologue, On the Harmfulness of Tobacco”. That monologues, which runs about twenty minutes, served me well when I came to write the JFK play.
I did an enormous amount of research into JFK’s presidency, his life and times, before I put pen to paper. It was all pretty daunting and I wasn’t sure about the outcome. But I felt it was needed, that the way in which his presidency was cut short shook the nation; and in some ways we are still recovering from that cataclysmic event and its aftermath.
The play, which occurs in the mind of JFK after the first gun shot at Dallas, is a stream of consciousness play, wherein JFK jumps from one topic to another, to the political to the personal and vice versa, covering all bases; and talking in a way that one might when they feel there is not much time left. The ballad at the close of the play, "Johnnie We Hardly Knew Ye"|, sums him up.
I did an enormous amount of research into JFK’s presidency, his life and times, before I put pen to paper. It was all pretty daunting and I wasn’t sure about the outcome. But I felt it was needed, that the way in which his presidency was cut short shook the nation; and in some ways we are still recovering from that cataclysmic event and its aftermath.
The play, which occurs in the mind of JFK after the first gun shot at Dallas, is a stream of consciousness play, wherein JFK jumps from one topic to another, to the political to the personal and vice versa, covering all bases; and talking in a way that one might when they feel there is not much time left. The ballad at the close of the play, "Johnnie We Hardly Knew Ye"|, sums him up.
Liberty Rising
We often think the aura during the 1776 revolution was idyllic and all hearts and minds were united behind the principles cited in the “Declaration of Independence” and later in the Constitution. But taking a closer look, the struggles encountered by our Founding Fathers were fraught with divisions, rivalries and jealousies. To quote Washington, “the dearth of public spirit and want of virtue ,.. I never saw before and pray God, I shall never see again.” And yet, despite all set-backs and deprivations, despite defeat after defeat, they persevered. The play is a hymn to those who persevered and, hopefully, can serve as a reminder that in difficult times, past or present, we, as a nation, can do the same.