The Playwrights Database
JOE CALARCO
Nationality: USA
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Literary Agent: Agency for the Performing Arts represented by Beth Bickers
Joe Calarco is the adaptor/director ofShakespeare's R&J which ran for a year in New York and earned him a Lucille Lortel award. He also directed the play's premieres in Chicago (5 Jeff award nominations including Best Play and Best Director) and Washington, D.C. (Helen Hayes award nominations for Best Play and Best Director).R&J completed a celebrated run on London's West end in late 2003. He directed the critically acclaimed world premiere of the musical Sarah, Plain and Tall at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York. He also directed Julia Jordan's the Summer of the Swans at the Lucille Lortel, and directed Ms. Jordan's play Boy at Primary Stages. He is an artistic associate at Signature Theatre in arlington, Virginia, where he directed the world premiere of Norman allen's Nijinsky's Last Dance (4 Helen Hayes awards including Best Play and Best Director), Side Show (4 Helen Hayes awards including Best Musical and Best Director), and the world premiere of . . .in the absence of spring. . ., which premiered in New York at Second Stage under his own direction. Other regional directing credits include: the Last Five Years (Philadelphia Theatre Company, Barrymore nomination),a Midsummer Night's Dream (the Shakespeare Theatre), My Fair Lady, Edward II, Suddenly Last Summer, To Kill a Mockingbird, Keely & Du, educating Rita, How I Got That Story, Goodnight Desdemona, Goodmorning Juliet, Babes In arms, and Godspell. He served as resident playwright at expanded Arts, Inc. for two years. He is one of New York Theatre Workshop's "usual suspects," a Drama League directing fellow, and has been a Joseph Papp artist in residence at Second Stage. He is a graduate of Ithaca College.
Research: Member of the Dramatists Guild of America (as at 2015)
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below is a list of Joe Calarco's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Aftershock Civil Wars Hero Worship Holding Pattern Image Is Everything In the Absence Of Spring Isolated Incidents Jason And Marty Get Laid Last Days Of Cleopatra, The My Vacation In Paris Party Talk Revolution Salat School Daze Separate Rooms Shakespeare, Will Shakespeare's R & J Un-American Veni, Vidi, Vici Walter Crokite Is DeadAftershock
While preparing for a class paper about the aftermath of political tragedies, stories of survival come alive before contemporary high school student Ruth. In the aftermath of Katrina, two young people struggle to survive in the face of extreme disaster. In 1945 Belgium, an adolescent Jewish girl struggles to maintain her identity and dignity. And, in the Congo, a girl faces situations that stretch beyond the devastating and into the unspeakable. Each of these stories interconnect in ways that remind Ruth (and the audience) of the incredible suffering mankind has endured and persisted through.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2009
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 7 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageCivil Wars
Civil War reenactments: a tradition that goes back for generations. As a group of students at an all-girls school participate in their annual reenactment, the core of the tradition itself is questioned. With no easy answers, civil wars, patriotism, ethics and values all get questioned by the girls, led by politically active student Jane, and their teacher Mrs. Stitkovic, an immigrant from war-torn Bosnia. With visitations from ghosts, thought-provoking discussion, and violent protests, the girls find themselves in situations that will change them forever.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2008
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 8 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageHero Worship
Its 2013. The U.S. Government is shutdown. High School student Samantha Barnes sneaks onto the Washington Mall to build a monument to her father who committed suicide after fighting in Afghanistan. Her presence on the deserted mall calls up the spirits of soldiers from other American wars. As her fantastical night progresses she also gets a visit from another trespasser on the MallJudith who has jumped the barricades of the WWII memorial to honor her father who fought at D-Day. The two women help each other make peace with their fathers.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2014
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 11 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageHolding Pattern
Synopsis:
the lives of various people at an airport bar.
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Male: - Female: - Other: -
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Top of PageImage Is Everything
Inspired by Leni Riefenstahls legendary propaganda film Triumph of the Will (1934) which chronicled the Nazi Party rallies and helped to glorify German leader Adolf Hitler, Image is Everything focuses on themes of propaganda, conformity, and personal responsibility. Taking place in the present day, a group of students study the tragic events of the Holocaust. When rumors swirl on the internet about a new student in their school ending in his suicide, the students are forced to face the fact that propaganda didnt just die with Nazi Germany but is alive and well in America, even in their very own school.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2011
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 8 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageIn the Absence Of Spring
Synopsis:
On the seventh anniversary of the bombing of an airliner, the loved ones of the victims are still trying to move on with their lives. Throughout a 24-hour period on a frigid spring day in New York, these strangers' lives interconnect and finally collide, taking them on a phantasmagoric journey toward closure.
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1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2000
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1st Published:
Playscripts, Inc - New York -
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
115-125 min Gay, theme/character full length
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 4 Other: 3 males, 4 females
Further Reference:
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Top of PageIsolated Incidents
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1st Produced:
Duality Playhouse, New York
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
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Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
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Top of PageJason And Marty Get Laid
Synopsis:
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1st Produced:
Duality Playhouse, New York
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Male: - Female: - Other: -
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Top of PageLast Days Of Cleopatra, The
Synopsis:
This New Musical Details the Infamous Love affair Between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton On the Set Of the '60S Film Fiasco. the Stuff That Scripts are Made Of--as Liz and Dick Curse and Caress their Way Into History. . .
Notes:
Original Book, Music, And Lyrics By Charlie Barnett, Reworked Book By Joe Calarco
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Genre:
Musical
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
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Top of PageMy Vacation In Paris
In the months leading up to the French Revolution Thomas Jeffersons two daughters spend an afternoon with revolutionary and early feminist Olympe De Gouges and her son Pierre learning about the Revolution and questioning their own understanding of the word freedom. With the two girls is their slave Sally Hemings who is faced with a decision regarding her own freedom that will alter all of their lives.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2006
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1st Published:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 5 Other: extras
Further Reference:
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Top of PageParty Talk
Synopsis:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
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Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageRevolution
Its 2011. The events that would come to be known as the Arab Spring are underway. The Occupy Movement is in its infancy. With the world changing at a rapid pace, a group of young students find themselves grappling to understand the surrounding revolutionary fervor. One student, Patrick, the son of a homeless Iraq War Vet, struggles in quiet desperation with secrets and changes that could prove to be more than he can handle.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2013
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Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSalat
While his classmates study Ancient Sumer, Daniel struggles with his own relationship to Iraq, where his father was blinded in the First Gulf War. As Rasha, a young girl in modern Basra, writes hopeful letters to her imaginary American friend, two Iraqi boys wrestle with how to take patriotic and meaningful action as burgeoning adults in a time of great change. Eventually we learn of Rashas heartbreaking connection to Daniels family and her own shocking course of action as her hope turns to hate after the death of her own father. The ancient Sumerian story of Lugalbanda, the prince who was granted great speed by the gods to help his country in war, is woven through the piece. Three or more dancers create the environment and reenact the stories of the past told throughout the play.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2007
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 2 Other: dancers
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSchool Daze
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
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Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageSeparate Rooms
Synopsis:
force/collision presents a work-in-progress reading of playwright Joe Calarco's new play Separate Rooms. Sex, death, booze and a mysterious woman in the closet as friends and lovers unite during a wake in a New York City apartment. Cast includes Tracy Olivera, Kimberly Gilbert, Thomas Keegan, Jenna Sokolowski, Evan Casey, and Tim Getman. Comedy. Recommended for ages 13 and up.
Notes:
the Kennedy Center hosts its 12th annual Page-to-Stage festival, featuring more than 40 D.C.-area theater companies. This three-day event offers free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals being developed by local, regional, and national playwrights, librettists, and composers.
1st Produced:
Kennedy Center,Rehearsal Room #2, Dc
31 Aug 2013
Organisations:
force/collision
1st Published:
- -
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageShakespeare, Will
Students from an all-girls school accidently invoke a young Will Shakespeare. Finding that his conjurers know more about his work than he does, Shakespeare gains confidence that his destiny is to create immortal characters and reveal timeless truths. His doubting wife, Anne Hathaway, follows him into the future to challenge his aspirations, and in confronting her, young Will becomes the William of his dreams.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2010
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 10 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageShakespeare's R & J
Synopsis:
Four young prep school students, tired of going through the usual drill of conjugating Latin and other tedious school routines, decide to vary their very governed lives. after school, one breaks out a copy of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juiliet and they all take turns reading the play aloud. the Bard's words and the story itself are thrilling to the boys and they become swept away, enmeshed in the emotion so much so that they break school rules in order to continue their readings. the rigidity of their lives begins to parallel the lives of the characters in the play: roles in the family, roles in society and the roles played by men and women soon seem to make all the sense in the world, and then, suddenly, they seem to make no sense at all. although they had been taking turns playing all the parts, two eventually emerge playing Romeo and Juliet exclusively, bringing a whole new dimension to the proceedings. Perceptions and understanding are turned upside down as the fun of play acting turns serious and th
Notes:
Original Playwright - Shakespeare - Romeo And Juliet
1st Produced:
Theatre Royal Bath, London
2003
Organisations:
the Splinter Group (New York)
1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 1998 -
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
adaptation. - - Gay, theme/character, full length
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageUn-American
Set in the present day, two rival high schools are neck-and-neck in the final rounds of a local TV quiz show. As tension escalates between the teams and the game nears its end, answers come in a way that none of the students ever expected a surprise interrogation conducted by HUAC. The students, now trapped in one of America's darkest eras, are each confronted with critical questions as they must now cope with accusations of being Un-American.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2012
Organisations:
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1st Published:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 7 Female: 7 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageVeni, Vidi, Vici
When a group of students putting on a play about Imperialism are suddenly left in front of an audience without a script, they have to figure out a way to make up the play as they go causing rifts in the cast and crew that mirror the history they're trying to dramatize.
Notes:
Signature in the Schools is a multifaceted program that encompasses in-school workshops for Arlington Public Schools English, Social Studies and Theater classes, theatrical training for young artists, and the creation of an original play.
1st Produced:
Signature Theatre (Arlington, VA, United States)
2015
Organisations:
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1st Published:
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
TYA
Parts:
Male: 6 Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
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Top of PageWalter Crokite Is Dead
Synopsis:
A fierce thunderstorm has shut down airports up and down the east Coast. Two women, who appear to have nothing in common, are stuck in a waiting area at Reagan National Airport. Patty is a chatty southerner - a blue-collar woman from a red state - who is almost physically unable to tolerate silence. Margaret is a Washingtonian, reserved, educated, liberal and not interested in sharing her thoughts, or her table, with Patty. Forced together for a long night in a public place, the two strangers have no choice but to share a bottle of wine and begin to talk. . .and to listen. their conversation is funny, difficult, deeply revealing and astonishingly frank. Patty and Margaret share details of their lives that lead them to a place of kinship neither of them could have imagined. Yes, Walter Cronkite is dead, but his wisdom and compassion lives on in this insightful comedy about what might be possible if people from opposite sides of the political aisle would stop shouting and take even one night to listen.
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1st Published:
Dramatists Play Service, NY, 978-0822225522
Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: - Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
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