SHIRLEY LAURO


























Artwork: Ros Winner Sterling

SPECKLED BIRDS

OVERVIEW OF THE PLAY:
A full-length play for multigenerational audiences. Ideal for adolescents, adults, seniors.

A play about growing up in our "have and have-not" society, and discovering what "family" really is. Though Angie, an adolescent, lives in a wealthy town, she is poor. Deserted at birth by her mother, her father killed in War, she lives in a trailer with her ailing but loving Grandma. Though a gifted athlete, Angie's afraid to compete at her preppie school, feeling she's "Trailer Trash". While terrified a disliked aunt will soon take her away to live with her and put Grandma in a Facility, Angie meets a boy, Theo, at school. Brilliant, wealthy but an awkward loner, Theo's parents have no time for him and schoolmates taunt him, his only friends being his computer and his bird. Finally as Angie and Theo form a unique bond as soulmates, they gain the courage to begin their journeys toward adulthood --- resolving family problems, and taking actions to utilize their talents at school.
2m; 3w.

PLAY HISTORY:


Theater of the Open Eye
Margaretville, New York
Presented: May, 1903

Originally Commissioned by Theatreworks USA, New York
Staged reading at Theatreworks USA, New York


AVAILABLE FROM:
Peter Hagan, The Gersh Agency
41 Madison Avenue, 33rd Floor
New York, NY 10010
212-634-8115
email: jharmon@gershny.com


SELECTED WORK

Anthology of Plays
Full Length Plays
"AKA"
Dark comedy of shifting identities and cultures.
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
"Jeff Recommended" WORLD PREMIERE June 2005
CLARENCE DARROW's LAST TRIAL
2006 Carbonell Award Nominee; 2004 NEA "Access to Excellence Award", in collaboration with New Theatre, FL; 2001 New American Play Prize (Finalist)
OPEN ADMISSIONS
Tony & Drama Desk nominations, New York Times pick for the “Ten Best Plays of the Year” list, Dramatists Guild Hull-Warriner Award.
A PIECE OF MY HEART
The Barbara Deming Prize for Women Playwrights, The Susan Blackburn Prize (Finalist, The Kittredge Foundation Award.
THE CONTEST
National Foundation for Jewish Culture Award
MARGARET AND KIT
Susan Smith Blackburn Award (finalist)
PEARLS ON THE MOON
National Endowment for the Arts Residency Grant at The Alley Theatre of Houston, TX Jane Chambers Play Award (finalist)
SPECKLED BIRDS
Multigenerational play commissioned by Theatreworks, USA.
One Act Plays
OPEN ADMISSIONS
New York Times pick for the “Ten Best Plays of the Year” list, Dramatists Guild Hull-Warriner Award, Samuel French OOBA Festival Award.
NOTHING IMMEDIATE
Samuel French Play Writing Award
THE COAL DIAMOND
The Heidemann Prize at Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival, selected for "Best Short Plays of 1980"
BACK STORY
A play commissioned by Actors Theatre of Louisville showcasing the work of their Playwrights.
Other Work



Find Authors

Created by The Authors Guild

A note for users of older versions of Internet Explorer, Netscape, or AOL:
This site will look a lot better in a newer browser. Download one for free!
Internet Explorer: Windows Mac   |   Netscape: Windows Mac Other
For AOL users, please choose Internet Explorer above.