First Act Plays, Signed (7 results)

Soft cover. Condition: New. 1st Edition. New, no dust jacket as issued. SIGNED by the author on the title page (signature only). 1st edition, 1st printing, complete numberline. New, unread copy. Three dramas written for David Lynch's 1993 drama Hotel Room for HBO. Two of these plays, "Tricks" and "Blackout", were nominated for the Cable Ace Award. By the Maxwell Perkins Award-, Christopher Isherwood Foundation Award-, and PEN Syndicated Fiction Award-winning author of "Black Sun Rising / La Corazonado" and the Sailor & Lula ("Wild at Heart") saga. A rare book, especially signed. Where possible, all books come with dust jacket in a clear protective plastic sleeve, sealed in a ziplock bag, wrapped in bubble wrap, shipped in a box. Signed by Author(s).

First Edition. First Edition. SIGNED by the author on the front wrapper. Light soiling to front wrapper, else Near Fine in side stapled self wrappers. Signed.

Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. 1st Edition. 1st Printing. Signed. 208 pages. Published in 1956. Full Screenplay of the author's film adaptation. The most controversial film of Tennessee Williams' controversial career. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions, of which there are several. Published in a small and limited first print run by New Directions as a hardcover original only. There is no ISBN. The First Edition is now rare. Presents, in its true First Edition format, Tennessee Williams' "Baby Doll". Condemned, and eventually banned in many states, as NO other Tennessee Williams outing ever was. The right-wing hysteria was over both implied and perceived pedophilia. Specifically, that the sexualized, "barely legal" Baby Doll - who is never given a proper name - is permanently caged in a crib while asleep ostensibly because her bankrupt husband has no other furniture. Which begs the question, How did he come to own a crib? Baby Doll dutifully explains in due course. Second, that the scenes between his rival, "The Sicilian" cotton gin owner, and Baby Doll, were framed and filmed in such a way that he appears to be caressing and fondling her "below what's visible on screen". If you can trust the Roman Catholic Church's luridly over-active imagination on that. Giving credit where credit is due, Elia Kazan was indeed mainly responsible for the immense critical and financial success of Tennessee Williams' theatre and film careers. He prodded - and worked closely with - Williams to adapt for film two of the playwright's promising one-act plays, "27 Wagons Full of Cotton" and "The Long Stay Cut Short, Or The Unsatisfactory Supper". The texts of both plays appear in their entirety in this volume, inviting - and rewarding - comparison and contrast with their inspired, transcendent adaptation as "Baby Doll". The role of Silva Vaccaro ("The Sicilian") marks Eli Wallach's brilliant film debut. At first, Wallach hesitated, as he felt that his training for dramatic stage acting was incompatible with film. He went on to have a long and distinguished career as a great film character actor. Carroll Baker's career-defining performance was nominated for an Oscar, vindicating Williams' risk-taking decision to choose her over Marilyn Monroe. She will be remembered as "Baby Doll" for posterity. An absolute "must-have" title for Tennessee Williams collectors. This copy is very boldly and beautifully signed in black ink-pen on top of the title page by Tennessee Williams. It is signed directly on the page itself, not on a tipped-in page. This was Charles John Muto's personal copy, whose elegant bookplate is neatly pasted on the inside front cover, discreetly hidden from view by the front DJ flap. Muto was one of Tennessee Williams' earliest and most steadfast supporters, and obtained the signature in person. This title is a great book. As far as we know, this is the only such signed copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and despite its imperfection (slight wear and one scrape on the DJ corner) is still in fine condition overall: Clean, crisp, and bright. Worth noting is that this copy is NOT price-clipped, which most copies available online are. Please note: Tennessee Williams did NOT tour to promote the book. So signed copies will always be rare. Copies available online have very serious flaws, not just price-clipped, or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare signed copy thus. The greatest American playwright of the 20th century. A near-fine collectible copy. Signed by Author.

Collection of ten of A.A. Milne's plays, each signed my him, including several first editions. Octavo, original wrappers, the collection includes: First French's Acting edition of 'Mr. Pim Passes By: A Comedy in Three Acts' (London: Samuel French, 1921, illustrated with a photograph and floor plan of the set design and an electric floor plan for the play); First French's Acting edition of No. 2604 'The Stepmother: A Play in One Act' (London: Samuel French, 1921); 'Wurzel-Flummery: A Comedy in One Act' (London: Samuel French, 1922); First French's Acting edition No. 1013 of 'The Romantic Age: A Comedy in Three Acts' (London: Samuel French, 1922, illustrated with three black and white plates of set designs and actor Arthur Wontner in costume); First French's Acting edition of No. 854 'The Artist: A Duologue' (London: Samuel French, 1923); French's Acting edition of No. 1288 'The Camberley Triangle: A Comedy in One Act' (London: Samuel French, 1925); First French's Acting edition of No. 422 'To Have the Honour: A Comedy in Three Acts' (London, Samuel French, 1925, illustrated with a black and white plate of the set design); First French's edition of No. 2639 'The Man in the Bowler Hat: A Terribly Exciting Affair' (London: Samuel French, 1926); First French's Acting edition of 'The Boy Comes Home: A Comedy in One Act' (London: Samuel French, 1926); First French's Acting edition of No. 2037 'Ariadne, or Business First: A Comedy in Three Acts' (London: Samuel French, 1926, illustrated with a photograph and a floor plan of the set design); All signed by A.A. Milne on the title page. Each volume is in very good to near fine condition. An exceptional collection. âAlthough Alan Alexander Milne wrote novels, short stories, poetry and many plays for adults, in addition to his work as assistant editor for Punch from 1906 to 1914, it is his writings for children that have captured the hearts of millions of people worldwide and granted Milne everlasting fameâ (Silvey, 461). During the early part of his literary career, Milne produced eighteen plays and four stories for film, many of which met with high praise and which are selected by literary scholars as being culturally and historically important.

Hardcover. First Trade Edition. Only 5,900 copies printed. These one-act plays represent Wilder's first attempt at a colloquial style and his first successful work for the theatre. This copy is wonderfully INSCRIBED and SIGNED by the author with a quote from the play: "For Charlie:/with best wishes/from Thornton Wilder/Burton Ct./U. of Chicago/'The best of them/all' p. 69/This is the first/copy signed by/me- of the/non-specials." The last statement is a reference to the signed edition limited to 525 copies. Very Good in a Good only dustwrapper with edgewear and tears.

Signed limited edition, number 522 of 770 copies signed by the author. O'Neill was requested to write a preface for each volume. He declined, but agreed to the arrangement that his Random House editor would write the prose, and he would allow his initials to be added. The designer of this, the "Wilderness Edition", was Elmer Adler (1884-1962). Atkinson A30-IV-1; A32-III-1; A15-IX-1; A33-II-1; A23-V-1; A29-III-1; A28-IV-1; A20-VI-1; A14-IV-1; A24-IV-1; A31-III-1; A17-IV-1; A18-V-1; A22-IV-1; A34-II-1; A16-IV-1; A26-III-1; A21-VI-1; A25-V-1; A27-II-1; A8-V-1; A9-IV-1; A10-IV-1; A6-VI-1; A11-IV-1; A12-V-1; A13-IV-1; A19-IV-1; A7-V-1. 12 vols, octavo. Title pages printed in black and grey. Photogravure frontispieces in each vol. Original brown cloth, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, front cover with decoration in gilt, top edges gilt. With glassine jackets. Housed in original five slipcases. Bookplate to front pastedown in vol 1. Some tears and loss to glassine jackets; slipcases worn: a fine set in good glassine jackets and good slipcases.

Dust Jacket Condition: dj. First Edition. First Edition. SIGNED by the author on the first blank. About Near Fine in a Very Good plus dust jacket. Jacket lightly rubbed, with short closed tears on the heel and flap folds, repaired with cello tape on the verso. Signed.