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Eisenstein, Linda (American playwright, composer, 1950-____), “At the Root,”

a 10-minute dramatic monolog about a woman with the prospect of a tongue transplant,

1f;

  •  © 1993 by Linda Eisenstein, in Linda Eisenstein’s anthology Bad Grrrls (Cleveland, Ohio: Herone Press, 1996); also published in The Actor's Book of Gay and Lesbian Plays (New York: Penguin Books, 1995);  •  scripts/rights available from Linda Eisenstein via e-mail herone@en.com or http://www.lindaeisenstein.com or via regular mail, Herone Press, P. O. Box 749, Cleveland, Ohio 44107-0749, U.S.A., voice/fax 216-631-5812; Eisenstein says,

  §  Dramatis Persona _____ (f), 35, lesbian mother.

  §  Synopsis “A lesbian mother faces the literally unspeakable: shall she give up her tongue, in new transplant surgery, to her son, who is losing his?

  §  Comment “One of a series of short plays exploring personal transformation. In the series are ‘At the Root,’ ‘The Cassandra Complex,’ ‘The Club,’ ‘Golden Gate,’ ‘In Illo Tempore,’ ‘The Names of the Beast,’ and ‘Running from the Red Girl.’ Premiered July, 1996, by Red Hen Productions, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. Successful productions include the Zenith Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.; Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, U.S.A.; and Act Out Productions, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. Currently scheduled is an Off-Broadway production at Altered Stages, New York City, New York, U.S.A., in June, 1997. . . NOTE: Production of ‘At the Root’ requires permission from the playwright and a royalty." . . . "Linda Eisenstein’s AT THE ROOT, in which a lesbian mother is asked to sacrifice her tongue to her cancer-stricken son, is a unique idea executed flawlessly.”—Tom Kertes, Village Voice. . . . or, simply, “a unique idea executed flawlessly.”—Village Voice.

  §  Themes cancer, family, female homosexuality, lesbian, mother-son relationship, surgery, tongue.
 

See also Linda Eisenstein’s

• " Balancing Act ," a 10-minute comic monolog in English about being a Libra, 1m or 1f
• " The Cassandra Complex ," a seriocomic drama in English, 1f
• " A Cock. A Dream. A True Story ," a 15-minute black comic monolog in English about a woman's nightmare of male/female power relations, 1f
• " The Club ," a drama in English, 1f
• " Devils ," a 10-minute comic monolog in English about how to avoid the demons flying out of your TV, 1f
• " Gentrification ," a 10-minute comedy in English, 1m2f
• " Golden Gate ," a 10-minute comedy-drama in English, 1m1f
• " In Illo Tempore ," a comedy in English, 1f
• " Marla's Devotion ," a 50-minute comedy in English set in a hectic city, 1990s, 2f
• " The Names of the Beast ," a 45-minute comedy-drama in English (with a cappella songs), 4f
• " Running from the Red Girl ," a comedy-drama in English, 1f
• " Style ," a 10-minute black comic monolog in English about fashion tips from a serial kidnapper, 1m or 1f
• " Ungrateful ," a 10-minute dramatic monolog in English about a woman's revelation about her gratitude, 1f

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Page updated August 3, 1997, April 7, 2001, by the site Webmaster.