Doris to Darlene
by Jordan Harrison

Name: Doris to Darlene
Brand: Jordan Harrison
SKU: 9780573662393
Rating: 4.12 (8 reviews)

Doris to Darlene Book Cover — Doris to Darlene Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

105 minsPresent DayEnsemble CastUnit Set/Multiple SettingsContemporary Costumes/Street ClothesComedy

Synopsis

Doris to Darlene, A Cautionary Valentine : In the candy-colored 1960s, biracial schoolgirl Doris is molded into pop star Darlene by a whiz-kid record producer who culls a top-ten hit out of Richard Wagner's "Liebestod."

Rewind to the candy-colored 1860s, where Wagner is writing the melody that will become Darlene's hit song.

Fast-forward to the not-so-candy-colored present, where a teenager obsesses over Darlene's music - and his music teacher.

Three dissonant decades merge into an unlikely harmony in this time-jumping pop fairy tale about the dreams and disasters behind one transcendent song.

Jordan Harrison is a 2009 Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient

Press Reviews

"Doris to Darlene: A Cautionary Valentine is a quirky and enjoyable love letter to music and its seductive power to make us lose ourselves...Harrison's language is by turns so punchy, poetic and observant."
— New York Daily News

"Mr. Harrison's play has an affectionate, music-loving heart."
— New York Times

"Doris to Darlene has much going for it: Harrison's intelligence, originality and passion."
— Time Out New York

"Harrison's teasing, rapturous chamber opera of a play spins and crackles like a beloved old 78 under a bamboo needle...Doris to Darlene is that rare thing: a rarefied theatrical experiment that has the glow of pure entertainment and the warmth of a folktale."
— Newsday

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
DORIS a girl singer, mixed race, from 16-41	female	16-41	a girl singer, mixed race, from 16-41
VIC WATTS a record producer, white from 22 to 47	—	22-47	a record producer, white from 22 to 47
RICHARD WAGNER a composer, about 50	—	50	a composer, about 50
LUDWIG II King of Bavaria, 18	—	—	King of Bavaria, 18
MR. CAMPANI a dapper teacher, early 40's	male	40	a dapper teacher, early 40's
THE YOUNG MAN 16	—	—	16
DORIS'S GRANDMOTHER played by Mr. Campani	—	—	played by Mr. Campani
RECEPTIONIST played by the actress playing Ludwig	female	—	played by the actress playing Ludwig
MISS LUFTUS played by Wagner	female	—	played by Wagner
PROM DATE played by Ludwig	—	—	played by Ludwig
TALK SHOW HOST played by Wagner	—	—	played by Wagner
BILLY ZIMMER played by Vic Watts	—	—	played by Vic Watts
JOURNALISTS 1 & 2 played by Mr. Campani and the Young Man	male	—	played by Mr. Campani and the Young Man
STABLE BOY played by the Young Man	male	—	played by the Young Man
PFORDTEN played by Doris	—	—	played by Doris
PFISTERMEISTER played by Vic Watts	—	—	played by Vic Watts
MAKEUP GIRL played by Ludwig	—	—	played by Ludwig