Cowboy and the Moon

by Eliana Pipes

A modern day alcoholic Father sees himself within his addiction as a wandering Cowboy in the Wild West. But the real world churns on for his wife and daughter, who must negotiate between playing along with his prairie fantasy and grappling with the impact of his drinking on their day-to-day lives. Cowboy and the Moon rewrites the trope of the Alcoholic Patriarch in the Western theater canon by introducing gender...

A modern day alcoholic Father sees himself within his addiction as a wandering Cowboy in the Wild West. But the real world churns on for his wife and daughter, who must negotiate between playing along with his prairie fantasy and grappling with the impact of his drinking on their day-to-day lives. Cowboy and the Moon rewrites the trope of the Alcoholic Patriarch in the Western theater canon by introducing gender and race, leaving realism in the dust, and approaching everyone in the orbit of addiction with compassion.

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Cowboy and the Moon

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear: Cowboy and the Moon by Eliana Pipes
    “

    A powerful look at the affects of addiction on a family through a creative lens that has a great deal to teach us. Well done.

    A powerful look at the affects of addiction on a family through a creative lens that has a great deal to teach us. Well done.

    ”
  • Eugene O'Neill Theater Center: Cowboy and the Moon by Eliana Pipes
    “

    It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Eliana Pipes and their play Cowboy and the Moon as a finalist for our 2020 National Playwrights Conference. This particular work emerged from a highly competitive, anonymous, and multi-tiered selection process to become one of 63 finalists out of more than 1,500 submissions. This enthralling piece galvanized the hearts and theatrical imaginations of our reading teams and is fully championed by our offices. We are honored to put our enthusiastic support behind this writer and their ongoing contributions to the American Theater.

    It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Eliana Pipes and their play Cowboy and the Moon as a finalist for our 2020 National Playwrights Conference. This particular work emerged from a highly competitive, anonymous, and multi-tiered selection process to become one of 63 finalists out of more than 1,500 submissions. This enthralling piece galvanized the hearts and theatrical imaginations of our reading teams and is fully championed by our offices. We are honored to put our enthusiastic support behind this writer and their ongoing contributions to the American Theater.

    ”
  • Nick Malakhow: Cowboy and the Moon by Eliana Pipes
    “

    A highly theatrical and original examination of the ways alcoholism destroys families. Pipes gives us four extremely interesting and multi-dimensional characters and completely succeeds in taking the oft-used concept of the alcoholic patriarch and turning it on its head by making him so vulnerable, by plumbing his quietness for truth, and by avoiding the cliche of violent, toxic man. On the contrary, the Man's insidious, nuanced implosion feels more tragic than a louder and more bombastic story would've. Potent family drama coexists with fantastical, amazing images that I would absolutely love...

    A highly theatrical and original examination of the ways alcoholism destroys families. Pipes gives us four extremely interesting and multi-dimensional characters and completely succeeds in taking the oft-used concept of the alcoholic patriarch and turning it on its head by making him so vulnerable, by plumbing his quietness for truth, and by avoiding the cliche of violent, toxic man. On the contrary, the Man's insidious, nuanced implosion feels more tragic than a louder and more bombastic story would've. Potent family drama coexists with fantastical, amazing images that I would absolutely love to see staged. Wrenching, important, beautiful.

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    ”
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