What does a shy Englishman in search of rest do when he visits a fishing lodge in Georgia? In Larry Shue s hilarious farce, Charlie Baker, a proof reader by day and a boring husband by night, adopts the persona of a foreigner who doesn t understand English. When others begin to speak freely around him, he not only becomes privy to secrets both dangerous and frivolous, he also discovers an adventurous extrovert within himself. 
A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring: Kenneth Danziger, Johnny Galecki, Martin McClendon, Joey Slotnick, Dina Waters, Paxton Whitehead and Kate Williamson.

The Foreigner

Literature & Fiction

Larry Shue

Dramas & Plays

Dramatist's Play Service

THE STORY: The time is 1968, the place, a room in a college dormitory occupied by Woody and Ben Davidson, two graduating seniors. Woody is trying to finish a term paper while his roommate naps, but they are both frustrated by the arrival of their manic friend The Badger, who wants to play-which means one of the wildly imaginative flights of make-believe which he and Woody have concocted. This time their fantasies range from Woody's being a talking panda to ragging Ben about the imaginary girlfriend they have created for him, but things really get strange when Tim Esperanza, a black drop-out, comes by and agrees to let Woody hypnotize him. Once he is under, Esperanza believes that he is Ringo Starr of The Beatles, which leads to a number of hilarious developments. But the fun is dampened both by the arrival of Badger's lady friend, Paula, who considers their behavior juvenile, and by the scary fact that Woody is suddenly unable to bring Esperanza back. The tension is broken when Esperanza not only comes to, but admits that he has been putting them on. But the sudden fear he has aroused has left its mark, and underscored the poignance of their situation-that the antic joys of college days will soon be behind them and, considering the disjointed world that awaits, will surely never be regained.

Grandma Duck is Dead.

Shue, Larry

For a cast of 5 men and 2 women. Now an aspiring young architect in Terre Haute, Indiana, Willum Cubbert has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who saved his life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam. He has written to Rick to say that, as long as he is alive, "you will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you"-so Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at his apartment on the night of his thirty-fourth birthday party. But his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick is a hopeless "nerd"-a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact. And Rick stays on and on, his continued presence among Willum and his friends leading to one uproarious incident after another, until the normally placid Willum finds himself contemplating violence-a dire development which, happily, is staved off by the surprising "twist" ending of the play.

The Nerd (Acting Edition for Theater Productions)

Humor & Entertainment

Wenceslas Square. (Acting Edition for Theater Productions)

Dramatists Play Service, Inc.

The Foreigner (Library Edition Audio CDs)

L.A. Theatre Works

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Larry Shue. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Larry Shue