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diner in New York City's Upper
Broadway neighborhood, over the course of three days. The plot loosely centers on Joe, a cynical drug dealer, and Darlene, a naïve new arrival to the city. Joe and Darlene spend the night together hours after meeting, but he soon pushes her away, overwhelmed by his debt
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Joe sees in
Darlene a chance for a fresh start, and briefly considers giving up dealing. Just as he is about to return Chuckles' money, however, he is killed by one of the dealer's thugs. The play ends with all the lead characters droning their lines from the first scene over and over again in a
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for the ensemble as one of the magazine's favorite performances of 2010-2011. The response throughout the off-off-Broadway community resulted in two extensions of the initial six-week run, with the production ending after nine weeks on
December 18, 2010. The revival played to sold-out houses for
94:
on
January 20, 1965. It was a critical and commercial success, and was the first full-length play to be produced off-off-Broadway. Wilson said that he wrote the play partially because he wanted "to break out of the physical limitations inherent in writing a play for the Cino". It also became the
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every show throughout the entire run. Wilson attended the production on
December 12, 2010, summing up his thoughts on the production by calling it "a thrill to see". This was the final production of his own work that Wilson would see before his death in March 2011.
198:
nominations for off-off
Broadway productions, including for Actress in a Lead Role (Jill Bianchini and Belle Caplis), Ensemble, Costume Design (Anne Wingate), and Sound Design (Andy Cohen). The production won the award for Outstanding Production of a Play.
51:, prostitutes, and thieves. It features many unconventional theatrical devices, such as overlapping dialogue, simultaneous scenes, and unsympathetic lead characters. The plot draws a parallel between the
55:
and criminal activity that the characters engage in to provide escape from their boredom and suffering, and the two main characters' becoming a couple in order to escape from their lives.
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at the
Sargeant Theater in New York City under the direction of Eric Nightengale, who had assisted Malkovich in the 1984 revival. The 2005 revival starred
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and
Francisco Solorzano, and featured Victoria Malvagno, Luca Pierruci, Jennie West, John Gazzale, Trey Gibbons, Jeff Keilholtz, and Diego Kelman Ajuz.
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Xavier, Joe's friend and fellow drug dealer, whose exploitation of a particularly wretched junkie moves Joe to consider quitting
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from May 31, 1984 to
January 6, 1985 at the Circle Repertory Theatre. Directed once again by Malkovich, the 1984 cast featured
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Wilson wrote the play while living in New York City, finding inspiration by sitting in cafés and eavesdropping. He approached
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to a local kingpin named
Chuckles. Meanwhile, Darlene finds herself ill-equipped to handle life in a
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184:, Peter Jensen, experienced widespread critical and audience acclaim. This included recognition from
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junkies and hustlers who prey on attractive new arrivals (both male and female) to the café
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Joe, a small-time drug dealer looking to go into business with Chuckles, the local kingpin
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IT Award Winners Announced; Gallery Players' 'Drowsy Chaperone' Takes Four Honors"
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Playing Underground: A Critical History of the 1960s Off-off-Broadway Movement
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978:
878:
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772:
642:"Theater Review (NYC): Balm in Gilead – What Kind of Neighborhood Is This?"
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production ran from September 18 to October 16, 1980, and was directed by
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518:"Anna Chlumsky Stars in Wilson's 'Balm in Gilead' Off-Broadway Oct. 27"
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circle, implying that their lives are stuck in a demoralizing rut.
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In 2010, the play returned to off-off Broadway in a revival by the
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536:"Broadway Buzz - Videos, Interviews, Photos, News and Tickets"
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Darlene, a naïve young woman newly arrived to New York City
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prostitute who caters to many of the café's other hustlers
698:"T. Schreiber Studio Extends BALM IN GILEAD Thru 12/18"
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company. The revival, under the direction of associate
31:
is a 1965 American play written by American playwright
462:(Circle Repertory, 1984)". Accessed August 28, 2018.
672:"Mark Rylance, 'La Bete' and 'Jerusalem,' Broadway"
273:
Rake, a hustler, one of the "Fellows on the Corner"
311:Awards and nominations (1984 off-Broadway revival)
194:In September 2011, the 2010 revival received six
95:first off-off-Broadway play to be published (by
375:Balm in Gilead - Acting Edition (9780822216278)
794:
58:The play takes its title from a quote in the
8:
616:"Theatre Is Easy - Reviews - Balm in Gilead"
447:steppenwolf.org, accessed November 18, 2015
801:
787:
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19:For other uses of "Balm of Gilead", see
775:at the University of Missouri Libraries
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496:"Theater: Revival Of 'Balm In Gilead'"
456:La MaMa Archives Digital Collections.
412:Bottoms, Stephen J. "La MaMa ETC" in
149:In 2005, the play was revived by the
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338:Award: Best Director, John Malkovich
561:"Balm is Chosen Pick of the Week!"
402:(1965)". Accessed August 28, 2018.
241:Fick, a pathetic, childlike junkie
196:New York Innovative Theatre Awards
110:. A production co-produced by the
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164:T. Schreiber Studio's company of
92:La Mama Experimental Theater Club
43:Wilson's first full-length play,
326:Outstanding Director of a Play,
288:Babe, a really "far gone" junkie
47:centers on a café frequented by
300:Terry and Judy, two prostitutes
21:Balm of Gilead (disambiguation)
438:"'Balm in Gilead' Steppenwolf"
16:Play written by Lanford Wilson
1:
485:. Accessed November 18, 2015.
250:Frank, a fry cook at the cafe
418:University of Michigan Press
323:Outstanding Ensemble Acting
253:Kay, a waitress at the cafe
104:Steppenwolf Theatre Company
1071:
1050:Plays set in New York City
831:The Madness of Lady Bright
723:"Baby, It's Cold Outside…"
279:Stranger, Chuckles' hitman
210:is set in Frank's café, a
146:in the play's second act.
18:
903:Ikke, Ikke, Nye, Nye, Nye
895:The Great Nebula in Orion
817:
773:Lanford Wilson Collection
354:Direction, John Malkovich
66:, chapter 46, verse 11).
373:Wilson, Lanford (1993).
247:John, the café's manager
151:Barefoot Theatre Company
112:Circle Repertory Company
78:, whom he knew from the
1045:Plays by Lanford Wilson
473:"'Balm in Gilead' 1984"
863:The Rimers of Eldritch
238:Dopey, an older junkie
173:
767:Notes and drafts for
755:, September 19, 2011.
163:
911:The Family Continues
596:on February 24, 2012
336:Outer Critics Circle
291:Al, an alcoholic bum
276:Bonnie, a prostitute
114:and Steppenwolf ran
919:The Hot l Baltimore
178:T. Schreiber Studio
1055:LGBT-related plays
960:(1981, revised as
927:The Mound Builders
640:Kate Shea Kennon.
525:, October 3, 2005.
501:The New York Times
478:2015-11-19 at the
443:2015-10-10 at the
285:Rust, a prostitute
282:Ernesto, a hustler
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168:, with playwright
136:Giancarlo Esposito
70:Production history
39:Dramatic structure
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1003:Sympathetic Magic
702:BroadwayWorld.com
263:Tig and Bob, two
244:Ann, a prostitute
182:artistic director
76:Marshall W. Mason
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963:Talley & Son
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88:off-off-Broadway
64:Book of Jeremiah
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650:the original
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594:the original
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258:transvestite
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212:greasy spoon
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203:Plot summary
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124:Danton Stone
116:Off-Broadway
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971:Angels Fall
958:A Tale Told
847:Ludlow Fair
646:Blogcritics
265:sociopathic
132:Gary Sinise
1040:1965 plays
1034:Categories
1017:Rain Dance
823:Home Free!
620:Theasy.com
483:Lortel.org
426:0472031945
384:0822216272
361:References
343:Obie Award
256:Franny, a
227:Characters
102:The first
80:Caffe Cino
979:Burn This
879:Lemon Sky
855:Wandering
809:Works by
732:March 17,
707:March 17,
681:March 17,
676:Backstage
656:March 17,
625:March 17,
600:March 17,
570:March 17,
545:March 17,
187:Backstage
144:monologue
752:Playbill
522:Playbill
476:Archived
441:Archived
420:, 2006.
1020:(2002)
1012:(2000)
1006:(1998)
998:(1996)
990:(1992)
982:(1986)
974:(1982)
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138:, and
53:amoral
428:, 96.
341:1985
334:1985
316:1985
734:2015
709:2015
683:2015
658:2015
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547:2015
422:ISBN
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