THE DRAMA OF LIFE UNFOLDING: THE LIFE AND WORK OF STEVE TESICH. Michael A. Rothmayer A DISSERTATION. Presented to the Faculty of

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1 THE DRAMA OF LIFE UNFOLDING: THE LIFE AND WORK OF STEVE TESICH by Michael A. Rothmayer A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Major: Communication Studies and Theatre Arts Under the Supervision of Professor Tice L. Miller Lincoln, Nebraska May, 2002

2 Table of Contents Title Page Abstract Dedication Acknowledgements Introduction i Chapter 1: A Brief Biography of Steve Tesich Chapter 2: The Early Plays ( ) Chapter 3: The Musicals (1975 & 1978) Chapter 4: The Screenplays ( ) Chapter 5: The Later Plays ( ) Chapter 6: The Novels (1982 & 1996) Chapter 7: Other Writings Post Script Works Cited Appendix A: Plot Outlines of Plays and Musicals Arts and Leisure Baba Goya The Carpenters Division Street Gorky King of Hearts Lake of the Woods On the Open Road Passing Game The Predators The Speed of Darkness Square One Touching Bottom The Road A Life Baptismal

3 THE DRAMA OF LIFE UNFOLDING: THE LIFE AND WORK OF STEVE TESICH Michael A. Rothmayer, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, 2002 Adviser: Tice L. Miller This dissertation examines the life and work of writer Steve Tesich ( ). Tesich, perhaps best known as the Academy Award winning screen writer of the 1979 film Breaking Away, was also the author of eleven plays, two musicals and two published novels as well as five other produced screenplays. Included in the dissertation is a brief biography of Tesich life beginning with his childhood in Yugoslavia, tracing his immigration to America and concluding with his career as a writer. Arranged in a rough chronological order by writing genre, Chapter 2 covers Tesich s early work in theatre beginning with his unpublished 1969 play The Predators and concluding with Division Street (1980). Chapter 3 illuminates Tesich s work on the musicals Gorky (1975) and King of Hearts (1978). Chapter 5 deals with Tesich s last four plays beginning with The Speed of Darkness (1989) and concluding with Arts and Leisure (1996). With primary emphasis given to Tesich s work in theatre Chapters 2, 3 and 5 each include detailed analyses of plot, character, and Tesich s use of language as well as recurring themes and the extensive use of autobiographical references in his work. Chapter 4 provides an overview of his produced screenplays beginning with Breaking Away (1979) and

4 concluding with Eleni (1985). Chapter 6 focuses on Tesich s two published novels Summer Crossing (1982) and Karoo (1998). Chapter 7 touches on Tesich s other writings (i.e. song lyrics, essays, unpublished novels and screenplays). An Appendix to the dissertation offers extensive plot outlines for each of the plays and musicals arranged in alphabetical order by show title.

5 Dedication To my wife Margie, my son Joshua and my daughter Elaina for coping without a husband and father for so long and so well.

6 Acknowledgements First I am indebted to the Graduate Faculty and my Dissertation Committee at the University of Nebraska Lincoln: Tice L. Miller, who has been a voice of gentle guidance and continual support, Jeffrey Elwell, William Grange, Charles O Connor and Greg Kuzma. Without their patience and understanding this dissertation would not have been possible. Second I am indebted to the many people who gave freely of their time and shared information about Steve Tesich s life and work. Peter Makara first put me in contact with Tesich s family. Dean Savage, Tesich s brother-in-law, gave me encouragement. Nadja Tesich, Steve s sister, gave me wonderful insight into their childhood in Yugoslavia. Last but certainly not least Rebecca Tesich, Steve s widow, shared her thoughts, memories and anecdotes helping me to understand the man Tesich became. For information about Tesich s career as a writer I must thank Wynn Handman and Jo Anne Olivera at the American Place Theatre, Julia Miles at the Women s Project, Catherine Horn and Mark Axelrod at Chapman University, Betty Lawson at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Connie Todd at the Southwest Writer s Conference, Susan Anderson and the staff of International Creative Management as well as Jacob Brackman, Charles Proudfit and Terry Lee Brown Finally I am indebted to the College of Arts and Sciences at Drake University: Susan Wright, Dean; John Pomeroy, Theatre Department Chair; Clive Elliott and the rest of the faculty and staff for their help and support during this process.

ENGLISH TEXT SUMMARY NOTES The Left Hand of Darkness

ENGLISH TEXT SUMMARY NOTES The Left Hand of Darkness Text guide by: David James The Left Hand of Darkness 2 Copyright TSSM 2017 TSSM ACN 099 422 670 ABN 54 099 422 670 A: Level 14, 474 Flinders Street