Pride of the Lion
Comedy
Cast: 2w, 2m
World premiere (as Views of the Lion) Changing Scene Theater, Denver Colorado, March, 1996. The cast was Gary Cupp, Tony Accetta, Cynthia Ergenbright, and Monica Shuster. The production was designed and directed by Patricia Anne Madsen. After significant rewrites, the play, re-titled Pride of the Lion, was given its professional premiere at Theater Catalyst, Philadelphia. This production featured Tim Moyer, Jean Korey, Jessica Graham, and Doug Wild, and was directed by Serena Halley.
Pride of the Lion is published by Playscripts. The first act of Pride of the Lion, called The Lion Eats his Lunch, is published separately as a one act play, also by Playscripts.
Synopsis
The day before David Williamson, called “The Lion” by a hostile press, is to surrender to federal authorities to begin serving a prison term for insider trading, he strikes up a desperate conversation with the waiter at his club. What begins as a strained exchange between two men on different social strata soon takes a surprising turn as Williamson learns just how much his insider advice has been worth to his server. Later, after returning home for his last evening of freedom, David seeks succor from his wife, Helen, only to find she is determined to uncork her bottled-up anger before she loses the opportunity. The next morning, after Helen has delivered David to the federal courthouse, she discovers their estranged daughter waiting for her, seemingly seeking to make peace with her mother, but secretly with another, more surprising agenda. Pride of the Lion is a triptych about family life, self aggrandizement, greed, the meaning of love, and the possibility of forgiveness.
Reading and development
Reading at Philadelphia Playworks,
Performance of The Lion Eats His Lunch, October 1993, Playworks 10.5 Festival
Performance of The Lion in his Lair, Love Creek Short Play Festival, 1994