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Overview

Synopsis

The Magician’s great love affair with Angie has disintegrated, leaving him heartbroken. As part of his stage act, he plans to offer her the gift of levitation, allowing her to feel the freedom he could never allow her in their relationship. He reveals to the audience, however, that this romantic gesture has an ulterior motive: if Angie realizes that this feeling of floating free comes from the Magician, he will control her independence, and she will return to him. Angie is mourning for the romance that might have been, though resolute in her determination to find a stronger, less needy man, a man her own age. But when she allows herself to be hypnotized, has she given up her newfound freedom? Enter the Assistant. She pulls the rug out from under the Magician, and Angie, floating under her own power, is finally able to speak her mind. But who has the last laugh? Patter for the Floating Lady by Steve Martin is a poetic, absurdly magical one-act, a post-romantic power struggle, and a meditation on the many facets of love.

Show Information

Book
Steve Martin
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
1995
Genres
Drama
Settings
Simple/No Set, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
A magician’s stage, time undefined
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult Characters

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Angie

Lead

Female

Spoken

Magician

Lead

Male

Spoken

Assistant

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Eleanor Cohn-Eichner

Eleanor Cohn-Eichner