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The Fall of Heaven

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  2w, 3m

Walter Mosley

Based on his novel The Tempest Tales

“ … you've got one of those nights at the theater you just hope is someone's first live play, 'cause they'll be fans for a lifetime. It's that kind of special.” - St. Louis Magazine

The Fall of Heaven

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

A hip and inventive new play by Walter Mosley, best-selling author of more than 25 books and most widely known for his popular Easy Rawlins mysteries, including "Devil in a Blue Dress". Tempest Landry, a street-wise young man living in Harlem, unexpectedly finds himself at the Pearly Gates. When Saint Peter orders him to hell, the quick-witted Tempest refuses to go. A technical loophole forces heaven to send Tempest back to Earth with an angel in tow to keep him out of trouble. The resulting battle of wills takes an intriguing look at good versus evil and what it means to be human.

History

The Fall of Heaven was originally produced by Cincinatti Playhouse in the Park (Edward Stern, Producing Artistic Director; Buzz Ward, Executive Director), at the Robert S. Marx Theatre in Cincinatti, Ohio on January 23, 2010. The performance was directed by Marion McClinton.

Keywords
Performing Groups

Man 1 - TEMPEST LANDRY - African American, handsome, 30s
Man 2 - JOSHUA ANGEL - African American, approximately the same age as Tempest
Man 3 - BOB - White, 30s, dashing, all other male roles
Woman 1 - BRANWYN - African American, late 20s/early 30s, naturally attractive
Woman 2 - ALFREDA - African American, all other female roles, approximately the same age as Branwyn

3 men (2 African American; 1 white), 2 women (2 African American)

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting Heaven and Harlem
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Special Effects
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol
    • Gun Shots
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

REVIEWS

"Rip-roaring... Altogether irresistible... Mosley possesses a hiply modern ear, a sharply focused, streetwise eye, tremendous wit, and a mischievous mix of unmitigated comic glee and deep ruefulness about the human condition. And that is just enough to reawaken belief in even the most cynical of us mortal creatures" - Chicago Sun-Times

"The Fall of Heaven is a stunning success. Mosley deftly reworks The Tempest Tales into an incendiary piece of theatre that's both enthralling and engaging, drawing in the audience and never letting them go." - Broadwayworld.com

“ … you've got one of those nights at the theater you just hope is someone's first live play, 'cause they'll be fans for a lifetime. It's that kind of special.” - St. Louis Magazine

“The Fall of Heaven could mark the rise of Walter Mosley as a powerful contemporary voice on the American Stage.” - City Beat (Cincinnati)

“Not only is it a new play, fresh from the prolific imagination of novelist Walter Mosley, it also is a play so far outside the usual dramatic conventions that it keeps you guessing until the very last moments.” - St. Louis Post Dispatch

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $120 per performance

Scripts

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Authors

Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley

Walter Mosley is one of the most versatile and admired writers in America today. He is the author of more than 37 critically acclaimed books, including the major bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins. His work has been translated into 23 languages and includes lit ...

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