Broken Things

Autism, mind blindness, is a mysterious and confusing condition. Its causes and cure are unknown. Its occurrence appears to be rising. So many families struggle with autism; trying to give children they do not understand as close to a normal life as possible, knowing that these children may never live an independent life. It is this fractured world of autism that is the basis of my play Broken Things.

 Broken Things was conceived in a conversation over lunch with Edward Albee, my teacher at University of Houston. He had told me that I was a playwright, information for which I was very grateful, and I told him about my teenage son who is autistic. I said that I would like to write a play about an autistic man but I didn’t know how to do it without being maudlin. He replied, “That’s easy. Do it from your son’s point of view.”

 When a three time Pulitzer Prize winning national treasure tells you to write a play… I figured out how to write the play. There are a lot of complications to writing a play about a person with poor communication skills. I had to invent languages for characters to indicate when Adam, the hero, stopped understanding them. I had to find a way to allow Adam to communicate to the audience without communicating with the people in his world. Success occurred for this hurdle, by having two actors play Adam, his mind and his body. His mind could then talk to his body more clearly than his mind could communicate with his world.

 Edward Albee recently produced BROKEN THINGS as part of his 2001 New Playwrights Series sponsored by the University of Houston.

 Mr. Albee personally chooses participating playwrights from a large pool of submissions. He generally chooses five to six playwrights to work with six student directors from the University of Houston Theater Department.

 The play is then work shopped with the input of all the playwrights, directors and Mr. Albee.

 Broken Things ran at Houston’s Stages Repertory Theatre, April 28-29.

 The play remains eligible for a professional premiere.

About Broken Things

THE STORY
            BROKEN THINGS is a full-length drama about Adam who, on the brink of manhood, is brilliant and physically beautiful—and autistic. The story unfolds entirely from Adam’s fractured point of view, through the special language of his incomplete understanding.
            Although Adam’s caring family mostly comprehends his disability, they still fall into talking about him where he might overhear. Thus Adam both understands—and misunderstands—more than they realize.
            Today, Adam is threatened as he observes his divorced parents struggling over what his increasing size and budding sexual desires could mean to his future, and theirs. Something is about to change and everyone is afraid.

THE CHARACTERS
            To convey the many facets of autism, the leading role of ADAM is played by two actors: one represents his mind, the other, his body which imprisons him. ADAM, as his mind, is seen as handsome and whole. His body is seen as a scruffy, featureless, erratic PUPPET.
            His guilty, grief-stricken mother is ELLEN, only now daring to feel she might be entitled to a life of her own. Her younger son, DAVID (18) will be off to college soon, leaving behind a life spent balancing his own needs against the overwhelming needs of his brother and mother.
            Adam’s successful father, JOHN, despite having fled his overburdened household, remains a powerful presence, both in Adam’s mind and in his life. John’s new, young wife, TIFFANY fears Adam’s growing sexual attraction to her.
            Multiple supporting roles are played by a mysterious MAN, his face often obscured by shadow. Occurring only in Adam’s memory, he reflects Adam’s view of the outside world in all its frightening complexity.
            Actors portraying Adam’s family also play additional characters in Adam’s past and present.

THE SETTING
            Set requirements are few. Taking place entirely in Adam’s room and his imagination, the play allows directors and designers a wide range of creativity in interpreting the chaotic world of autism.
            The scene opens to Adam sitting on his bed, humming obsessively as he reads. He is dressed neatly but disheveled, rocking back and forth, looking autistic. Making exaggerated hand motions, he becomes agitated. Looking around anxiously, he speaks…

“Today is the day. This is the day. This is the day they send me away. Away. Away…Why?"

Broken Things Schedule

Broken Things just had a showing at The Kraine Theater in New York City's East Village during the New York Fringe Festival this past summer. We will update the schedule as the year progresses.
For more information about Kraine Theater, please visit their website at www.horsetrade.com.