Brian Quirk (he/him)
Plays include MARROW, part of (IM)PULSE, Spectrum Dance at Seattle Repertory, directed by Donald Byrd (3 Gypsy Rose Lee Theater Awards); WARREN, Boise Contemporary Theater, directed by Matt Cameron Clark, Pulitzer Prize nomination, workshop at Seven Devils, reading at Primary Stages with Elizabeth Wilson and Tony Arkin directed by Jack Hofsiss, reading at The Actors Studio with Ellen Burstyn and Frank Wood directed by Jack Hofsiss; MAPPLETHORPE/The Opening, The Provincetown Playhouse, New Conservatory Theater Center, Sixth@Penn, and The Popop Studios, directed by John Stix (Arch and Bruce Brown Foundation Grant); NERINE, PlayPenn new play development conference, directed by Casey Stangl, id Theater “sit in” directed by Wayne Maugans with Daphne Rubin-Vega, Lynn Cohen and Cristin Miliati, Finalist for the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference/Finalist for a Jerome Fellowship; SUMMERLAND, workshop at N.Y.U., directed by Jack Hofsiss, reading at Atlantic Theater Co directed by Rick DesRochers with Jay O.Sander, Mary McCann, and Katie Erbe (Weissberger nomination, 2 time O’Neill semi-finalist); Mary/HUNTER, workshop at Thingamajig, directed by Melissa Firlit, reading Actors Studio/PDU, directed by Christian Parker, reading at E.S.T directed by Daniela Topol. Awards/Honors/Residencies: The Robert Chelsey award for Emerging Gay/Lesbian Artist from The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation; the Erik A Takulan fellowship from Djerassi Resident Artist Program; a Leon Levy Foundation Grant and a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Grant from The MacDowell Colony (3 time Fellow); The Jane G. Camp Fellowship from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts; and a Ucross Foundation Fellowship. Member of id theater’s writing group, Dramatist Guild, alum of the Actors Studio/PDU, and Project Y Playwrights group.
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The Juniper
A play by Brian Quirk Excerpt for Theatre Viscera SCENE [Unitarian church. The memorial Halloween Party. Abe is dressed as the Bride of Frankenstein. Red, Abe’s child, is dressed as a Bird. Is there a large photo of Mary?]
ABE Mingle. [He motions to Red.] Mingle. RED I don’t want to mingle. ABE Why? There are lots of kids for you to play with and - cute girls. Like her. [He points to one. Abe makes eye contact with Wren, dressed as the beautiful Evil Queen from Snow White. Flustered Wren bangs into what appears to be a party guest. It is the devil. It is a fabulous costume. Wren spills her purse. The Devil helps her pick up the contents. Hands her a lipstick. This was not in her purse before. The lipstick is magic. Is there a chime that goes along with it?] ABE Go on. Go on. Mingle. RED Dad. ABE Your mother and I always said “Free to be you and me-” [Wren and Lili step forward.] WREN I don’t mean to interrupt you but- LILI Mom- WREN I’m sorry for your loss. She was a beautiful woman. ABE Thank you. [Abe takes in Wren. Eye contact held a little too long.] RED Did you know my mom? LILI No- WREN Lili- LILI But we read about it in the paper. WREN That’s right. And since we are new in town and Unitarians. I felt that we should offer our condolences. I’m Wren Ring and this is my daughter Lili. ABE [Abe is flustered.] I’m Abe Richman. Oh, but you know that already. [Attraction builds.] Good to meet you. And this...Um..Uh..this is...Red. My ...son. WREN Son. [Abe nods.] Oh. LILI [Dressed as Marlene Dietrich in tux. Introducing herself to Red.] Lil. Not Lili. What are you? RED A Phoenix. LILI Nice. RED What are you? LILI Marlene Dietrich. [She sing’s A La Dietrich.] Mein Mutter der mich slat- RED Who? LILI 30’s/cross dressing/movie star. RED Wow! [Meanwhile…] WREN You must have me over... ABE Must I? WREN I’d like to cook for you ... a nice home cooked meal. Do you like tabouleh salad? Roast chicken? ABE Like? Love. WREN Then it’s settled. Thursday at your place. ABE 7 o’clock? WREN Perfect. ABE I’ll provide the....Harvey Wall-bangers. WREN And I’ll provide all the ingredients for a healthy home cooked meal for you brave boys. SCENE [Silent. We see Wren alone dressing for her dinner. She discovers the lipstick in her purse. Examines it then applies lipstick. It is magic. It sparkles in some way. Wren enjoys the look feel taste touch of this lipstick. A chime? She admires her face and adjusts her face.] SCENE [Lili and Red in the attic. There is a large great heavy chest. It has a great sharp iron lock. The chest is filled with tons of dress up clothes and hats and shoes. Red is digging through the items. Red pulls out a dress and offers it to Lili.] LILI Naw, I don’t want a dress. [Red holds up Mary’s dress to Red’s body. It is a pink Chanel suit.] It’s pretty. Put it on. [Red does. A magic moment.] Wow. RED My Mom wore it to my Aunt’s wedding. When she was pregnant with me. [Lili grabs clothing items and helps stuff the dress to make it look like Red’s pregnant. She puts her ear to the makeshift tummy.] LILI Hi baby Red. [Lili reaches in the trunk again and takes out a pair of football shoulder pads. She offers them to Red.] RED Naw, you put ‘em on. LILI Really? [Red nods. Lili puts on her first pair of football shoulder pads. It feels right/nice.] Don’t tell my Mom. [Red shows off the pregnancy bump.] LILI Yes! Just like in the story! Let’s do the seasons! [Lili grabs tissues and rips them up. Red’s like huh?] Snowfall! [Lili scatter the tissue Red rolls in the tissue paper snow. Lili finds flowered costume jewelry earrings. Pushes away the tissue paper snow.] Spring. [Red puts on the flowered earrings.] RED Summer! [Red pretends to apply sunblock and wave with a fan. Lili hands Red a pair of sunglasses. They play summer. Lili picks up the tissues. Rips up more tissues and throws them in the air.] Fall! [Lili and Red roll in the leaves.] LILI ... and she stood under the juniper-tree, [Lili motions for Red to move to the pretend tree.] ... which smelt so sweetly ... [Red sniffs.] ... that her heart leapt, and she fell on her knees and was beside herself with joy. [Red does all this. Red pulls out a pair of elf boots. Red puts them on.] [End of Excerpt.] |
