LUCKY MAN
 a modern morality play by Anne de Mare



Winner
 Best Ensemble Production - 1997 New York International Fringe Festival

Production History
The Ground Floor Theatre Lab; Mainstage; September 4 - 27, 1997
The 1997 New York International Fringe Festival; Mainstage; August 14 - 23, 1997
The Ontological Theater; Mainstage; June 29 - July 15, 1995
Press Quotes for LUCKY MAN
 "Delightfully mean and perverse!" - Village Voice
"Lucky Man makes it impossible to walk out of the theatre empty-headed and impossible not to care." - The Daily Propaganda
"Anne de Mare's latest surreal road play pairs comic disaster with the ordinary domestic quagmire, proving that peril happens!" - Village Voice
"Wonderful... Engrossing... Prepare for the unknown...." - FringeNYC

read a section of the play
Character Breakdown (10 men, 7 women)
  • THE LUCKY MAN - an attractive man in his mid thirties
  • THE VERY ODD MAN - a persistent little man with a lot of cash
  • THE STRANGE WOMAN - a woman at the end of her rope
  • THE SEX KITTEN - a beautiful woman in a negligee
  • THE HUSBAND - average in every possible way
  • THE WIFE - average in every possible way
  • THE BOY - adorable
  • THE GIRL - adorable
  • THE OLD MAN - the nicest looking guy
  • THE JANITOR - a middle aged man in coveralls
  • THE FAT LADY - enormous
  • DOCTOR HAPPY - your worst nightmare
  • THE NURSE - a woman you wouldn't look twice at
  • THE RING MASTER - P.T.Barnum on acid
  • CHERRY - his lovely assistant
  • THE AMAZING WINGDINI - an escape artist
  • CAPTAIN JACK SPLAT - a drunken astronaut

     A Brief Description of the Play

     A post-modern morality play. The Lucky Man has lived his whole life being lucky in a uniquely American way and finds himself being taken along for some distinctly American rides. He takes what he can get as he encounters overblown characters who have completely succombed to the limiting and degrading identities dictated by a world obsessed with sex, money, violence, and a fearful desire for numbing comfort. He allows himself to be taken along from place to place and experience to experience until his own inaction finds him imprisoned in a terrifying fun house world he cannot escape from.

    Scene One - An Airport: The Lucky Man waits for a flight. He meets a lot of people he will be seeing more of. They like him. They like him a lot. He takes what they give him. Its some pretty cool stuff.

    Scene Two - A Supermarket: The Lucky Man is asked some honest questions. He has a little trouble with honest questions. There are some other things he would rather deal with, so he does. Someone tries to tell him something. He doesn't listen. A mistake.

    Scene Three - A Hospital Emergency Room: The Lucky Man is in a little over his head. He meets some people he doesn't like at all. They don't have his best interests at heart. He takes help from where he can get it. Another mistake.

    Scene Four - A Circus: The Lucky Man meets a man with all the answers, and a bunch of people with no answers at all. He has to defend himself for the first time. He isn't very good at it. He's a little concerned.

    Scene Five - A Rocket Ship: The Lucky Man finally gets on the ride of his life. There are some familiar faces around, but they don't seem to like him very much anymore. He tries to get off the ride. It turns out badly.

    Scene Six - An Asteroid: The Lucky Man has some time to think. Too much time to think.

    Running Time: 60 minutes.

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    © copyright 1999 by Anne Catherine de Mare