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Overview

Synopsis

The lives of a Queens, New York, family get turned upside down as Pope Paul VI visits New York City. Artie Shaughnessy, a zookeeper/failed singer-songwriter, longs to find fame in Hollywood with his girlfriend, Bunny. Artie’s mentally ill wife, Bananas, with whom he lives, imagines herself to be animals. Artie has found an institution for her–with trees with blue leaves–and will take her there before moving to California with Bunny, hopefully to find fame, fortune, and favor from his best friend, Billy, a Hollywood director. Artie and Bananas’ son, Ronnie, is illegally home from the Army attempting to assassinate the Pope, and soon, the family’s evening is disrupted by three nuns and Billy’s deaf actress-girlfriend. Chaos erupts when characters’ lives intersect as they all try to be in the presence of the Pope on this historic day. The House of Blue Leaves is a hilarious, heartbreaking, farcical journey through one New York apartment where characters engage directly with an audience who will at the same time adore–and admonish–them all. The play includes musical elements, with Artie’s songs (music and lyrics), provided in the script, written by the author.

Show Information

Book
John Guare
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1971
Genres
Farce
Settings
Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
queens, new york, october, 1965, fall
Cast Size
medium
Orchestra Size
None
Dancing
None
Licensor
Samuel French
Ideal For
professional, community, university, college, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Artie Shaughnessy

Lead

Male

Spoken

Bananas Shaughnessy

Lead

Female

Spoken

Bunny Flingus

Lead

Female

Spoken

Ronnie Shaughnessy

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Billy Einhorn

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Three Nuns

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Corrinna Stroller

Featured

Female

Spoken

Policeman

Featured

Male

Spoken

The White Man

Featured

Male

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

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

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Videos

Quizzes

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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