Branwell (and the other Brontes): an autobiography edited by Charlotte BrontebyStephen Kaplan
SEMI-FINALIST: O’Neill - Branwell Brontë has always been desperate to keep up with his brilliant sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. On his deathbed, the sisters use the magic of worlds created when they were children to keep them all distracted from the harsh reality of not only Branwell’s impending death, but the sisters’ recent literary successes – each has had a novel published. But the family discovers...
SEMI-FINALIST: O’Neill - Branwell Brontë has always been desperate to keep up with his brilliant sisters Charlotte, Emily, and Anne. On his deathbed, the sisters use the magic of worlds created when they were children to keep them all distracted from the harsh reality of not only Branwell’s impending death, but the sisters’ recent literary successes – each has had a novel published. But the family discovers that the thing they love best and are best at, creating stories, is sometimes the very thing that causes the greatest destruction.
Though set in the past, Branwell (and the other Brontës): an autobiography edited by Charlotte Brontë is about how, throughout time, we tell and use stories and fantasy to deal with our realities. It explores the pain and necessity of creation when encountering grief and loss.
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Branwell (and the other Brontes): an autobiography edited by Charlotte Bronte
Recommended by
Cheryl Bear:
19 Jan. 2021
“
A marvelous look inside the need to leave behind a legacy through art and the sibling rivalry that takes place in that process. Beautiful, moving work! ”
Daniel Ho:
16 Dec. 2020
“
Imaginative and intelligent. A lyrical examination the importance of storytelling, as well as a look an a relatively unknown (at least to me) part of literary history. ”
Rachael Carnes:
6 Dec. 2020
“
A play about history needs to feel fresh and alive, contemporary, current, to work, and Kaplan's magical, magnetic, heartbreaking new take on these staggering literary figures does just that. Whether you're a Brontë-phile or a newcomer to their gothic world, these multi-faceted characters, with their dynamic dialogue, and their story's deeply-felt themes, will draw you in. A shoo-in for colleges and universities, this play seems tailor-made for students to sink their creative teeth into. ”
NOTE on the adult siblings: age-wise they are probably in their late 20s/early 30s, but there is freedom to play here. While technically, they died between the ages of 29-39, this is a mix of a dream/memory play so it'd be interesting to see how age of an actor affects them
NOTE on ALL siblings: though they were originally Caucasian, this is not a history play and there is no reason that they need to either
a) be of the same race or
b) look like each other
c) also, for the two youngest sisters, it is totally fine to go slightly older than the given ages as long as they appear and act younger than the other four
Charlotte Brontë
Any
,
Female
the ringleader and one who likes to be in charge
Can be played by:
Age:
Any adult age
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
Emily Brontë
Female
strident and does not like being bossed around, thinks herself above her siblings
Can be played by:
Age:
Any adult age
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
Anne Brontë
Female
the baby of the family, the peacekeeper
Can be played by:
Age:
Any adult age
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
Branwell Brontë
Male
lost, desperate to hold his own among his sisters
Can be played by:
Age:
Any adult age
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Male
Maria Brontë
11,
Female
originally the eldest Brontë, died years earlier and a ghost – acted as a surrogate mother to her younger brother Branwell, and still cherishes that role
Can be played by:
Age:
Any age
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
Elizabeth Brontë
10,
Female
originally the second eldest Brontë, also died earlier and a ghost – over it all and does not want to be there