History plays

I have two unproduced history plays, each written decades ago, that I want to scan and add to my archive. A project for over the holidays, perhaps.

A BROWN MAN'S BURDEN, written with historian Mark Falco, is about the Philippines war at the turn of the century, focusing on Aguinaldo, the "freedom fighter" we betrayed, first helping him defeat Spain, then changing our minds about Philippine independence. McKinley's dream and fiasco, our defining moment as an imperialist power. (Image: Aguinaldo shrine)

MERCY TO THE PATRIOT, the story of James Otis, "the first patriot" according to John Adams, who went crazy during the revolution because it became too radical for him. In the end, he burned his life's work. His sister was Mercy Otis Warren, our first playwright.

A much shorter version of the remarkable James Otis story was presented to our local Unitarian Church some years back, in a staged reading.

Neither of these history plays is easy to produce but each deserves to be added to my archive. I own up to them.

Here is my take on writing the history play.