''Ordinary People'' is a dramatic

stage play A play is a work of drama, usually consisting mostly of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and intended for theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Reading (process), reading. The writer of a play is called a playwright. Pla ...

written by American playwright Nancy Pahl-Gilsenan. Gilsenan published the adaptation in 1983, three years after the successful film version was released in 1980. The original novel was published by

Judith Guest Judith Guest (born March 29, 1936) is an American novelist and screenwriter. She was born in Detroit, Michigan and is the great-niece of Poet Laureate Edgar Guest (1881–1959).

in 1976.

Characters

* Conrad Jarrett, a boy in his late teens * Calvin Jarrett, Conrad's father * Beth Jarrett, Conrad's mother * Joe Lanzenby, Conrad's best friend * Stillman, Conrad's swim team acquaintance * Jeannine Pratt, Conrad's girlfriend * Karen Aldrich, Conrad's hospital acquaintance * Doctor Berger, Conrad's psychiatrist * Coach Salan, Conrad's swim coach

Production history

The play is a popular choice for community theatres and schools, and has been produced around the world. A 1992 production by the Young Artists Ensemble in Thousands, Oaks, California was reviewed by the Los Angeles Times. Pelican Studios Theatre in New York City staged a production in 2004. The Citadel Theatre Company in Lake Forest, Illinois staged a production in 2015 . A reading was held by Almost Adults Productions in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2018. In review of a production in St. Louis, Missouri, the differences from the novel/film and the play were highlighted as "Gilsenan’s adaptation overall stays true to the source material, lifting much of the dialogue directly from the book. However, it also focuses much more on Conrad’s trajectory than that of Calvin and Beth’s. This is a subtle departure from the source material, which alternates between Conrad and Calvin’s points of view.".''Untimeley Death Haunts Family''
accessed 07-28-2023

References

{{reflist American plays Plays based on novels Plays set in Illinois Off-Broadway plays 1983 plays