Now Circa Then
by Carly Mensch
Full Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1m, 1f
"A twisty, humorous tale of significance" - TheaterMania.com
"Mensch's script is a layered, clear-eyed work of art" - NYTheatre.com
"Fulfills the potential of theater circa now." - BackStage.com
Read more +Now Circa Then
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Cast Size
1m, 1fDuration
90 minutesSubgenre
Romantic ComedyAccolades
Not ApplicableTarget Audience
- Adult
Additional Info
Meet Julian and Josephine, an immigrant couple on New York's Lower East Side, circa 1890. Meet Gideon and Margie, an unlikely pair of historical reenactors, circa now. A museum tour goes off the rails in this jaunty tale of old places, new beginnings and timeless questions.
Reviews
"A twisty, humorous tale of significance" - TheaterMania.com
"Mensch's script is a layered, clear-eyed work of art" - NYTheatre.com
"Fulfills the potential of theater circa now." - BackStage.com
Considerations
Performing Groups
- College Theatre / Student
- Community Theatre
- Professional Theatre
- Large Stage
- Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups
Cautions
- No Special Cautions
License details
- Minimum Fee: $75 per performance
Production
Details
- Time Period: Present Day
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Setting:
A restored 19th century tenement on New York’s Lower East Side, present.
The play is divided into three rooms: the parlor (beginnings), the kitchen (middles), and the bedroom (endings).
- Additional Features: No intermission
- Features / Contains: Period Costumes
Casting
1m, 1fMARGIE, 26 – a shy and slightly awkward girl; more goose than swan, but with an unconventional beauty. Non-white.
GIDEON, 27 – a hardcore history buff; passionate and youthful, with a hint of arrogance. White.
Cast Attributes
- Multicultural casting
- Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle)
- Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle)
Casting Notes
Margie's character is scripted as Filipino-American, based on the actress who originated the role, but she can be of any race or ethnicity, really, so long as she's an unlikely casting choice for a 19th century Jewish immigrant.
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Authors
NOW CIRCA THEN was originally produced by Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director) in New York City.
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