December 3, 2004/Kislev 20 5765, Vol. 57, No. 14
New York debut
JENNIFER GOLDBERG
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 Mesa resident Irv Fellner's play "Sam's Quest" will be performed Dec. 11-12 in New York. Photo courtesy of Irv Fellner |
The 81-year-old retired social worker is the proud author of "Sam's Quest," a one-act play that will be performed by Theatre-Studio Inc., an off-off-Broadway company, in New York Dec. 11-12.
The play covers an incident in the lives of three people in their 60s: Sam; Beverly, his wife; and Al, Sam's friend.
Sam is disabled after suffering several strokes, and feels depressed about his circumstances. Beverly resents having to do everything and is bitter and negative towards Sam. Sam talks about his problems with Al while the two play chess, when Sam hits on an idea: In order to be remembered as something more than a disabled person, he'll do something heroic, like kill an evil man.
"He's looking for a way to establish himself as something other than a cripple who never accomplished anything," Fellner says.
Sam disappears for a day while on his "quest," and not only returns with a solution to his problem, but comes to an understanding with Beverly about the issues they face together.
Fellner is in talks to bring "Sam's Quest" to a Valley stage; he's keeping the ending of the play under wraps just in case.
While Fellner is no stranger to writing (he has also published several professional articles and other works, and wrote an unpublished book about Native Americans), he says he feels more comfortable writing plays.
"You don't have to do description with plays. It's dialogue mostly, and I am able to do that better," he remarks.
In fact, "Sam's Quest" is the second Fellner play performed in New York: "Bitter Herbs," a drama about a mysterious guest at a Passover seder, was performed by the American Theatre of Actors in 1997.
"It's very exciting to have your words spoken by an actor on the stage and come to life," says Fellner.
Fellner finds audiences for his plays by using "The Dramatist's Sourcebook," a resource guide for playwrights that lists theaters and theater companies. After Fellner compiles a short list of good leads, he sends out copies of his plays.
Although Fellner has years of experience with dealing with human emotions, he says he doesn't overtly draw on that to write his plays. "You have a sensitivity to people because of something you've learned, and you use it, but not consciously.
"The main thing here is a man who's growing older, and as you grow older, you wonder if you'll be remembered when you leave this world. ... (Sam's) quest was to find a way to make a contribution, and he did."