This work is first rate! It is exciting to find this collection of truly short plays by truly accomplished playwrights ... ideal for school reading and workshop productions. aEKliattETHApplause is proud to continue to publish the series that for over 60 years has been the standard of excellence for one-act plays in America. From its inception EThe Best American Short PlaysE has identified new cutting edge playwrights who have gone on to establish award-winning careers including Tennessee Williams Edward Albee Wendy Wasserstein Terrence McNally and David Mamet.THThis new volume includes John Guare's EWoman at a Threshold BeckoningE; John Ford Noonan's EThe Raunchy Dame in the Chinese RaincoatE Tina Howe's EWater MusicE; and Joe Pintauro's ETen-Dollar DrinksE.THThe subject matter of this 12-play collection with half of the plays by women is up to the minute: In Jules Tasca's EThe Death of BlissE a young Palestinian wife pleads with her husband not to become a suicide bomber. Melanie Marnich's EThe Right to RemainE was commissioned by Mixed Blood Theatre for its Bill of (W)Rights project designed to explore the state of the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights at the beginning of 2004. Peter Maloney's ELeashE is set in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. And for variety's sake Deborah Brevoort's EBlue Moon Over MemphisE is a Noh Drama about Elvis Presley.THOther plays rounding out the collection include Jordan Harrison's EFit for FeetE; Mary Gallagher's EPerfectE; and Lavonne Mueller's EThe Wounded Do Not CryE the latter inspired by the life of Frances Slanger forgotten heroine of the Normandy invasion.THSusan Miller's EThe Grand DesignE was staged in Los Angeles at the Canon Theatre in an evening of original one act plays benefiting Cure Autism Now starring Lily Tomlin and Eric Stoltz It was also performed by Marsha Mason and Scott Cohen at Town Hall in New York City for Brave New World a marathon of plays commemorating 9/11. It was also a finalist for the Actor's Theatre of Louisville's Heideman Award.