Martin M. Zuckerman

Loneliness and finding love wherever you can are the dominant themes of Tar Beach. An elderly, successful author, Peter Berlin, confides in his estranged daughter, Lilith, his memories of a devastating childhood experience. They are visiting Tar Beach, the ersatz summer beach club atop a Brooklyn temple, where 75 years ago, Peter’s story unfolds.
Sent home from camp for reputed misbehavior, 8-year-old Peter is lonely and bored. Having no friends around, he seeks attention from his parents, Lill and Little Sam, who are too busy socializing to attend to his needs. Only “Uncle” Izzy, Little Sam’s best friend, enjoys Peter’s company, teaching him about Zionism and playing games with him. Peter adores Izzy, a handsome ne’er-do-well with a lovely voice. When Peter comes
across Lill and Izzy kissing, his world falls apart. While trying to explain his feelings to his imaginary friend, a
seductive female angel, Peter urinates on the Sanctuary floor, upsetting the temple elders, especially Little Sam, who hopes to be elected temple president. Lill divorces Little Sam, whom she never loved, and leaves the unreliable (and married) Izzy, who then takes off for Los Angeles, where he can sponge off other friends. Peter loses his beloved Izzy, his real father, as he learns. His home life is disrupted when Little Sam moves out and again when Lill finds a new romantic partner, soon to become another unsatisfying husband.
Back in the present, Lilith seeks a senior residence for the aging Peter, who vehemently opposes this. She is
contemplating marriage with her long-time companion, who, we discover, has ties with Izzy. Lilith comes up with an alternate plan for Peter’s living arrangement that will enhance their newly awakened bond.

At the home of the world-renowned British author, Mark Ambient, a young American writer is drawn into the conflict between Mark and his wife, Beatrice, over the upbringing of their precocious seven–year-old son. Mark is a leading proponent of the aesthetic movement; Beatrice, a celebrated actress, renowned for her portrayal of classical Greek roles, has reverted to her former religious fanaticism. Realizing that Mark’s philosophy will eventually win the child over, Beatrice identifies with Medea to prevent this from happening.

Adela is determined to prevent her recently widowed father, Major Chart, from remarrying. She enlists her brother, Godfrey, in her quest. But Godfrey has secretly made a disastrous marriage, which he regrets. Major Chart helps Godfrey dissolve his marriage but loses his own forthcoming marriage because of Adela’s scheming.

Adela is determined to prevent her recently widowed father, Major Chart, from remarrying. She enlists her brother, Godfrey, in her quest. But Godfrey has secretly made a disastrous marriage, which he regrets. Major Chart helps Godfrey dissolve his marriage but loses his own forthcoming marriage because of Adela’s scheming.

After a painful tooth-pulling, Tom attends school. There he meets Becky, the new girl. They like each other instantly but find conversation awkward. Tom convinces Becky to get engaged to him. He gives her his tooth to wear around her neck when no one is looking.

Tom Sawyer resents having to whitewash his aunt’s large fence. He tricks his friends into doing the work for him, and paying him, to boot.

Separated from the prince and living in London with her mother, Christina plunges into the anarchist movement. She becomes involved with three of the revolutionaries: a young, idealistic bookbinder, who volunteers for a dangerous mission; the leader of the London chapter, with whom she starts an affair; and a revolutionary hero, who is coordinating worldwide terrorist activities. Christina’s meddling in this dangerous world spells disaster, this time for all three men.

Influenced by her ambitious mother, the exquisitely beautiful and enlightened Christina seeks a husband: only affluent, noble bachelors need apply. She falls in love with a gifted sculptor for whom she is posing, but she rejects his offer of marriage, questioning his ability to provide her with luxuries. Fearing the disclosure of a dark secret that will ruin her marital ambitions, she marries a lovesick Italian prince whom she despises, which brings about dire consequences to both the prince and the sculptor.

Royalty:
Influenced by her ambitious mother, the exquisitely beautiful and enlightened Christina seeks a husband: only affluent, noble bachelors need apply. She falls in love with a gifted sculptor for whom she is posing, but she rejects his offer of marriage, questioning his ability to provide her with luxuries. Fearing the disclosure of a dark secret that will ruin her marital ambitions, she marries a lovesick Italian prince whom she despises, which brings about dire consequences to both the prince and the sculptor.

Revolution:
Separated from the prince and living in London with her mother, Christina plunges into the anarchist movement. She becomes involved with three of the revolutionaries: a young, idealistic bookbinder, who volunteers for a dangerous mission; the leader of the London chapter, with whom she starts an affair; and a revolutionary hero, who is coordinating worldwide terrorist activities. Christina’s meddling in this dangerous world spells disaster, this time for all three men.

On the morning of the Sheridans’ garden party a lower-class neighbor is accidentally killed. Laura, the idealistic daughter, wants to cancel the party. Meg, the practical child, thinks this absurd. When Mrs. Sheridan offers Laura her new hat as a gift, Laura forgets her objection, and the party goes on as scheduled. Afterward, Laura brings leftovers to the bereaved family and comes to terms with the dual nature of her feelings.

The one thing Sally, an impoverished, elderly black woman, still enjoys in life is looking out her window and keeping tabs on her neighborhood. When the view is blocked, Sally takes vengeance.

Burt Supperman, an aging cancer patient, goes to a hospital, presumably for a routine treatment. Once there, he is examined by Dr. D, who informs Burt that he is already dead. In defending his life, Burt insists that he no longer hurts people. He is awakened from this death-dream, only to hurt someone he loves.

Claiming he needs a quiet place to write, Walter, an American scholar summering in Venice, seeks to lease rooms in a neglected old mansion in an out-of-the way section of the city. Juliana, an elderly invalid, lives there with her shy, middle-aged niece, Tita. The women question Walter’s motives, but needing money, they rent him rooms.

Walter is, in fact, searching for letters written to Juliana years ago by the famed poet Jeffrey Aspern. Vaguely suggesting the possibility of a romantic involvement, Walter attempts to enlist Tita’s help. Fearing the aunt will burn her papers before dying, Walter tries to pry open the desk drawer that holds them. Juliana appears suddenly; after denouncing him as a “publishing scoundrel,” she falls into her niece’s arms.

Walter flees Venice in shame. When he returns, he learns that Juliana has died. Tita, hopelessly in love with him, persuades herself that her aunt wanted her to offer Walter the love letters in return for his marrying her. Walter turns her down but later reconsiders and returns to Tita. It is too late, however; Tita tells him she has burned the papers “one by one.”

Frank and another drifter hold up Morris, a struggling Jewish grocer in post-World War II Brooklyn. Guilt-ridden when his partner pistol-whips Morris, Frank returns to help run the store. He falls in love with Helen, the grocer’s unfulfilled daughter.

Frank bonds with Morris, whose gentle humanity and simple ethics remind him of Saint Francis. He becomes a surrogate son to Morris, who had lost his own son to a childhood disease. But struggling with his ever-present demons, Frank commits despicable acts, disappointing both father and daughter. Banished from the store, Frank returns after Morris suffers a fatal heart attack. Guided by Morris’s principals, he strives to salvage a life gone astray.

A confident, self-made American, hoping to find a more meaningful and more cultured life in Europe, thinks he can get anything he sets his mind on, including the lovely, elegant, angelic daughter of an aristocratic Parisian family, fallen on hard times. He comes sweeping into their lives with no idea of what their society expects of him and what he will have to do to combat their intrigues. He falls hopelessly in love with their prize beauty; they see him as an upstart, but they crave his Yankee dollars. They make a deal with him, but they soon realize they cannot bear involvement with his social class.

From the outset there are inklings that our hero’s love object is not quite what she appears to be and that there is something mysterious about her family’s venerable mansion. As he becomes victimized by the family’s deceit, the American learns of deep, dark secrets — of murderous deeds — that would besmirch the family honor. In an attempt to win his loved one he threatens to reveal their shameful past. But it is too late. His beloved has taken her vows.

Jules and Jim meets The Wizard of Oz in this play about a discontented kibbutznik at the brink of Israel’s Six-Day War of 1967. Yoni’s unfulfilled wife, Rimona, takes as her lover a talented misfit, and the three of them live together, much to the chagrin of Yoni’s parents and the other kibbutzniks. Hoping to find himself, Yoni takes to the road. After various adventures, one of which endangers his life and the life of someone he is fond of, Yoni is forcibly returned to the kibbutz, only to fall in love with Rimona’s newly born daughter, whose paternity is in question.

Alice, bright but messy and forgetful, is invited by the Red Queen to visit Looking-Glass Land, where everything is in reverse, including time. After going through the looking-glass, Alice serves as one of the the queen’s pawns. She must make her way to the eighth square of a chessboard in order to become a queen and do as she likes.

On a train ride to the fourth square Alice meets the White Queen, who instructs her on Looking-Glass ways, and the Conductor, who tries to cheat her. At the Fourth Square Station, the Gnat introduces Alice to remarkable Looking-Glass insects. The Hedge and the Oak Tree try to block Alice’s progress but end up befriending her.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee let Alice join them in their antics. They guide her to the sixth square, where the bellicose White King tries to interest her in his fights. Alice persuades him to help her.

At the Seventh Square Sheep Shop the bigoted shopkeeper insults Alice but introduces her to the White King’s aide, Humpty Dumpty. This cantankerous joker would prefer to obstruct Alice; but she tricks him into guiding her in her quest. The White Knight tries to capture Alice, but they become the best of friends. He leads her to the eighth square, where she is crowned queen. She now has the power to return home, through the looking-glass.

Without realizing where Alice has been, Mother is impressed by what Alice has learned. But when Mother retires, Tweedledum and Tweedledee appear and urge Alice to return to Looking-Glass Land with them.

A version of the play for a larger cast is also available upon request.

Humor abounds in this politically aware romantic comedy, which calls for a cast of 2 males, 3 females.

Bessie, a young Bostonian, renowned for her wit and beauty, meets Lord Lambeth at her sister Kitty’s “cottage” in Newport, Rhode Island. She is socially conscious and intellectually curious; he, a handsome, visiting English nobleman, who takes for granted his entitled position. She is obsessed with Lady Jane Grey, the beheaded nine-days’ queen of Tudor England; he has little interest in history, including his own family’s role in it. She “tutors” him, encouraging him to read; he introduces her to Gilbert & Sullivan (a relevant G&S verse introduces each scene). They flirt, they argue, they fall in love.

He must return home. Bessie soon joins Kitty on a trip to London. There the romance picks up again. Bessie must decide whether she can find happiness in their love within Lambeth’s restrictive aristocratic society.

Orphaned at an early age, Tom Sawyer, a likable, fun- loving, prototype American boy, manages to overcome obstacles over and over again to gain what he wants in life and feels he deserves. He convinces his friends to do tasks he abhors, while acquiring their childish treasures in exchange for this privilege. He falls in love with Becky, the new girl in his school class, and through heroic deeds, wins over her skeptical pre-teen heart. At first accepting the servile role of his aunt’s slave boy —- his good friend and “older brother” Jim —- Tom comes to understand the forced nature of Jim’s servitude. With Becky’s help Tom manages to provide Jim the opportunity to find a more fulfilling life.