Bøker av Joseph Zettelmaier

The year is 1883. The notorious outlaw Injun Bill Picote has escaped from prison, along with a hard-luck drunk named Froggy. The unlikely partners endure trials and bizarre misadventures as they set out to right a terrible wrong in this outrageous dark comedy about life, friendship and vengeance in the Wild West. As Bill's past catches up with him, and Froggy helps him discover his long-ignored conscience, a question arises: Is the hope of a better life stronger than the need to avenge the death of a friend? What starts out as a sweeping epic tale boils down to an incredibly funny, insightful and deeply personal journey for two men... and a pair of shoes. Loosely based on actual events. "The show delivers some simple truths about friendship, redemption and the dignity of man in a world where life is exceedingly cheap. Zettelmaier is the best and most prolific playwright working in Michigan today." - The Detroit Free Press Dead Man's Shoes was the recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award in 2013.

A Gothic drama set in the eerie twilight of 18th century France, where terror roams the wilds and a sinister legend springs to life.For three years, the fearsome Beast of Gévaudan has prowled the dense forests, leaving a trail of over a hundred victims in its wake. The terrorized populace was gripped by fear until one man, an outcast forester, emerged from the shadows claiming victory over a monstrous, wolf-like creature. When he presents a hideous, wolf-like corpse to King Louis, the kingdom rejoices, believing the nightmare to be over.But the forester's tale is shrouded in secrets. Amidst the whispers of the woods, he never speaks of the enigmatic woods-witch who crossed his path, nor her dark, otherworldly influence on his hunt. As the chilling truth unfurls, The Man-Beast delves into a Gothic drama where the lines between man and monster blur, and the sinister legacy of the Beast is revealed.Prepare to be captivated by Joseph Zettelmaier's spine-tingling play, where myth and reality entwine in a gripping tale of horror, mystery, and the supernatural. Will the forester's courage be enough to face the true nature of the Beast, or will the lurking shadows of the forest claim yet another soul? "The most emotionally interiorized of Zettelmaier's horror tales. Few demons are more horrifying than the memories, fears and resentments we host inside our heads." - Chicago Tribune"A battle of wit and affection and intimidation.You know this match must finish. And you know there can only be one winner. But the duel itself is so mesmerizing, you never want it to end." - Cincinnati Enquirer "Zettelmaier creates tantalizing stories." - Chicago Sun-Times

"…It's as if Joseph Zettelmaier couldn't contain all his ideas into a single play. So he created a script that could accommodate a whole slew of dramatic agendas. In the end, it's as if he's wrapped up two plays into a single script. And the amazing thing is that both are pretty entertaining. The first act is an adoring and witty homage to film noir. There's a hard-drinking, down-and-out private eye, Frank, and the slinky dame who hires him to solve a murder. Turns out, she's one of four authors of pulp novels suspected of killing the agent who represented all of them. There are plot twists. And twists on twists. And loads of witty dialogue, too, as Zettelmaier walks an ever-so-fine line between homage and spoof…. Zettelmaier is a wonderfully facile storyteller. But he doesn't always play by the rules, which we discovered so delightfully [in] his play ALL CHILDISH THINGS… And then there's Act Two. Frank's investigation moves forward, but along the way, Zettelmaier finds a way to immerse us in each of the four writers' genres of pulp. It's a clever device. And it works, giving us more information about each of them than if he followed a more traditional exposition. There's the slinky dame-Desiree St Clair is her unlikely name-who writes romance novels, while Bradley Rayburn writes science fiction. (He's also an inventor, a pastime that provides a major plot twist late in the play.) Walter Kingston-Smith is a writer of so-called "hero pulp," while R A Lyncroft creates particularly gruesome horror novels…. …savvy plotting and clever repartee…"David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer