VERTICAL CONSTELLATION WITH BOMB by Gwydion Suilebhan

New York during World War II. A nun, eagerly collecting scrap metal for the war effort, and Alexander Calder, desperate for raw material for a new sculpture, plead with a grieving mother, clutching a crushed tin airplane tightly to her chest. Will she let go? And for what?
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VERTICAL CONSTELLATION WITH BOMB

Recommended by

  • Kate Danley:
    12 Jun. 2023
    “ Gut-wrenching and beautiful, and its metaphors on the human condition work on so many levels. It seems odd to mention structure when recommending a play, but this play is so completely theatrical (as in, it has to exist on a stage) that it deserves a shout out. The devices of direct address demand that you actively listen. Highly recommend! ”
  • Ross Tedford Kendall:
    13 Aug. 2020
    “ A play dealing with heavy themes without being heavy-handed. Grounded in truth and in our world, yet reaching for the literal stars with its metaphors. This would be a fantastic little piece to see on stage. ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    24 Jul. 2020
    “ A marvelous piece about turning pain into meaning and beauty so that new life can rise from the ashes. A story of the physical and the spiritual that transcends to the constellations. Well done. ”
View all 9 recommendations

Character Information

  • Vernell
    40s,
    African American
    ,
    Female
    A mother, bereft
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Alexander Calder
    45,
    White
    ,
    Male
    The sculptor
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Nun
    50s or 60s,
    White
    ,
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    City Theatre
    ,
    2014

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    New Theatre
    ,
    2014

Awards