Will He Bop, Will He Drop?

Will He Bop, Will He Drop? by Robert Alexander

(0)
Productions (2)
Tragicomedy
|
70 - 90 minutes
2 W, 2 M, 1 Any (5 actors possible: 2-3 W, 2-3 M)
Content Notes: Adult language, mature themes
Set: Unit set with a desk and typewriter, a kitchen with pots and pans, a pitcher's mound, and a set of drums

An over-the-top jazz poem erupts inside the mind of Jack Booker, an African-American writer in the middle of a nervous meltdown. His wife Brenda is twenty years pregnant with his dreams and his insanity, and is beginning to wonder if the baby will ever drop. Jack imagines he is the late great jazz percussionist Willie Bobo, accompanied and possessed by a wild, shifting rhythm. His expectant wife, his demanding father, and his seductive white mistress join in the relentless drumming, as the violence, physical comedy, and verbal high jinks build to a devastating climax.

Pricing Information

Min. Performance Fee* $85
Standard Edition $13.99
Stage Manager Edition $24.99

*The per performance fee begins at $85. Your per performance fee will be provided during the ordering process.

Play Details

An over-the-top jazz poem erupts inside the mind of Jack Booker, an African-American writer in the middle of a nervous meltdown. His wife Brenda is twenty years pregnant with his dreams and his insanity, and is beginning to wonder if the baby will ever drop. Jack imagines he is the late great jazz percussionist Willie Bobo, accompanied and possessed by a wild, shifting rhythm. His expectant wife, his demanding father, and his seductive white mistress join in the relentless drumming, as the violence, physical comedy, and verbal high jinks build to a devastating climax.

  • Tragicomedy
  • |
  • 70 - 90 minutes
  • 2 W, 2 M, 1 Any (5 actors possible: 2-3 W, 2-3 M)
  • Content Notes: Adult language, mature themes
  • Set: Unit set with a desk and typewriter, a kitchen with pots and pans, a pitcher's mound, and a set of drums

Published Reviews

"Alexander's writing is as gutsy and soulful as the best blues and jazz out there..."

Tim Sauers, Chicago Gay Magazine

"Fierce and funny!"

San Francisco Chronicle

"Alexander's writing flows with an unconstrained stream of imagery and poetic rhythms as his pulsating words thump like the underscoring of drums..."

Tim Sauers, Chicago Gay Magazine

"Alexander's poetic dialogue beats and bops, a psychedelic patois blending desire and fear, warped self-absorption and brutal clarity ... its subjective form and textures are rich and compelling ... ambitious, challenging fare..."

Brad Rosenstein, San Francisco Bay Guardian

Production History

MAY 01, 2002 - MAY 31, 2002
Buriel Clay Memorial Theatre
San Francisco, CA United States
Buriel Clay Memorial Theatre San Francisco, CA United States
NOV 01, 2001 - NOV 30, 2001
National Pastime Theatre
Chicago, IL United States
National Pastime Theatre Chicago, IL United States
No upcoming productions.
MAY 01, 2002 - MAY 31, 2002
Buriel Clay Memorial Theatre
San Francisco, CA United States
Buriel Clay Memorial Theatre San Francisco, CA United States
NOV 01, 2001 - NOV 30, 2001
National Pastime Theatre
Chicago, IL United States
National Pastime Theatre Chicago, IL United States