Overview
Synopsis
The American Clock premiered in 1980 and is set during the Great Depression of the 1930s. It is loosely based on Studs Terkel’s Hard Times; An Oral History of the Great Depression. The plot centers around the Baum family, who have lost everything in the financial crash and have been forced to move from Manhattan to a one bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. Moe Baum has declared himself bankrupt and his wife, Rose, struggles with their newfound poverty and weak social status. Their son, Lee, narrates the story, along with Arthur Robertson, a savvy businessman who survived the crash but witnessed the majority of his contemporaries fall around him. As the timeframe jumps back and forth, a large ensemble cast make up the characters who drift in and out of Lee & Arthur Robertson’s lives. Some have survived the crash but most have been wiped out by depression and are struggling to find a way forward. Miller’s thought-provoking drama depicts a hard period in America’s history that forged the way for the social change that was so desperately needed.
Show Information
- Book
- Arthur Miller
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1980
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Contemporary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- america, 1930s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Dramatists Play Service
- Ideal For
- Ensemble Cast, High School, Large Cast, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Spoken |
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
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher