Be Here Now To purchase: https://www.concordtheatricals.com/s/64913/be-here-now
|
SYNOPSIS:
Bari’s always been a bit of an angry, depressed misanthrope. And losing her job teaching nihilism in New York to work at the local fulfillment center in her rural hometown has sent her into despair. But lately her recurring headaches manifest bizarre, ecstatic, almost religious experiences, and they’re changing her entire view of life. She’s in love! She’s almost… happy! When she finds out they’re also killing her, she must decide whether it’s better to live a short, joyful life, or risk a lifetime of misery. And she must also ask herself… what’s it all for anyway? THE PEOPLE:
BARI: (40-60) A depressed, nihilistic misanthrope who undergoes a radical transformation. PATTY COOPER: (Same age as Bari) Loud and controlling and good hearted. Has never left her hometown of East Cooperville. LUANNE COOPER: (20) Patty’s niece. Very simple and sweet. MIKE COOPER: (40-60) Patty’s cousin. Mike makes beautiful art out of garbage -- that’s who he is. He has a crow. PLACE: East Cooperville, a small, fictional town in upstate NY, about a hundred miles from Manhattan. 
|
“One of the best scripts from a major writer.” Reviews: Christine Dolan: http://www.southflorida.com/theater-and-arts/sf-be-here-now-fau-theatre-lab-review-boca-20180409-story.html "Playwright Deborah Zoe Laufer has never been afraid of taking on the big questions. Her work explores contemporary life with intelligence, insight and sharp humor. It resonates, in part, because Laufer’s writing makes room for life’s dualities: joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, exhilaration and depression. All those emotional colors exist within “Be Here Now,” a beautifully crafted new Laufer play at Theatre Lab on the Florida Atlantic University campus in Boca Raton." "Laufer is both author and director of this intricately calibrated production of “Be Here Now.” Her cast and collaborators vividly illuminate the questions embedded in the script, including this central one: How do we get through this thing called life?" "Laufer’s vivid voice sugarcoats nothing in “Be Here Now.” As playwright and director, she takes the audience on an emotional journey that serves up hilarity, sorrow and more. And yet, as the play comes to a close, she offers a grace note of hope — that two suffering souls may yet find warmth and rebirth." CityBeat JACKIE MULAY https://www.citybeat.com/arts-culture/theater/article/20993279/review-be-here-now-ask-us-to-do-just-that Critic’s Pick "In a time that often feels like nothing matters, Be Here Now bursts through the gloom and offers a new and uplifting perspective" "Be Here Now is a story that takes the audience on an existential ride to the intersection of despondence and joy. It asks poignant questions about life and happiness throughout the 90-minute existential crisis of its main subject, Bari." "The ending leaves you asking innumerable questions about life and the pursuit of happiness. Are we born with our outlook, or do we choose how we view our life and the world around us? Is it a mixture of both? What is happiness? Why do we seek it and how do we obtain it? Ultimately, Be Here Now is a lovely production that will leave you with a new appreciation for life" David Lyman, Special to Cincinnati Enquirer https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/2018/02/16/review-here-now-playhouse-park/346290002/ "Be Here Now' is clever, soul-searching, filled with laughter" "Laufer is too good a writer to wrap it up that neatly. There are still plenty of questions at the play’s end. Coping with life is difficult. It’s painful and complicated. Add another person to the mix – a partner, a spouse, a friend – and it can be even more overwhelming. But for all her characters’ insecurities and anxieties, Laufer suggests that life can be filled with indescribable joy, as well. And it might just be worth the effort." "Laufer is both author and director of this intricately calibrated production of “Be Here Now.” Her cast and collaborators vividly illuminate the questions embedded in the script, including this central one: How do we get through this thing called life?" "Laufer’s vivid voice sugarcoats nothing in “Be Here Now.” As playwright and director, she takes the audience on an emotional journey that serves up hilarity, sorrow and more. And yet, as the play comes to a close, she offers a grace note of hope — that two suffering souls may yet find warmth and rebirth." Mary Damiano: https://marydamiano.com/2018/04/07/be-here-now-at-theatre-lab-finds-meaning-in-the-mundane/ "Laufer has a talent for creating unforgettable characters with distinct, quirky personalities—plot aside, it’s fun just to watch these people interact with each other. But she has also crafted an insightful story, one that takes threads of the meaning of life, mindful living, and finding purpose in the forgotten and woven them into a beautiful, thought-provoking tapestry." "Theatre Lab’s production of Be Here Now features some of the best talent in the region in a tender, thought-provoking play that is sure to resonate with those who see it. Even its title is a reminder to not let the beauty of every moment pass by without notice." Hap Erstein: http://palmbeachartspaper.com/with-quirky-be-here-now-fau-theatre-lab-has-a-major-play/ "With Be Here Now, FAU Theatre Lab at has a major play." "... a skill at crafting vivid characters and an innate depth of humanity and you have one of the best scripts from a major writer who was first showcased by Theatre Lab artistic director Lou Tyrrell 16 years ago (The Last Schwartz)." Roger Martin: http://www.miamiartzine.com/Features.php?op=Article_Happiness+Is+A+Broken+Crow "Bursting with ideas." "The acting in this piece is extraordinary. It's seldom one sees this level of intensity, of immersion." "Deborah Zoe Laufer wrote the terrific script and also directed flawlessly." Curtain Call Theatre: https://www.nippertown.com/arts/review-be-here-now-at-curtain-call-theatre-a-journey-through-the-mind/ "Deborah Zoe Laufer's “Be Here Now” is a most intriguing play. In many ways it is like a theatrical onion — loaded with, layers and each one as it is peeled back reveals something more." |
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Cincinnati, OH, 2/15/18 Premiere
Theatre Lab Boca Raton, FL 3/6/18, Directed by me
Aurora Theatre Atlanta, GA, 10/18
Shattered Globe Chicago, IL, 9/2019
Summit Performance Indianapolis, IN 1/2020
Everyman Theatre Baltimore, MD, 1/2020 Directed by me
Dreamcatcher Rep. Summit, NJ, 2/2020
Lyric Stage Company Boston, MA, 9/2021
The Public Theatre Lewiston, ME 1/2022
Pilgrim Soul Productions Worcester, MA, 5/2022
NC Stage Company Asheville, NC 11/2022
Williamston Theatre Williamston, MI, 7/2023
Essex Theatre Company Essex NY 8/2023
WAM Theatre Lennox, MA, 3/24
Curtain Call Theatre Latham, NY 4/2024
Uplifting Puppet Company Oskaloosa, IA, 4/2024
Black Swamp Players Bowling Green, OH, 12/24
White Fish Theatre Co. White Fish, MT, 1/25
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Cincinnati, OH, 2/15/18 Premiere
Theatre Lab Boca Raton, FL 3/6/18, Directed by me
Aurora Theatre Atlanta, GA, 10/18
Shattered Globe Chicago, IL, 9/2019
Summit Performance Indianapolis, IN 1/2020
Everyman Theatre Baltimore, MD, 1/2020 Directed by me
Dreamcatcher Rep. Summit, NJ, 2/2020
Lyric Stage Company Boston, MA, 9/2021
The Public Theatre Lewiston, ME 1/2022
Pilgrim Soul Productions Worcester, MA, 5/2022
NC Stage Company Asheville, NC 11/2022
Williamston Theatre Williamston, MI, 7/2023
Essex Theatre Company Essex NY 8/2023
WAM Theatre Lennox, MA, 3/24
Curtain Call Theatre Latham, NY 4/2024
Uplifting Puppet Company Oskaloosa, IA, 4/2024
Black Swamp Players Bowling Green, OH, 12/24
White Fish Theatre Co. White Fish, MT, 1/25