John Twomey

Another September has rolled around, and Nora O’Reilley is determined not to be
defeated by disillusionment. That’s not an easy task in the teachers’ lounge at Lincoln
High School, occupied by a motley staff of burnouts, survivors and connivers. In walks
Victoria Turner, Nora’s former star student and the new English teacher.

As the fall term progresses, both Nora and Victoria battle the inanity of the school system
as well as the cynicism, despair and personal agendas of their colleagues. They become
increasingly despondent—Victoria because she feels in over her head as a new teacher
and Nora because she realizes that she’s losing her zeal and efficacy.

Victoria turns to Nora for support, who gladly gives it in a subconscious attempt to help herself.
They find a common enemy in Susan Wagner, the new assistant principal whom Victoria
was hired to replace in the classroom. Nora intervenes to protect Victoria from Susan’s
harassment and then must fight her own battle for survival against Susan. Nora prevails,
but Victoria loses her job when Susan is removed and sent back to the classroom. Nora
then resigns and passes the torch to Victoria.

Teachers' Lounge is a comedy set at Amsterdam High School, a fictitious New York City public school.

Originally produced in the 1990s as a contemporary play, this modest revision sets the play in 1990.

Wallace Johnson, fresh out of college, is the newest member of the English Department. On the first day of the fall term he meets his new colleagues--Marty Goldberg, a bitter, burnt-out teacher in his 50s; Nora O’Reilly, a liberal bohemian-type in her 40s; Stan Cohen, a system-abuser around 50 who's always scheming to get out of teaching; Felix White, a finicky, uptight man mama’s boy in his 30s; Sal Vincent, a booze-soaked playboy in his early 40s and Susan Wagner, an a ruthless and ambitious, authoritarian woman shrew in her early 30s.

As the fall term progresses, Wallace encounters the inanity of the school system as well as the cynicism, despair and lost idealism of his colleagues. He also encounters the wrath of the unseen principal. Wallace has come into teaching without any training and his lack of preparation quickly leads to despondency. Sal and Nora try to help but can’t provide more than moral support. Sal is having trouble enough keeping his personal life together. And Nora, who dresses as literary characters to motivate her students, has herself become increasingly despondent.

The principal finally decides that Wallace must shape up fast or be terminated. He names Susan as his mentor. Susan, who is desperate to impress him and be named the new chairperson of the English department, approaches the job with relish. Her tenure is short-lived, however. When Marty finds out that being a mentor means teaching one less class, he uses dirt on Taft “he'd kill to keep from his wife” to get the job for himself.
Marty is no help as a mentor. The best he can do is shatter Nora’s idealistic facade and admit the disillusionment of his own lost youth. Susan, meanwhile, finds another cause to make herself look good. Nora, dressed as Blanche Dubois and teaching a passage of provocative poetry accidentally exposes a breast to her class. Susan starts a campaign to get her removed from the classroom.

In spite of all the negatives around him, Wallace starts to improve and no longer has the principal breathing down his neck. However, he faces another problem--budget cuts. The final day of the fall term is one of great anticipation. Will Wallace be terminated? Will the superintendent bring Nora up on charges of immorality? Will Susan become chairperson? To the great relief of the other teachers, Susan does not get the job. Felix, who has been waging a secret campaign for the position, does. Wallace is terminated and the charges against Nora are dropped. Nora quits anyway, realizing that she is on the brink of burnout and passing the torch on to Wallace, who can now keep his job.

Two second-rate thespians, Biff and Blanche, compete for a cab on a street in New York. While waiting on a bench, they spar over an audition and confront one another with their illusions about themselves, their careers and their attraction to one another—complicated by the fact that they had a brief encounter in the past but Blanche never returned Biff’s phone calls afterwards

Maid of honor Cynthia has taken a sacred vow to save her sister’s wedding cake top for her first anniversary. Judy, her other sister, storms out immediately following the ceremony, feeling justifiably insulted by comments made by the Bride concerning the size of her so-called chunky thighs and her chances at finding a husband of her own. Consequently she missed out on the reception including food and cake. Back at the hotel Cynthia does her best to protect her culinary ward but Judy is angry and Judy is hungry. And Judy wants cake. Now!

When two brothers take over the family pizza parlor, flames higher than a grease fire erupt. Garlic left town and hasn’t been around much in years after he parted ways with his dad over alternative ideas about life and how to run a business. But Pop leaves the business to both of his sons. Gasoline, who stood by his father throughout it all has no intention of letting Garlic waltz back in and change everything from the name of the parlor “Sal’s Pizzeria” to “Sal’s Trattoria” to adding pesto to the menu and white cloth napkins to the table. Fueled by resentment, Gasoline wipes his filthy hands on a napkin and physically intimidates Garlic into running out.

Dougie, a self-absorbed member of the tribute band MEN IN BLACK SPANDEX, misses the biggest event in his girlfriend Angie’s life—her graduation from the Beautiful People Academy of Cosmetology. Angry and frustrated with his lack of support and obsession with his band, she confronts him with an ultimatum - the band or her.

An engaged couple conflict over their vision for their future as they add gifts to their wedding registry.

Karen, excited for her son William's first Thanksgiving home from college, is shocked to discover his girlfriend, Vivian, is a MAGA supporter. Despite all her resistance, Karen is forced to embrace the new, MAGA-approved Thanksgiving.

Gwendolyn, a self-righteous church volunteer, runs and contributes to the annual church holiday rummage sale. Daisy, a new parishioner, buys Gwendolyn’s favorite pink cashmere sweater which was donated in error. Gwendolyn wants it back, but Daisy wants to keep it. Pastor Pence tries to mediate to no avail. He suggests a coin flip to resolve the conflict, but the coin is lost, leading to a physical altercation between the two women. Gwendolyn emerges victorious, wearing the sweater and claiming Daisy’s payment as a donation.