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Overview
Synopsis
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods is an imagined version of real events with hints of the humor that’s characteristic of Blessing’s work. Between 1981 and 1984, American Paul Nitze and Russian Yuli Kvitsinsky met in the mountains along the Swiss and French border for unofficial negotiations to limit the nuclear weapons arsenals in the United States and Russia (then the Soviet Union). What followed was a political and diplomatic back and forth as both countries attempted to save face and emerge as dominant. Blessing’s two-man play is a sharp, engaging look at what might have transpired during those secret meetings in the woods. While the themes specific to the Cold War may not resonate as strongly today, audiences will still recognize the perspectives of the two men, and the play remains a viable launchpad for contemporary conversations.
Show Information
- Book
- Lee Blessing
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1988
- Genres
- Drama, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- The woods outside Geneva, Switzerland.
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- All-Male Cast, College/University, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Adult Characters
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
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
A period of political tension between the United States and Russia and Russian allies that developed after World War II.
A government official who negotiates and conducts international business on behalf of their country.
A group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.
A country that covered much of Eurasia until it was dissolved into smaller countries in the early 1990s. Much of the Soviet Union is now Russia.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Kevan Dunkelberg
Oklahoma-based drama teacher, actor and playwright