J.B.
by Archibald MacLeish

Name: J.B.
Brand: Archibald MacLeish
SKU: 9780573610912
Rating: 3.74 (47 reviews)

Highlights

Female

Male

Greek/Roman/Biblical Flexible Cast Size Interior Set Period Costumes

Awards & Recognition

Pulitzer Prize Tony Award

Winner! 1959 Pulitzer Prize for Drama Winner! 1959 Tony Award for Best Play

Synopsis

A fresh and exalting morality that has great stature.

It is one of the memorable works of the century as verse, as drama and as spiritual inquiry...We are deep in the unanswered problems of man's relationship to God in an era of cruel injustices.

J.B. is Mr. MacLeish's counterpart of the immortal Job.

The glory of the play is that, as in the Book of Job, J.B. does not curse God.

When he is reunited with his wife, two humbled but valiant people accept the universe, agree to begin life all over again, expecting no justice but unswerving in their devotion to God...

In every respect, it is theatre on its highest level.- The New York Times

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Nickles a popcorn vendor in the circus who assumes the role of Satan	—	—	a popcorn vendor in the circus who assumes the role of Satan
J.B. based on the biblical character Job, a man confronted by many tests of his faith in God	male	—	based on the biblical character Job, a man confronted by many tests of his faith in God
Sarah J.B.'s wife, not as confident in God as J.B.	female	—	J.B.'s wife, not as confident in God as J.B.
David son of J.B. and Sarah, 13	—	—	son of J.B. and Sarah, 13
Jonathan son of J.B. and Sarah, 10	—	—	son of J.B. and Sarah, 10
Mary daughter of J.B. and Sarah, 12	female	—	daughter of J.B. and Sarah, 12
Ruth daughter of J.B. and Sarah, 8	female	—	daughter of J.B. and Sarah, 8
Rebecca daughter of J.B. and Sarah, 6	female	—	daughter of J.B. and Sarah, 6
Girl stylishly dressed	—	—	stylishly dressed
Jolly a young girl	—	—	a young girl
Bildad a squat, thick man	—	—	a squat, thick man
Zophar a fat, red-faced man	—	—	a fat, red-faced man
Eliphaz lean and dark	—	—	lean and dark
A Distant Voice an anonymous voice that prompts the action in the play	—	—	an anonymous voice that prompts the action in the play
Mr. Zuss a balloon vendor in the circus who assumes the role of God	—	—	a balloon vendor in the circus who assumes the role of God