The Joyce Carol Oates Collection

Eight highly diverse works from one of America’s most prolific and versatile authors. This collection includes an exclusive dramatization of Oates’ best-selling novel American Appetites; two comedic plays, The Perfectionist and The Truth Teller; four short plays (Gulf War, Black, The Key, and Tone Clusters); as well as her libretto for Black Water: An American Opera, composed by John Duffy.

American Appetites: The façade of an affluent suburban couple crumbles under the weight of tragedy and scandal in this exclusive dramatization of Joyce Carol Oates’ best-selling novel. Cast: Lisa Akey, Keith Carradine, Alastair Duncan, Paul Eiding, Anna Gunn, Dan Lauria, Jean Louisa Kelly, Frank Muller, B.J. Ward, Elizabeth Ward Land, Liza Weil, and Tegan West.

The Perfectionist: Joyce Carol Oates turns her satiric eye to Tobias Harte, a man obsessed with perfection in everything from ethics to egg salad. Rollicking comedy ensues as Harte struggles with his highly imperfect family and friends. Cast: Barbara Bosson, Annabeth Gish, Harold Gould, Valerie Landsburg, David Schwimmer, and David Selby.

The Truth Teller: Joyce Carol Oates’ hilarious take-off on a classic Southern play begins when liberated Hedda arrives home to visit the family estate, ruled by the family’s tyrannical patriarch, “Tiny” Culligan. Cast: Charles Durning, Arthur Hanket, Gary Kroeger, Marsha Mason, Priscilla Pointer, William Schallert and JoBeth Williams.

Black Water - An American Opera: A tragic and beautiful opera based on the Chappaquiddick scandal. Libretto by Joyce Carol Oates, with music by John Duffy. Cast: David Lee Brewer, Reid Bruton, Stephanie Buckley, Karen Burlingame, Kimberly Graham, Linda Kerns, Erin Langston, Patrick Mason, John Savarese, and Rob Shacklett.

Gulf War (one-act play): An affluent young couple, entertains an older couple for an evening of cocktails and politics during the Gulf War. But as the evening continues, the conversation take a bizarre and absurd tone. Cast: Edward Asner, Stephanie Dunnam, Nan Martin, and Joe Spano.

Black (one-act play): In this evening of cocktails and dinner, a couple anxiously awaits the arrival of an ex-husband. As the wine glasses are drained, the evening becomes dark and intense, revealing the true colors of the characters in this eerie love triangle. Cast: Stephanie Dunnam, Rif Hutton and Joe Spano.

The Key (one-act play): A hilarious perverse encounter between Melissa, a vacationing suburban housewife, recently separated from her husband, and Edwin, a prosperous businessman. Cast: Edward Asner, Hector Elizondo, Don Reed, Joyce Van Patten, and JoBeth Williams.

Tone Clusters (one-act play): A chilling tragi-comedy that takes the form of an interview between a middle-aged, middle-class American couple and the media. Cast: Edward Asner, Hector Elizondo, Don Reed, Joyce Van Patten and JoBeth Williams.