A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Dreams (Sharkey)

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  2f, 5m

"Suspenseful fantasy of psychic communication, comparable to the Twilight Zone television scripts..." - The World
"Mystery duel...with a touch of chill." - Chicago Sun Times
Two very unlikely individuals become aware of each other and eventually come to fear each other by means of their very real nightmares and daydreams. Which is a dream? Which is reality? What is truth? What is illusion? What is their connection? As the play unfolds, their lives become more and more entwined, leading to a final gripping encounter.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2f, 5m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 1975 Joseph Jefferson Award, Best New Work

Details

Summary

In Dreams, two very unlikely individuals become aware of each other and eventually come to fear each other by means of their very real nightmares and daydreams. A young lawyer awakens in terror and dread. He has been in an abandoned building; a sadistic policeman was beating him, demanding to know where he had hidden the stolen drugs. The woman at his side, who says she is his wife, the mother of his two children, comforts him. She says, "It was just a dream." A moment later, a young drug addict awakens in throbbing pain. His wounds from a beating are being tended to by a man who says he is his friend. The drug addict tells him about the woman and the two children. The friend says, "It is just a dream."

Which is a dream? Which is reality? What is truth? What is illusion? What is their connection? As the play unfolds, their lives become more and more entwined, leading to a final gripping encounter.

Cast Attributes
Performing Groups
  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Stage Combat
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol

Media

“Suspenseful fantasy of psychic communication, comparable to the Twilight Zone television scripts...” - The World
“When intermission time came, no one in the audience wanted to leave their seat.” - Star Sentinel

“Mystery duel...with a touch of chill.” - Chicago Sun Times

“...extremely clever melodrama...ingenious...a cracking good puzzle...” - Chicago Daily News

“...unusual, imaginative and potent.” - WFMT, Chicago

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Tom Sharkey

Tom Sharkey

Tom Sharkey (1934-2008), author-composer-lyricist-producer, began his career at the age of 19 as a writer-editor for the Chicago Magazine and published two books before graduating from Chicago State University. He was playwright-in-residence at Southern Illinois University, C ...

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