The Dark at the Top of the Stairs

by William Inge

 

Synopsis: The setting is a small Oklahoma town in the early 1920s and the home of the Flood family. Here we find Rubin, a traveling salesman for a harness firm, Cora, his sensitive and lovely wife, Sonny, their little boy and Reenie, their teenage daughter. The plot consists of a series of short stories — the fight between a husband and wife; the fear of an overly shy young girl on going to a dance; the problems of an introverted little boy who feels that the whole world is against him; the corroding marriage of Cora's rowdy sister; and the tragedy of a military school cadet who suffers from the stigma of being a Jew in an alien community. The play's message is that there is dark at the top of everyone's stairs, but that it can be dissipated by understanding, tolerance and compassion.

Cast

Cora Flood	Susan Strassberg
Rubin Flood	George Gabana
Sonny Flood	Kurt Kohanowich
Reenie Flood	Maresa Gamble
Flirt Conroy	Linda Sue Lee
Morris Lacey	Roger D. O'Neal
Lottie Lacey	Judy Bedell
Punky Givens	Stephen K. Butler
Sammy Goldenbaum	David Pinning
Chauffeur	D.J. Lee
Boys Outside	Vic McLellan
	David Sherry
	Greg Sherry
Rehearsal Understudy to Miss Strassberg	Judy Crittenden

 

Production Staff

Director	Tom Long
Designer	Gerald Watson
Technical Director	George Gabana
Stage Manager	D.J. Lee
Assistant Stage Manager	Patti Zarek
Master Carpenter	David Matthews
Set Construction	Hughy Hearn
	Patti Zarek
	Eli Ross
	Maurya Schweizer
Master Electrician	Tom Summers
Props Master	Steve Tuley
Props Run Crew	Norm Sutter
	Karen Kohanowich
Costume Coordinator	Linda Sue Lee
Wardrobe Mistress	Peggy Metzger
Sound Master	Norm Sutter
House Manager	Jim Cox
Ushers	Maurya Schweizer
	Bruce Smock
	Lynn Parker