Character Breakdown: 2M, 1F
Set/Technical: Minimal set--2 or 3 chairs.
Running Time: 2 hours
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A more simplistic account might have depicted Sabina on the verge of mental illness, or subjugated by society, or ignored by history. Transference does not even mention her death when the Nazis invaded Russia in 1942. However, Liebman’s telling of her story—and the canny way in which it is told—is distinctive, acclaiming her efforts without martyring her. Sabina is presented entirely as an equal of the play’s two, more well-known historic figures.
Buffalo Examiner (feature), Thomas Dooney
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Character Breakdown: 2M, 1F
Running Time: 90 minutes
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In his drama "Better Angels," Wayne Peter Liebman combines imagination with the historical record and actually-uttered words to create a life-like image of the 16th president. While the material - a woman trying to persuade Abraham Lincoln to open military hospitals in the North - may sound dry, Liebman makes it work, giving us a Lincoln full of self-doubts, strong convictions and even a decent sense of humor. This certainly isn't the first dramatic attempt to paint a picture of the man behind the face on the penny, but it is a fine one.... The play moves toward Lincoln's Gettysburg address, but the playwright is wise not to have it spoken in the play.... One of the most intriguing aspects of the play is the subtle flirtation between Lincoln and Harvey, which the playwright explores in a surprising and beautiful manner as a coda.
The South Carolina State, Jeffrey Day
A little-known slice of American history is interwoven with the creative imagination of playwright Wayne Peter Liebman in this colorful portrait of the 16th U.S. president, Abraham Lincoln. Liebman blends a series of documented events in 1863 with a dramatization of torturous decisions faced by the chief executive during his term of office, as the Civil War ravaged the nation. Director Dan Bonnell's intimate staging of this three-person play yields an entertaining view of our political heritage, offering resonant reflections on modern times. The production is graced with simple and tasteful design elements, suiting the low-key charm of this sweet play, a refreshing change from self-important docudramas.
Backstage West, Les Spindle
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More on Better Angels:
Character Breakdown: 2M, 2F
Set/Technical: One set suggesting a hotel room
Running Time: 2 hours
Honors:
Character Breakdown: 3M, 4F
Running Time: 25 min
Production History:
Reviews:
At Grimm's spectacular best, Wayne Peter Liebman's delectable rendering of The Goosegirl is narrated by the characters Book-It style, fully charged by director L. Flint Esquerra's whimsical staging and seamless storytelling that even melds with its opening and closing blackouts. This is controlled silliness. Visual puns toy with the language, while actors take no step unless it is ripe with life, purpose, and humor.
BackStage West, Dany Margolies
Character Breakdown: 4M, 2F
Set/Technical: Open and flexible
Running Time: 20 minutes
Production History:
Development:
Character Breakdown: 1M, 2F
Set/Technical: Minimal
Running Time: 10 minutes
Production History:
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Wayne Liebman's thought-provoking Biblio, directed by Dennis Gersten, features Ann Noble as a girl-woman whose perceptible mental problems invoke an avalanche of images, including Mara Marini's hilarious Marilyn Monroe.
Backstage.com, Dink O'Neill
>Full Review
wry and absurdist humor
L.A. Weekly, Steven Leigh Morris
>Full Review
Character Breakdown: 2F
Set/Technical: Minimal. A bed or couch.
Running Time: 10 minutes
Development:
Character Breakdown: 1M, 2F
Set/Technical: Simple set with slides, colorforms
Running Time: 10 minutes
Production History:
Character Breakdown: 1M, 1F
Set/Technical: Bare set with slides, colorforms.
Running Time: 10 minutes
Production History:
Character Breakdown: 2F
Set/Technical: Minimal set, with slides and colorforms.
Production History: