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
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Regional Theatre, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
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 performance technique where an actor speaks directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall for dramatic or comedic effect.
A group of performers who function as a unit in a production rather than as individuals with leading roles.
A period in the 1950s marked by anti-communist sentiment in the United States, during which many artists and performers were blacklisted. The McCarthy Era had a profound impact on American theatre and its themes of censorship and political freedom.
A novel or play in which real people appear with altered names, often critiquing society through veiled representation.
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