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The Debate

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BLURB (a short synopsis)
In late 1947, the BBC invited the most famous philosopher of the time, Bertrand Russell, and Britain’s most celebrated young theologian, Fr. Frederick Copleston, to debate the existence of God on the radio. Their debate changed not only our conception of God, but how we view ourselves.
LENGTH of PLAY or MUSICAL in MINUTES
90
PRODUCTION HISTORY
The play was developed in The Theater Project of Union, NJ's playwrights' workshop. It had a script-in-hand reading before a live audience in November 2023.
NUMBER of ACTORS that are PART of the SCRIPT
7 with double casting
DESCRIPTIONS of CHARACTER'S FEATURED in your Script
Father Frederick Copleston, S.J., :
Dean of the faculty of philosophy at Heythrop College, Oxfordshire. He is 40 when the play begins in 1947, and 62 when it ends in 1969.

Bertrand Russell:
Philosopher and writer. He is 76 when the play begins and 97 when it ends.

William Hepplewhite:
Seminarian at Heythrop College. He is 20 when the play begins and 41 when it ends.

Patricia “Peter” Russell:
37, second wife of Bertrand Russell.

John Conrad Russell:
27, son of Bertrand Russell

Bishop George Ambrose Burton:
63, Bishop of Clifton, portly, a bon vivant and gourmand

Basil Taylor:
27, Department of Talks, the BBC, a nervous functionary, unsure of himself

Lord Amberley:
33, Russell’s father, a stern Victorian-era father

Lady Amberley:
32, Russell’s mother, a loving, shy Victorian-era mother

Lady Russell:
Late 70’s, Russell’s paternal grandmother, domineering and judgmental

YOUR FULL NAME
The Debate
Postal code
07869
Country
United States
YOUR BIOGRAPHY
Joseph Vitale was a finalist for the 2020 Woodward-Newman drama prize and a semi-finalist for the 2012 Eugene O’Neill Theater/National Playwrights Conference. He is the author of many plays, including Murrow, a one-man show about the life of Edward R. Murrow (called “a dramatic masterpiece” by the Huffington Post), which was performed Off-Off Broadway in 2016 at The Phoenix Theatre.
WEBSITE
www.josephvitale.net
How did you learn about us?
Took part in the New York Theater Festival in 2019.

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