Norman J. Fedder
Playwright/Author/Professor
7966B Lexington Club BoulevardDelRey Beach, FL 33446-3423
Phone (561) 4995942
fedder@ksu.edu
NORMAN J. FEDDER, Ph. D. is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Theatre, Kansas State University. He is the author of a book on Tennessee Williams; articles on dramatic literature; and a number of widely produced plays, mostly on Jewish themes. He founded the Drama Network of the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education and was founder/director of TOV Theatre Of Values and the Theatre in Israel Program. He is also a Registered Drama Therapist/Board Certified Trainer.
One Act
The Eternal Kick A satirical farce about the Cuban missile crisis. (3 M, 2W)
My Old Room an absurdist comedy involving a young and an old man attempting suicide. (2 M, 1W)
We Can Make Our Lives Sublime The tragicomic ordeal of Dr. Polly Blathers, "Specialist in Human Conflict" who takes on the modest task of solving all the world's problems with disastrous consequences. (3 W, 3 M)
PUBA A satirical farce about an idealistic young woman who tries to induce a hooker to help the woman save the nation through "PUBA" (Prostitutes United for a Better America)."
(2 W)
The Kansas Character An interview show with seven famous Kansans from territorial days to the present. (4 W, 4 M)
A Jew in Kansas The struggle of August Bondi to continue his allegiance to abolitionist John Brown in light of Brown‚s terrorist role in the "Pottawatomie Massacre." The play moves back and forth from a contemporary debate on the subject to a dramatization of the historical conflict.
(1 W, 2 M)
On Venus Have We Got a Rabbi (from a story by William Tenn) A science fiction comedy, which takes place in the future during a "NeoZionist" Congress on the planet Venus. It is essentially about the "Who is a Jew?" question; in this case, an alien who much resembles a potato! (2 M, 1 W)
Next Thing to Kinfolks An interview with Harry Truman and his Jewish haberdashery partner, Eddie Jacobson, conducted by Deborah Winters "Devil‚s Advocate." Deborah asks some hard questions about Eddie‚s role in persuading Harry to support and recognize the new State of Israel. (1 M, 1 W)
In Every Generation A dramatization of the Passover seder where a contemporary family becomes the characters in the Biblical account of the Exodus from Egypt and then returns to the present to finish the seder. (4 M, 4W)
No Other Gods: A Midrash on Moses The life of Moses in story theatre style. Tragedy interfuses with comedy and Biblical situations with contemporary dialogue and issues. (2 W, 2 M)
The Reed and the Cedar A satirical story theatre drama of a young rabbi‚s transformation from egotism to altruism with the help of the prophet Elijah. (2 M, 2W)
Custody A bitter custody battle following a divorce results in a drug overdose by the teenage daughter of the couple.
(2 M, 2 W)
Full Length
The Planter May Weep At a Passover celebration with his family, a young man who is dropping out of college to work for the Civil Rights movement tries to save his parent‚s failing marriage, but succeeds in doing just the opposite. (2 W, 2 M)
A Thousand at the Branches A Jewish doctoral student in English specializing in Thoreau retreats from New York City with his wife to a cabin in the Catskill mountains after having failed his (oral) prelims. But his parents, inlaws, and two movers on opposite ends of the political spectrum try to get him to return in a culminating fantasy oral.(5 M, 3 W)
Some Events Connected with the Early History of Arizona A Civil War veteran attempts to create one of the first Indian reservations outside of Tucson, Arizona; but is accused of encouraging his charges to make raids on the city. The Apache Indians are massacred by Mexican and Papago Indians led by Americans; and the veteran is driven from Arizona. (1 W, 7 M dance chorus of Indian men and women)
Earp! (music by Mark Ollington) A tragicomic musical about Wyatt Earp as he actually was a liar, thief, adulterer, and murderer; and about the women who sustained him the true heroes of the saga. (12 M, 6 W)
Monks (story by Michael McCarthy, music by Mark Ollington) A comic musical about a womanfearing young man who wants to become a monk and a malebashing young woman who get together despite themselves, with a little help from a bungling devil and an oddball saint.
(7 W, 14 M)
Never Let 'Em Catch You At It: An Evening with Milburn Stone A one person drama about the Kansas actor who played Doc on the TV show, Gunsmoke. (1 M)
Abraham! Abraham! (music and lyrics by Richard Lippman) a musical play about the Biblical figure based on the Torah and Midrash, but with contemporary language, theme, and situation.
(5 W, 4 M)
A Light to the Nations A tragedy of American Jewish life, based on an actual incident: the murder of a prominent Midwestern rabbi, on the bimah of his synagogue, by one of his students who then killed himself. (3 W, 3 M)
Inbar (from the novel, From the Nile to the Jordan by Ada Aharoni) A young woman tries to find meaning and hope in her life as she suffers the expulsion of her 2,500 year old Jewish community from Egypt following the creation of the state of Israel. (6 M, 6 W)
Out of the Depths Based on the struggle of prominent American rabbi, Stephen Wise, to convince the U. S. to rescue the victims of Hitler‚s genocide and induce the British to open up Palestine to Jewish immigration. Despite all his efforts, Wise is disparaged for not doing enough and ousted from the Zionist leadership. Nonetheless, he plays a significant role in the birth of Israel. (8 M, 2 W) (With doubling, can be played with 6M, 2W)