Plays read this fall

A trove of acting books came my way recently, and from it I plucked out and read the following plays:

TOYER by Gardner McKay

THE MARRIAGE-GO-ROUND by Leslie Stevens

BAD HABITS by Terrence McNally

THE COUNTRY GIRL by Clifford Odets

LAUGHING WILD by Christopher Durang

BAREFOOT IN THE PARK by Neil Simon

The Durang I must recommend most highly of these. Makes me think how far behind culturally I was. He was writing that stuff in the ’80s, when his insights were so insightful that I would have not been willing to read his play or see it. Made me think, laugh, cry. What else could you want from a script?

While I’m glad I read them all, none struck me as something that should be staged right now. (This is something I’m hoping to stumble upon, by the by, as I read a bunch of plays this fall.)

Also in the trove were some books I passed on: CAREER by James Lee, MARRIAGE CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH by Arnold Kane, and 2 Minutes And Under, and a second copy of BAD HABITS. They’re yours if you want them!