GLBT Literature & Fiction

The Goat, or, Who Is Silvia
by Edward Albee
Three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Albee's most provocative, daring, and controversial play since Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Goat won four major awards for best new play of the year (Tony, New York Drama Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle). In the play, Martin, a successful architect who has just turned fifty, leads an ostensibly ideal life with his loving wife and gay teenage son. But when he confides to his best friend that he is also in love with a goat (named Sylvia), he sets in motion events that will destroy his family and leave his life in tatters.
 

 
The Laramie Project
by Moises Kaufman
Moises Kaufman and his Tectonic Theater Project have written a play documenting the aftermath of the savage killing of Matthew Shepard, including the perspectives of both friends and strangers: The Laramie Project. This innovative theatrical composition, structured not in scenes, but in "moments," addresses the various issues relating to the tragedy of Shepard, a young gay man whose murder has since become a symbol for America's struggle against intolerance. Kaufman's approach is actor-based, as opposed to text-based; a side-effect of this actor-based approach is that in print form it seems as though something is missing. However, the play promises to move the reader with its authentic portrayal of a small town facing a terrifying event.
 

 
Corpus Christi
by Terrence McNally
Named one of the best plays of the year by Time magazine
The New Yorker has called Terrence McNally "one of our most original and audacious dramatists and one of our funniest." He is the author of such critically acclaimed plays as Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, The Lisbon Traviata, and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. In Corpus Christi McNally gives us his own unique view of the story of Christ, and in doing so provides us with one of the most vivid and moving passion plays written. McNally's play is an affirmation of faith and a drama of such power and scope that it has been hailed by audiences and critics alike as one of his best and most poignant works to date.
 

 
The New Inn
by Ben Jonson
In one of his last plays, Jonson atypically wrote of love, which is also a story of family reunion and a typical Jonsonian banquet of humors. Hattaway characterizes the play as a tribute to Shakespeare, and as a belated recognition that the fantasies of romance contain profound truths. In this new edition, the spelling has been modernized, the text updated, and a critical introduction has been added. It also contains helpful appendices and a commentary that explains difficult or significant passages.
 

 
The Normal Heart
by Larry Kramer
The play shows a true-to-life picture of AIDS from the political-public point of view and from the personal aspect. It portrays the political history of dealing with AIDS. How the disease was neglected when it first appeared and for many years after just because it seemed to be killing "only" gay men. In addition to this, the play tells us of a tragic personal story - two lovers trying to cope with the disease. This play is valuable not only for a better understanding of gay life, but more importantly as a condensed reminder of how we reacted to AIDS at its earlier stages, thousands were dying but ways of prevention were not discussed because it was politically incorrect. The author also compares the reaction to AIDS to the reaction to the Holocaust, which I found interesting and sadly true.
 

 
Out of the Fringe
by Caridad Svich
"Out of the Fringe" provides an electric and eclectic new world of plays by latinas/latinos. Thanks to this handsome new anthology, latino/latina theater is shown to alive and thriving in the U.S., whether in the hands of gay activist chicano humorist Luis Alfaro or lyrical cuban-american Nilo Cruz. Caridad Svich, who compiled the anthology, has an extremely musical incantatory play included as well. It is a testament to the energetic state of latino/latina theater and thought that mixed-blood chicano Oliver Mayer writes a play which has but a single latina character and whose themes are national more than regional. This is a must-read. These plays should be done!

 
Drama Queen
by Patrick Price
Delivers its message with winsome sincerity." --Detour "[Husband Hunting Made Easy] talks practically about dating, courtship, sex, money, feelings, and needs. If you're young and single, this is the book for you." --XY Magazine "Price's handbook for single gay men is more entertaining than educational, but we'll buy it-as much to laugh at our own foilables as to learn the secrets of finding a long-term relationship. And they do say laughter is the best medicine for a broken heart.

 
The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me
by David Drake
David Drake's smash hit one-man show tells the story of his call to gay pride and activism through a series of vignettes exploring thoughts and emotions shared by a whole generation of gay men and women.