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    Who Lives?: A Play
    Who Lives?: A Play
    Who Lives?: A Play
    Ebook93 pages1 hour

    Who Lives?: A Play

    By Christopher Meeks

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    About this ebook

    Based on a true story, "Who Lives?" is an inspirational play along the lines of the Sandra Bullock film "Blind Side." In the early 1960s, an anonymous committee of ordinary citizens in Seattle selected people dying of kidney failure for an experiment in something new: kidney dialysis. They could take only 12. When Gabriel is turned down, he looks for another way.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherChristopher Meeks
    Release dateJan 25, 2010
    ISBN9781465784940
    Who Lives?: A Play
    Author

    Christopher Meeks

    Christopher Meeks writes novels and short fiction. His novel "The Brightest Moon of the Century" landed on three Top-Ten Books of the Year lists for 2009. His short story collection "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" was reviewed well in the Los Angeles Times and was listed in Entertainment Weekly in the Top Five independently published books of the year. His other collection, "Months and Seasons" was on the longlist of top collections for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. His play, "Who Lives?" was produced in Los Angeles in 2009 and was nominated for five Ovation Awards, the Tonys of Los Angeles.

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      Book preview

      Who Lives? - Christopher Meeks

      WHO LIVES?

      A Play

      by

      Christopher Meeks

      SMASHWORDS EDITION

      * * * * *

      PUBLISHED BY:

      White Whisker Books

      Los Angeles, California

      on Smashwords

      Who Lives? A Play

      Copyright © 1995, 2006, 2009 by Christopher Meeks

      Christopher Meeks’ website:

      www.chrismeeks.com

      All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, radio, television, and public reading, are strictly reserved. All inquiries concerning performance rights should be e-mailed to chrismeeks@gmail.com and write Who Lives? in the subject heading.

      Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

      This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

      Smashwords Edition License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.

      * * * * *

      WHO LIVES?

      * * * * *

      AUTHOR’S NOTE:

      This play came to life after a friend named Brenda Friend gave me a Life magazine article from 1963. She said, I think there’s a play here, but I’m not the one to write it. You might be. I took the article and looked at the silhouetted portraits of members from a life-and-death committee, an anonymous group in Seattle who had to choose who might possibly live if given the opportunity to be a part of a test group of the first fully functioning kidney dialysis machine that used a shunt embedded in each patient’s arm. The doctors there didn’t know how long people might live on this artificial kidney, but there was hope.

      I instantly saw the possibilities. Because the committee was anonymous, I could make up my own committee with my own questions.

      Brenda Friend went on to produce the play, and Deborah Devine directed. Thank you both. Thank you, too, to Jay McAdams, artistic director of the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles.

      A second production had been set up for Seattle, and when a chunk of the funding fell away and the production was canceled, I was frustrated and went onto write other things. This play sat on my shelf for nine years. One day, I was reminded of the story, and I kicked myself. Why had I done nothing more? Not every work comes out so magically. I needed to do something for it. I published it. I figured if I build it, they will come. Along came the Renal Support Network and Lori Hartwell, who produced the next production, and Joe Ochman directed it. I thank you and the entire cast—and future casts, directors, and producers.

      * * * * *

      Dedication

      This play is dedicated to the memory of two inspirations in my life: playwright Robert E. Lee, who helped steer me into playwriting, and animator Jules Engel, who helped fund the first production of this play. Their constant support, friendship and wisdom helped feed my spirit. Many thanks to Dr. Gabriel Danovich for his special knowledge of kidneys and the history of dialysis, to Dr. Michael Tuck for more medical help, and to Rev. John Darrah, a Seattle minister who was on the real committee. I also thank Ehrich Van Lowe, Nancye and David Franzoni, Kaiser Permanente, the Amgen Foundation, Total Renal Care, and the Pilgrim Project for helping fund the original production. Thank you to Lori Hartwell, her Renal Support Network, and all its funders for the second production.

      * * * * *

      Production Notes

      Who Lives? received its world premiere on July 19, 1997 at the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles, Jay McAdams, artistic director. Deborah Devine directed, and Brenda Friend produced.

      Gabriel: John Pleshette

      Margaret: Cynthia Steel

      Jenny: Dawne Hindle

      Dr. Shuster: Silas Cooper

      Father William: George Pappas

      Baxter: Doug Burch

      Alice: Stacy Cunningham

      Lazlo: Michael Monks

      Francine: Cathy Lind Hayes

      McKnight: Doug Burch

      Violinist: Alma Cielo

      #

      The second production premiered March 12, 2009, World Kidney Day, at the Pico Playhouse in Los Angeles. Joe Ochman directed, and Lori Hartwell, Brett Fisher produced.

      Gabriel : Matt Gottlieb

      Margaret: Monica Himmel

      Jenny: Tracey Rooney

      Dr. Shuster: Matt Crabtree

      Father William: John Timmons

      Baxter: R. Martin Klein

      Alice: Rachel Kimsey

      Lazlo: Dale Davis

      Francine: Alice Ensor

      McKnight: R. Martin Klein

      Violinist: Richard Adkins

      * * * * *

      CHARACTERS: (5 men, 4 women)

      Gabriel Hornstein—a lawyer

      Margaret Hornstein—his wife

      Jenny—Gabriel’s secretary

      Dr. Shuster—an emergency room doctor

      Father William—a priest

      Baxter—a union labor leader

      Alice—a college student

      Lazlo—a businessman

      Francine—a housewife

      McKnight—a dialysis patient*

      A Nurse—a dialysis nurse*

      (* McKnight and the nurse can each be played by actors from other roles; a live VIOLIN PLAYER is also recommended, though recorded music can make do.)

      * * * * *

      PLACE: Seattle

      TIME: 1963-64

      THERE IS ONE UNIT SET, NINETEEN SCENES, IN TWO ACTS

      Note on the set: the way this play is written, the action from one scene sometimes overlaps another. An effective approach to set design is to have a two-level set, with a raised level for the committee. The action at home and the office can be in a second section. A bed to represent the Hornstein bedroom can be in a third. The violin player might be in the back

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