A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The Invention (Ierley)

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  1w, 10m

Merritt Ierley

The inventor is Thomas A. Edison; the invention, a little known idea of his to build a device for communicating with the next life - a proposal he actually broached in Scientific American magazine. Bizarre but true. That is the story behind this drama, which traces important events in Edison's life with visits by such historical figures as Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and Matthew Brady, whose lives intersected with Edison's.

The Invention (Ierley)

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 10m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Biography
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

The inventor is Thomas A. Edison; the invention, a little known idea of his to build a device for communicating with the next life, a proposal he actually broached in Scientific American magazine. Bizarre but true. That is the story behind this drama, which intersperses events in Edison's life with visits by such historical figures as Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and Matthew Brady, whose lives intersected with Edison's. The human side of Edison comes to life.

Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
THOMAS A. EDISON - The inventor, age 73
VISITOR
LAB WORKER
SPECTATORS - Men and women
YOUNG EDISON - Age 31
ASSISTANTS - In Edison's laboratory
MATTHEW BRADY - The photographer, age 55
LEVIN HARDY - Brady's assistant
PHOTOGRAPH - Recorded sound (voice, etc.)
COLLEAGUE
MINA EDISON - Edison's second wife, age 54
HENRY FORD - The auto maker, age 57
HARVEY FIRESTONE - The tire manufacturer, age 52
SATO - Japanese chef
JOHN BURROUGHS - The naturalist, age 83
ATTENDANTS - At campsite
NIGHT WATCHMAN
VOICE - Offstage
NARRATOR - Epilogue only

Plus Ensemble

  • Time Period 1920s
  • Setting Edison's laboratory in West, Orange, N.J.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Music

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

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Authors

Merritt Ierley

Merritt Ierley
Merritt Ierley is the author of 14 books and plays. His three plays for Samuel French—Eleanor for President, The Invention, and Three Hundred Leagues Over the Earth—all reflect on American history, as do most of his writings. Three books had forewords from the Smithsonian In ...
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