Explore this Show
Overview
Synopsis
In the middle of a howling snowstorm, a bus out of Kansas City pulls up at a small roadside diner. All roads are blocked, and the weary travelers on board have to take refuge in the diner until morning. Cherie, a nightclub singer, has the most to worry about. She's being pursued by "a young cowboy with all the romantic finesse of a rodeo bull." The belligerent cowhand is right behind her, ready to sling her over his shoulder and carry her, alive and kicking, all the way to Montana. As a counterpoint to the main romance, the proprietor of the cafe and the bus driver who have previously only spent time in passing, find time to develop a friendship of their own; a middle-age scholar comes to terms with himself; and a young girl who works in the cafe also gets her first taste of romance.
Show Information
- Book
- William Inge
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1955
- Genres
- Drama, Dark Comedy, Romance
- Settings
- Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- 1950s, bus stop diner, Kansas
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Ensemble Cast, High School, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Early Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Developed from an earlier one-act play called People in the Wind, William Inge’s Bus Stop opened on Broadway on March 2, 1955. Inge was already known and respected for Picnic (which won the Pulitzer Prize), and Bus Stop had an equally positive response. Like many of his other plays, Bus Stop captured the character of the American Midwest and Great Plains. After 478 performances, the play closed, but not before securing four Tony nominations for 1956: Best Play, Best Featured Actress
to read the context for Bus Stop and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
About thirty miles west of Kansas City, a blizzard is raging. Grace, the proprietor of the diner, and her teenage waitress Elma are busy preparing for the next bus to stop. Grace reveals that she is somewhat lonely after her husband left, but is thankful for Elma’s company. Grace teases her about not having time for boyfriends--something Elma clearly has no experience in. Elma muses about flunking her classes so that she won’t seem so smart and intimidating to the boys, but Grace
to read the plot for Bus Stop and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
Songs
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
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Cindi Calhoun
Theatre teacher, director, writer, and seamstress