Amerigo • A Play of “Discovery”

WHO REALLY “DISCOVERED” AMERICA?

A powerful examination and exposé of those behind the “DISCOVERY” of the New World.

(For production by Professional Groups, College/University Groups, Community Groups)

“Amerigo was a great play—one so brilliantly and beautifully written and executed that it revitalized my love for great theater over the course of its ninety minute running time. If I don’t entirely give it the essay it deserves, it is because I don’t want to spoil the many discoveries to be had in the experience itself. Merely relating the show’s premise is a delight—it concerns a debate between Christopher Columbus (Mark Fossen) and Amerigo Vespucci (Matthew Ivan Bennett), as moderated by Niccolo Machiavelli (Kirt Bateman) and judged by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz (Deena Marie Manzanares), in purgatory. Samuelsen takes his premise and runs with it—the play is very, very funny in places, but it is also many other things: challenging, moving, educational, and, ultimately, spiritually uplifting … Amerigo, ultimately, is a play about America. It is about the driving forces behind America—religion and commerce. It is about the land, and about the sins of the fathers—about capitalism and Catholicism, colonialism, sexism, racism. It is about how we are all inadvertent imperialists, whether our proselytizing be political or spiritual (or both). It is an amazing play—one that made me laugh, think, and moved me deeply.” — Davey Morrison of Utah Theatre Bloggers

NOTE: Certain sections of the play contain mature themes. Best appreciated by those over the age of 16.

PLAY DETAILS:

3M 1W
- NICCOLO MACCHIAVELLI –– philosopher
  AMERIGO VESPUCCI––merchant
  CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS –– voyager
  SOR JUANA INES DEL AL CRUZ –– poet, nun
90 minutes
ORDER #3029

AWARDS:

SLC Weekly Readers’ Choice “Best Local Theater Production”– 2010

PERUSAL MATERIALS

The PERUSAL PAGES file is in PDF format and contains the first two acts of this four act play: Amerigo PERUSAL
EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.

PURCHASE REHEARSAL MATERIALS:

(Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account?), email us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Do not purchase rehearsal materials or pay for royalties until you have performance clearance.)

Script in PDF format — Order #3029a : $25.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3029d : $65
Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3029e : $55
Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application

PRODUCTIONS

Published in “More Plays from Behind the Zion Curtain”
Premiere at Plan-B Theatre Company (SLC) — 2010 (Productions Photos in PDFAmerigoPHOTOS)
As recognized by the Dramatists Guild of America, Plan-B Theatre Company is the only professional theatre company in the United States producing full seasons of new plays by local playwrights.

BILLING CREDITS

The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:

Amerigo
A Play of Discovery

by
Eric Samuelsen

NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play. (In a press release all type, will of course, be the same size.)

ALSO:

THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“Amerigo is presented through special arrangement with Premi´re Theatrical Licensing on behalf of Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”

From the catalog of