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Overview

Synopsis

Lucas Brickman is a young comedy writer trying to prove himself in the fraternal writers room for The Max Prince Show, one of the country’s most popular variety shows. It’s 1953, and with McCarthyism running rampant, the network demanding budget cuts, and a host who can’t manage to stay sober, things aren’t looking good. Playwright Neil Simon, a television comedy writer himself, wrote Laughter on the 23rd Floor as a roman a clef: the characters are based on real people but given fictional names. There’s the flashy Milt, who prefers quantity over quality when it comes to jokes, Ira, the hypochondriac agitator, Val, the fussy Russian immigrant, Brian, who claims to have somehow sold a screenplay he’s yet to write, the sophisticated Kenny, and the defensive Carol, the sole female writer. Packed with Simon’s characteristic wit and offbeat characters, this ensemble comedy offers a fly-on-the-wall look at a zany TV writers room and the colorful personalities inside it.

Show Information

Book
Neil Simon
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1993
Genres
Comedy
Settings
Unit/Single Set, Period
Time & Place
The offices of a TV variety show, 1953
Cast Size
medium
Ideal For
College/University, Community Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Lucas Brickman

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Milt Fields

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Val Skolsky

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Brian Doyle

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Kenny Franks

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Carol Wyman

Supporting

Female

Non-singer

Max Prince

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Ira Stone

Supporting

Male

Non-singer

Helen

Featured

Female

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

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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

    When an actor breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience.

    A group of musicians, actors, or dancers who perform together.

    The name given to the period of time in 1950s America that saw U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy produce a series of investigations and hearings in an effort to expose supposed communist infiltration of various areas of the U.S. government.

    A piece of literature about real events and people but disguised as fiction.

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