Overview
Synopsis
In a small, cramped house in a run-down neighborhood live Doc and Lola Delaney. Lola is a lonely, unkempt, bored housewife and Doc is a frustrated chiropractor and recovering alcoholic. Both struggle to live in the present: Lola clings to the glory days of her youth, while Doc is haunted by dreams of the different life he might have lead, were it not for his young marriage to Lola. Their neglected marriage is shaken to its core with the arrival Marie, a beautiful, captivating young college student who boards in their spare room. Doc imagines Marie to embody all he has lost and now desires: innocence, purity, and love. When his delusions are shattered, all the Delaneys’ dormant hostilities are finally pushed to a breaking point. Playwright William Inge burst onto the American theatre scene with Come Back, Little Sheba, and its striking portrait of a strained marriage continues to resonate with audiences today.
Show Information
- Book
- William Inge
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1950
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- “An old house in a run-down neighborhood of a Midwestern city", 1950s
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Female, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
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
A production designed especially to show off the talents of a particular performer.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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