The 86th
edition of the Best Plays Theater Yearbook, the annual chronicle of United States theater, honors 10 new plays as well as three regional
plays cited in the American Theatre Critics/Steinberg New Play Awards and
Citations competition; it also provides a comprehensive collection of facts
and figures about the year in United States theater. Editorial
board member John Istel will create an Off-Off Broadway essay featuring interviews with critics and creators to provide an overview of the OOB season, while Jenkins will once again provide a survey of the Broadway and Off-Broadway season.
The Best Plays of
2004-2005 was compiled from the worlds of Broadway, Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway
productions of new plays that opened between June 1, 2004 and May 31, 2005. The
choices were made by the editor after consultation with the Best Plays
Theater Yearbook editorial board, which includes Robert Brustein,
Tish Dace, Christine Dolen, Robert Hurwitt,
Istel, Chris Jones, Julius Novick, Michael Phillips,
Christopher Rawson, Alisa Solomon, Jeffrey Sweet, Linda
Winer and Charles Wright. Critic Mel Gussow, who recently passed away was also a member of the
editorial board, and the book is dedicated to him
Each selected play will be accompanied by an essay outlining its distinctions--Gina Gionfriddo's After Ashley will feature an essay by Elizabeth Maupin. Other plays chosen were Donald Marguiles' Brooklyn Boy (essay by Michael Feingold), Michael Frayn's Democracy (essay by Chris Jones), Shanley's Doubt (essay by Jeremy McCarter), Wilson's Gem of the Ocean (essay by Christopher Rawson), Victoria Brittain's and Gillian Slovo's Guantanamo (essay by Charles Wright), Vogel's Hot 'n' Throbbing (essay by David Savran), Caryl Churchill's A Number (essay by Robert Hurwitt), Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman (essay by John Istel), and Mamet's Romance (essay by Robert Vorlicky).The Best Plays Theater Yearbook 2004-2005 is published by Limelight Editions. It is available for pre-order at www.amazon.com.