Shear Madness
Encyclopedia
Shear Madness is one of the longest-running nonmusical plays
in the world, owned by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan.
and Bruce Jordan acquired rights for a murder mystery originally titled "Scherenschnitt," written by German playwright Paul Pörtner
(1925–1984), and made it into "Shear Madness."
hair salon in the city in which it plays. The landlady, Isabel Czerny, who lives above the shop is murder
ed and the audience gets involved in the action by questioning the actors and attempting to solve the crime. The characters include a flamboyant hairdresser and his flirty yet ditsy assistant, along with a prim and proper uptight older lady and an older man who is a "used antique dealer." Much of the dialogue is improvised by the actors, and the humor tends to revolve around topical references to current events.
The ending of the play is different every night as audience members hear clues, question the characters and then vote on who they think is guilty.
's The Mousetrap
in London
since 1952, Eugene Ionesco
's The Bald Soprano
in Paris
since 1957, and Israel Horovitz
's Line
in New York City
since 1974. A Turkish adaptation by director Nedim Saban opened in Istanbul in 1998. In 2003 Saban adapted the play for a second time; where he introduced SMS messages and online chatting as means of interaction.
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
in the world, owned by Marilyn Abrams and Bruce Jordan.
Creation
David EastwoodDavid Eastwood
Professor David Stephen Eastwood is a British academic who became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham on 13 April 2009, taking over from Professor Michael Sterling upon the latter's retirement. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England ,...
and Bruce Jordan acquired rights for a murder mystery originally titled "Scherenschnitt," written by German playwright Paul Pörtner
Paul Pörtner
Paul Pörtner was a German playwright,novelist, translator, and editor.- Life :After doing an apprenticeship as director at the municipal theatre in his native town...
(1925–1984), and made it into "Shear Madness."
Plot
The play is set in a unisexUnisex
Unisex stands for the meaning that either gender or sex will be able to, but can also be another term for gender-blindness.The term was coined in the 1962 and was used fairly informally...
hair salon in the city in which it plays. The landlady, Isabel Czerny, who lives above the shop is murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed and the audience gets involved in the action by questioning the actors and attempting to solve the crime. The characters include a flamboyant hairdresser and his flirty yet ditsy assistant, along with a prim and proper uptight older lady and an older man who is a "used antique dealer." Much of the dialogue is improvised by the actors, and the humor tends to revolve around topical references to current events.
The ending of the play is different every night as audience members hear clues, question the characters and then vote on who they think is guilty.
Performance history
Shear Madness opened in Boston at the Charles Playhouse Stage II in January 1980. A second production, at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., opened in August 1987. The Boston production is sometimes described as the longest-running or second-longest-running non-musical play in the world, although various non-musical plays have run for longer: Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
's The Mousetrap
The Mousetrap
The Mousetrap is a murder mystery play by Agatha Christie. The Mousetrap opened in the West End of London in 1952, and has been running continuously since then. It has the longest initial run of any play in history, with over 24,500 performances so far. It is the longest running show of the modern...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
since 1952, Eugene Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco was a Romanian and French playwright and dramatist, and one of the foremost playwrights of the Theatre of the Absurd...
's The Bald Soprano
The Bald Soprano
La Cantatrice Chauve — translated from French as The Bald Soprano or The Bald Prima Donna — is the first play written by Franco-Romanian playwright Eugène Ionesco. Nicolas Bataille directed the premiere on May 11, 1950 at the Théâtre des Noctambules, Paris...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
since 1957, and Israel Horovitz
Israel Horovitz
Israel Horovitz is an American playwright and screenwriter.-Theatre career:An American dramatist, Horovitz has written more than 70 produced plays, many of which have been translated and performed in more than 30 languages worldwide . The 70/70 Horovitz Project was created by NYC Barefoot Theatre...
's Line
Line (play)
Line is a 1967 one-act play by Israel Horovitz, his first play produced. It is an absurdist drama about 5 people waiting in line for an event...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
since 1974. A Turkish adaptation by director Nedim Saban opened in Istanbul in 1998. In 2003 Saban adapted the play for a second time; where he introduced SMS messages and online chatting as means of interaction.
Performance Locations
| City | Theatre | Website | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | Charles Playhouse Charles Playhouse The Charles Playhouse is an Off-Broadway theater located at 74 Warrenton St. in Boston, Massachusetts near Beacon Hill.Blue Man Group and Shear Madness currently play there.... |
Website | Currently Running |
| Washington, DC | John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C... |
Website | Currently Running |
| Seoul, Korea | Al&Haek Theater | Website | Currently Running |
| Athens, Greece | Theatro Apothiki | Currently Running | |