Saturday, September 8, 2007

Discussion of Without a Word

Hi Molly,I am a theater buff and found your play, Without a Word, while surfing the web. I've read it over several times and each time understand it more. I see by the book description that it was staged in the 70s but published recently. Has it been staged since then? Is it available in any other format? Would you give permission for it to be staged again? Patrick.


Hi Patrick,
I'm very glad you enjoyed the play in book form. I wrote it in the 70s and staged it twice. At the time, I received wonderful feedback and was asked to continue staging it. Then, motherhood changed my life for awhile, as happens to many women writers. While in the process of self publishing my novels, I thought it a good time to resurrect this play that received such a wide range of response, so many years ago. It will be interesting to see how it is received 30 years later. To your questions, it has not been staged since. I did tape two productions in the seventies, but have not made them available publicly. That is a future project. And certainly, I would consider allowing another stage adaptation. Feel free to email me with your proposal.

I look forward to hearing from you, Molly Brogan

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it is interesting that you say that motherhood changed your life. Are you saying that you could not work and be a mother at the same time?

Molly Brogan said...

I was lucky enough to spend 12 years at home with my children after they were born. During that time, my main focus was caring for my home and children, although I also worked from my home performing some back office tasks for my husband's business. During that time, I wrote poetry occasionally and worked on a drawing now and then, but did not feel able to give my full attention to a larger project like a novel or play. I know that other women writers have been able to do this, and I know that some, like me, have not. It is an age old debate among women writers. I don't know what might work for anyone else, and don't, for a moment, regret the choices I made while my children were growing up. I loved those years and the bonds that were formed during that time. I gradually returned to the workforce when my children were older and more independent. Shortly after my family got used to me working full time and heading the household, I began writing my first novel. By then, my children were old enough to support me in my endeavors, just as I support them. It was a natural rhythm that developed for me and I gave myself to it. Everyone must follow their own heart for these important choices. Thanks for bringing focus to this topic. Molly

Anonymous said...

I have been looking at your google book preview. What do you mean by "the original man?"

Molly Brogan said...

"Original man," means the archetype or guiding template for humanity that allows the development of our personal and collective consciousness. In Without a Word, the characters represent the first form of man, each character a different aspect. Thanks for asking. Molly

Anonymous said...

I still don't know what you mean by archtype that allows the development of our consciousness. Can you please explain?

Anonymous said...

Without a Word is quite a play. It isn't easy to imagine the audience reception to it in the 70's. How did you work the dream chorus? I can think of many ways that it can be done because the book form leaves it open to interpretation.