A new playwright to JAC, Tony Stowers in Paris brings us two diverse one-acts:

First is Harry's Dream, a simple play designed for adults to perform for children between the ages of 7 and 11 years of age. Simply told and presented, it tells the story of Harry, a young schoolboy who suffers silently at the hands of a school bully with the nickname of "Killer". Early scenes outline characters, myths about violence in school and attitudes. The key scenes occur when "The Green Girl", an extra-terrestrial visitor, accidentally crash-lands her spaceship behind the bike sheds at Harry's school. Using her technology, she transforms three characters into bizarre and unusual animal puppets and then, with the animals as her captive audience, explains to Harry and shows by example how to tackle violence in school without recourse to violence himself - and still fix her spaceship in time to return to class on her own planet! Devised by Tony Stowers with the help of Chief Child Psychologist Dave Smith of Durham County Council (Durham, England), Harry's Dream proved enormously successful, playing around 200 performances for around 50,000 young people between 1997 and 1999 in the North East of England. It can be particularly effective if performed by school teachers.  Accompanying workshops can be easily devised whereby young audiences can explore non-violent solutions themselves.  The script would also make ideal reading material for groups. Running time: approx 45 minutes. ISBN #1-60513-086-9; JAC #2010-0027 - This title is also available via Amazon.com.

The other one-act by Stowers is called Cyrano.  Freely adapted from Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand and Steve Martin's "Roxanne", this comedy, set in the contemporary North of England (but adaptable anywhere in the world provided locality and contemporary cultural references are used with the author's prior permission), tells the story of Cy Smith, a middle-aged local man with a big nose but a bigger secret: he's an internationally renowned poet who's true identity is a mystery to all except his agent. In order to preserve this identity, he works as a refuse collector and often frequents his local pub. One day a new barmaid, Roxy, starts work there and not only Cy but also another regular, Chris, fall for her. With the other character, Mister Digweed, in the role of pub landlord, we watch as Cy, using a mobile telephone and the power to imitate voices, masquerades as Chris to win Roxy's affections with funny and poignant results in a comedy in which nobody is who they seem. Approximate running time with 15 minute intermission - 2 hours.  ISBN #1-60513-087-7; JAC #2010-0028.  This title is also available via Amazon.com.

Boston playwright Martha Patterson, a featured contributor in interJACtions: Monologues from the Heart of Human Nature, Vol. 1, is releasing Talking to Strangers - a one act comedy set in New York City, about a young man and woman who meet by accident on a bench in Central Park.  Anne's boyfriend has just knocked her into a fountain and she enters dripping wet.  At first put off by her openness, Harry, a friendly but quiet graphic artist, seeks to end the conversation quickly, but then finds Anne more interesting as she reveals her insecurities to him, and they develop a friendship through a long conversation about their jobs, love lives, dates with celebrity look-alikes, and loss of virginity.  At the end of the play Harry invites Anne to spend the night on a sofa in his apartment, just to get away from her boyfriend - but will Anne accept his invitation? ISBN 1-60513-091-5; JAC #2010-0032.  This title is also available via Amazon.com.

For more information about these or any of JAC's play selections, visit us online, or drop us an email!