A unique play anthology featuring five gripping audio docudramas that each explore pivotal historical events in American history. From debates about the First Amendment and Freedom of the Press to the development of the Atomic Bomb and the Civil Rights movement, these five plays represent key moments in U.S history from the 21st century and dramatise these important themes with originality and flair. Originally commissioned by L.A Theatre Works and presented as audio dramas these plays are designed to be read, studied and above all, performed. With large ensemble casts and innovative staging potential these plays are perfect for theatre companies, schools and educational groups looking to stage familiar historical stories in new and original ways. The scripts included in this anthology are: The Great Tennessee Monkey Trial , about the constitutionality of prohibiting the teaching of Evolution in American classrooms; The Real Dr. Strangelove, about Robert Oppenheimer, the head of the committee that created the first atomic bomb turned pacifist, his conflict with Edward Teller about the building of the hydrogen bomb, and the government's attempts to neutralize Oppenheimer; RFK: The Journey to Justice, about Robert Kennedy's conversion to a champion of the Civil Rights Movement; The Chicago Conspiracy Trial, about the protests and riots during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago; and Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers , (Winner of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Best Live Entertainment Award, 1992) about the Washington Posts' decision to publish the Pentagon Papers revealing the extent of the US government's involvement in Vietnam.
As well as five scripts this anthology includes a forward by Professor Michael Hackett, professor of directing and theatre history at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and former chair of UCLA's Department of Theater. Each play is accompanied by dramaturgical notes that help contextualize and analyze both the events themselves and the dramatic form in which they are presented.