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Overview

Synopsis

The bourgeois Dupont family is haunted by a terrifying noise, forcing them to relocate to increasingly drab and cramped living quarters in an apartment. Long-suffering teenage daughter Zenobia longs for the days when she had her own room and went dancing every Sunday night while her parents, Father and Mother, gleefully insist that everything is fine. Meanwhile, a battered Schmurz creature seems to follow the family from room to room bearing the brunt of their violent brutality. As an absurdist play, The Empire Builders can be interpreted many different ways, depending upon the context through which it’s looked at. At its core, the play is a darkly comedic allegory about fear and the inevitable passage of time. With unflinching scenes of brutality and Father’s tour de force monologue that makes up the entirety of act three, The Empire Builders is a complex and memorable piece of theatre.

Show Information

Book
Boris Vian
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1959
Genres
Dark Comedy, Drama
Settings
Contemporary, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
Various rooms in the home of a bourgeois family.
Cast Size
small
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Ideal For
College/University, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Includes Adult, Late Teen Characters, Small Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Father

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Mother

Lead

Female

Non-singer

Zenobia

Lead

Female

Non-singer

The Schmurz

Ensemble

Male

Silent

Mug

Ensemble

Female

Non-singer

Neighbor

Ensemble

Male

Non-singer

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

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

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

    Absurdist theatre is built on the philosophy that life is basically meaningless.

    A narrative that can be interpreted to have a hidden meaning, often related to history, society, morality, or religion.

    Characteristic of the middle class, particularly materialistic values

    Also called “black comedy,” takes a pessimistic view of the world.

    Drama which abandons conventional dramatic form to portray the futility of human struggle in a senseless world.

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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Guide Written By:

Kevan Dunkelberg

Kevan Dunkelberg

Oklahoma-based drama teacher, actor and playwright