The Best Woman

by Gary Earl Ross

Overview

For the first time, in a not too distant future marked by war overseas and cultural conflict at home, both major American political parties have nominated women for the presidency. Dr. Nea Gilchrist, former Secretary of State and the first African-American woman Vice President, must distance herself from Sam Houston Bullard, the conservative Republican President to whom she owes her political success. Senator Amanda Dean Styles, a white Northeastern liberal and the widow of Brendan Styles, a charismatic Democratic presidential candidate, must emerge from the shadows of the tragedy that shaped her political future. Tonight--under the watchful eye of the charismatic humanitarian Dr. Zora Quick--is their first debate.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940012982346
Publisher:	The Writer's Den
Publication date:	09/06/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	NOOK Book
Pages:	68
File size:	565 KB

About the Author

Novelist, playwright, anthologist, popular culture scholar, and public radio essayist Gary Earl Ross is a language arts professor at the University at Buffalo Educational Opportunity Center. With more than 170 publications, he has won awards for fiction, poetry, drama, and public radio commentary. He is the author of the short story collections The Wheel of Desire (2000) and Shimmerville (2002), and the novel Blackbird Rising (2009). Ross edited Nickel City Nights (2008) and co-edited (with Gunilla Theander Kester) The Empty Chair: Love and Loss in the Wake of Flight 3407 (2010) and The Still Empty Chair (2011). In addition to The Best Woman (2007), Ross is the author of six other stage plays already produced or scheduled for production: Sleepwalker (2002), the Edgar Award-winning Matter of Intent (2005), Picture Perfect (2007), Murder Squared (2010), The Scavenger’s Daughter (2011-12), and The Mark of Cain (2012). A member of the Just Buffalo Literary Center, Mystery Writers of America, the Dramatist Guild, and the Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association (for which he edits the academic journal Almanack), Ross is also resident playwright and board president for Buffalo’s renowned Ujima Company. For more information visit www.garyearlross.com.

Editorial Reviews

Artvoice Theater Week by Anthony Chase

Gary Earl Ross, who achieved a huge success with his play, Matter of Intent, has turned his attention to politics in his new play, The Best Woman. Here, we meet a Clinton-esque senator running for president against an Condoleeza-esque conservative Republican, African-American woman.As the stakes get higher, each receives dirt on the other from ill-intentioned helpers. The production is quite fun, and perfect for the long election season.

Anthony Chase

When it comes to the U.S. political stage, Ross doesn't change much but the names. The play is set in the proximate future and revolves around a debate between two women (based on Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Rodham Clinton) vying for the presidency. The whole cast of characters from the Beltway is there, if not on stage, then in reference. Bush is Bullard (a sly combination of bully and dullard), Karl Rove is Dr. Vernon Lark, Iraq is Qaraq. Surprisingly, Ross reserves vitriol for both sides.

Colin Dabkowski

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