INDEPENDENT PLAYERS presents Collected Stories by Donald Margulies
As its first production of its 46th Season, Independent Players proudly presents Collected Storiesby Donald Margulies at the Elgin Arts Showcase, Fridays through Sundays September 29-30, October 1, 6-8, 2023. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 PM and Sunday performances are at 2:00 PM. Collected Stories is directed by Larry Boller who has previously directed twenty-one plays and acted in eleven other productions for IP. It stars Marge Uhlarik-Boller, who has performed in eleven IP productions in past seasons. Her co-star, Crystal Skipworth, is making her debut with IP in this production. (Welcome Crystal!). Incidentally, this is not IP’s first production of a Margulies play. Boller directed Margulies’ fine play Dinner With Friends in 2003 which, incidentally, won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize.
Many critics have written that they believe Collected Stories is Margulies’ best play, so after re-reading it, we decided that it is time for IP to produce it in Elgin. Bringing excellent (and sometimes lesser-known) dramatic works to the Elgin stage has always been important in IP’s mission. Once again, the opportunity presented itself so we are bringing Margulies’ poignant and provocative dramatic work to our audience.
Here’s what the critics have to say: “Margulies’ play is a wonderful character study and a well-drawn portrait of the insular world of fiction writers, demonstrating their gift for sharply written and incisive dialogue.”—Hollywood Reporter Essentially, “The conflict between the mature established artist and the adoring fan who becomes a protege, disciple, colleague and friend—and finally a threatening rival—is one of those great topics.” Collective Storiesis a provocative play which confronts the prominent short story writer Ruth Steiner with her student turned confidante turned competitor Lisa Morrison. “What is new here is that the women are teacher and student both in academia and in life that they come from different social milieus, and that for her first novel, Lisa has cannibalized Ruth’s life experiences, to wit her youthful, shattering affair with the poet Delmore Schwartz. As always, Margulies is literate, intellectually stimulating, and able to create characters of both dramatic and human interest. And he sustains this interest through six scenes covering six years that only briefly leave Ruth’s cozily messy, book-infested Greenwich Village apartment. Here two worlds clash in age-old, ecumenical dueling, led up to by great mutual emotional investment, and all the more bitter for it.”—NY Magazine
To sum it up, Independent Players will present Collected Stories by Donald Margulies for six performances—Fridays through Sundays, September 29-30 and October 1, 6-8, 2023 at the Elgin Art Showcase, 164 Division Street (the Professional Building), Elgin, IL 60120. Friday/Saturday performances: 7:30 PM and Sunday performances: 2:00 PM. Admission is $20.00 and $15.00 for Senior Citizens and Students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.independentplayers.org and at the door before each performance with cash or personal check only (no credit card purchases at the door). For Information, call (847) 697-7374.
We hope to see YOU at the show!