Overview

Synopsis

The year is 1888 when Mary, Fanny, and Alex, three women who are each intrepid world explorers in their own right, band together to conquer Terra Incognita, the last and most mysterious of unexplored territories. As they bushwhack their way through jungles, brave treacherous ice sheets, and negotiate passage across a bottomless Gorge, the ladies reminisce about their past adventures and sort out their personality differences. They encounter a chameleonic cannibal, an adorable young Yeti, and a Troll demanding a toll…. as well as a number of mysterious artifacts: egg beaters, dirigibles, political campaign buttons, and newspaper clippings from the 1900s… On this one-way journey through space and time, each lady discovers her own unique destiny in the beautiful, loud, and brightly lit future. Eric Overmyer’s On the Verge, or, The Geography of Yearning is a romping meditation on the outer and inner frontiers of the human condition, full of lyrical and hilarious dialogue and imagery both beautiful and surreal. It requires a sense of whimsy and a strong ensemble cast.

Casting note: The playwright intends that the Featured characters of Grover, Alphonse, the Gorge Troll, the Yeti, Mr. Coffee, Madame Nhu, Gus, and Nicky Paradise should all be played by one versatile Male actor.

Show Information

Book
Eric Overmyer
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1985
Genres
Comedy, Fairy Tale/Fantasy
Settings
Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings, Simple/No Set
Time & Place
1888, 1955, terra incognita, the tropics, the himalayas, nicky paradise bar and grill, an esso station
Cast Size
medium
Licensor
Broadway Play Publishing, Inc
Ideal For
professional / regional theatre, community theatre, college / university theatre, highschool theatre, small cast, strong ensemble, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Young Adult, Child, Early Teen, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Mary

Lead

Female

Spoken

Fanny

Lead

Female

Spoken

Alex

Lead

Female

Spoken

Grover

Featured

Male

Spoken

Alphonse

Featured

Male

Spoken

The Gorge Troll

Featured

Male

Spoken

The Yeti

Featured

Male

Spoken

Gus

Featured

Male

Spoken

Mr. Coffee

Featured

Male

Spoken

Nicky Paradise

Featured

Male

Spoken

Madame Nhu

Featured

Female

Spoken

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

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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:

Eleanor Cohn-Eichner

Eleanor Cohn-Eichner