a play about the Inventor of Electronic Television by Eric Samuelsen
(Suitable for Professional, College/University, Educational, and Community groups.)
The torturous route from 14-year-old Utah genius to recognized creator of the medium that revolutionized the world. The battles with RCA, Westinghouse, and GE to maintain the patents clearly held by Philo; the love affair that became a marriage to his wife; and the love affair they both had with Television. In this production, many of the scenes are done as a parody of contemporary television, which adds another level to this thoughtful script (including innocuous TV jingles).
PLAY DETAILS
- 6m 4w (doubling included)
- ACTOR ONE (MALE)
PHILO T. FARNSWORTH Inventor of television. The play covers his life from childhood until his death. Medium height, very thin, charismatic, filled with restless energy.
ACTOR TWO (MALE)
TODD McKAY He somewhat resembles the character voiced by Phil Hartman on the animated television series, The Simpsons, but also any other actor who works as a narrator.
ACTOR THREE (FEMALE)
PEM FARNSWORTH Elma G. Farnsworth, wife of Philo and author of his biography. Fairly short, with dark hair. Every bit as bright as her husband, fiercely loyal.
ACTOR FOUR (MALE)
DAVID SARNOFF: President of RCA, short, intense, brilliant, amoral, driven.
ACTOR FIVE (MALE)
CHARLES FRANCIS JENKINS, MR. TOLMAN, ACTOR TWO (Commercial Two.), OFFICE MANAGER, MR. SARNOFF, ENGINEER, POLICE OFFICER, LYONS, G MAN ONE
ACTOR SIX (MALE)
NEWTON MINOW, E. E. FOURNIER, D’ALBE, MR. FARNSWORTH, BOY TWO, WANAMAKER EMPLOYEE, CLIFF GARDNER, MOTT SMITH, ANNOUNCER (Commercial Six), LIPPINCOTT
ACTOR SEVEN (MALE)
JOHN LOGIE BAIRD, MODEL TWO (Commercial One), BOY ONE, ACTOR ONE (Commercial Two), WANAMAKER MANAGER, A BOY, EVERSON, ZWORYKIN, G MAN TWO
ACTOR EIGHT (FEMALE)
LEE DEFOREST, MRS. FARNSWORTH, MRS. WETZLESHOEN, AGNES FARNSWORTH,
POLITICIAN (Commercial Four), McCARGAR, ATTORNEY (p. 64), JUDGE
ACTOR NINE (FEMALE)
GIRL TWO, MODEL ONE (Commercial One), MRS. BEGELMAN, MODEL (Commercial Three),
A GIRL, SECRETARY, FEMALE ATTORNEY
ACTOR TEN (FEMALE)
E. F. W. ALEXANDERSON, MODEL THREE (Commercial One.), GIRL ONE, MRS. SARNOFF,
SECRETARY TWO, SMITH (Attorney on page 99), NURSE
- ACTOR ONE (MALE)
- About 2 hours
- Television technology included in scenic design
- Simple representative costumes
- ORDER #3027
REVIEWS:
by Sharon Haddock, Deseret News, March 15, 2000
‘Love Affair With Electrons’ is Inventive Drama
“A Love Affair With Electrons,” like the medium of television, is an entertaining mix of truth, history and fiction. It also takes an unusual storytelling approach, moving from the stage to the screen and back again through the camera, taking the audience along for a nice ride that’s mostly just plain fun.
That’s not to say there isn’t some serious education involved. No one could attend this production without gaining a new understanding and appreciation for Philo T. Farnsworth’s brilliance, dedication, heartbreak and tireless effort at inventing the electronic television.
It’s nice to see Farnsworth defined as a Rigby, Idaho, boy, by the way, a fact sometimes misconstrued or not admitted by Utahns.
Eric Samuelson has done an admirable job with this original script. He weaves historical fact into the story without allowing it to become a class lecture.
The production is lively and fresh, and there’s really no way to predict what will happen next.
The dialogue moves fairly briskly, and the images are interesting as the onstage action is picked up and put on the big screen as well as onto a series of smaller screens that make up most of the set structure.”
by Brinton Wilkins, BYU Daily Universe, March 9, 2000
‘Love Affair with Electrons’ a witty play about TV
“Philo T. Farnsworth. Idaho farm boy and one of the inventors of television. Modern society possibly owes more to this man than any other scientist of the twentieth century, and yet his efforts to create electronic television have been relatively unknown…a highly enjoyable original play that presents the history of Farnsworth’s struggle to realize his vision of electronic TV…employs a unique format to tell Farnsworth’s history, as well as critique what television has become…Dotting the stage were seven televisions, one projection screen and two cameramen who recorded the entire play. Different parts of the story were told in the styles of various television program genres and the entire action was shown on the screens.
“Commercials” shown between acts emphasized the commercialization of the medium…humorous, thoughtful and thought provoking. If you have any affection for television, you need to see this play.”
PERUSAL MATERIALS
- The PERUSAL PAGES file is in PDF format and contains the first half of this play: Love Affair With Electrons 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 #3027a : $25.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3027d : $60
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3027e : $50
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
- 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.
PRODUCTIONS
- Premiere by Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah — 2000
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
A Love Affair With Electrons
A New Play
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:
“A Love Affair with Electrons is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”
From the catalog of
