Collected Stories
Collected Stories explores the relationship between teacher and pupil. The relationship develops in a series of six scenes spanning six years. Ruth Steiner is a well known short story writer living a comfortable life in a Greenwich Village apartment. Lisa Morrison is a young graduate student and aspiring writer, who offers to become Ruth's assistant. Their relationship changes from student to friend to competitor. The balance of power shifts with the publication of Lisa's first novel, which blatantly pilfers the other's most sacred youthful experience.
Collected Stories was commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory in Cost Mesa, California. Its world premiere there was in October 1996. It was given the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Original Play and also was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Collected Stories has been produced throughout the U.S. and in cities around the world. Collected Stories was produced for television by PBS Hollywood Presents.
The author, Donald Marguiles, says about his play:
"I empathize with both sides of the argument. I also know what it takes to be a
writer and to be as ruthless as Ruth, so to speak. I don't come down on either
side of the argument. I never do in my work really. I think part of the pleasure
that audiences derive from theater is not to have solutions handed to them, or
to be told whether something is right or wrong. For me one of the great
pleasures of experiencing this play in front of many different audiences is
watching audiences argue about the issues of the play."
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