Looking for a soul-satisfying way to spend your time over the long weekend? Journey on over to the Samuel French bookshop in Hollywood where you grab a cup of complimentary coffee, cozy up in a well-loved chair, and read a play. Not sure where to start? I have a few suggestions.
Mr. Burns a post-electric play by Anne Washburn
As dynamic and unexpected as Bohemian Rhapsody. I had never read anything like this play.
Issac’s Eye by Lucas Hnath
My personal favorite from a playwright who always delivers queer hilarity and gripping conflict in a world that is uniquely his own.
Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’ Neill.
Perhaps this classic can be most enjoyed in a seat by the window with a view of the setting sun.
Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl
Ruhl’s retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth is packed with some of the most profound theatrical moments I have ever been challenged to imagine.
The Altruists by Nicky Silver.
Non-stop outrageousness at 99 miles per hour.
The Flick by Annie Baker.
This play will remind you of the summer you never forgot. Baker at her finest.
I Used to Write on Walls by Bekah Brunstetter.
Brunstetter has a wild sense of humor. One minute she’s braiding your hair at a sleepover, the next she’s delivering a swift kick to the gut. Side note – if there are any young actors looking to find age-appropriate scene work, this playwright had gold to mine.
Anything by Sheila Callaghan.
She’s a battery to the tongue. Pick any play from Callaghan’s few inches of shelf space and give it a read. You’re guaranteed to get electrocuted.
Anything by Will Eno.
He is the master of crafting the drama of a sentence. If you’re looking to spend a day feasting on the perfect order of words, read Eno. MiddleTown is a good place to start.
Samuel French Theatre and Film Bookshop“Great things. Oh, Great things. Someone is born, someone will die, both are you. Unwind., unknow.”
Will Eno, MiddleTown
7623 Sunset Blvd. (at Stanley)
Hollywood, CA 90046 866-598-8449 Free parking behind the bookshop.
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