Bright Ideas

by Eric Coble

How far would you go for your child? For Genevra and Joshua Bradley, the question is no longer hypothetical. Their three-year-old son, Mac, is next on the waiting list to get into the Bright Ideas Early Childhood Development Academy and everyone knows once you're in there, your life will unfold with glorious ease. Josh and Gen have had to scramble all their lives to get this far...and now they are one fatal dinner party away from the ultimate success as The Right Pre-School. You may never look at pre-school or pesto the same way again...

Genres: Plays

66 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Eric Coble was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and bred on the Navajo and Ute reservations in New Mexico and Colorado. His plays have been produced off-Broadway, throughout the United States and on several continents including productions at Manhattan Class Company, the Kennedy Center, Playwrights Horizons, Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival, Alliance Theatre, Cleveland Play House, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Laguna Playhouse, Stages Repertory, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, New York Fringe Festival, Great Lakes Theater Festival, Dallas Children's Theater and the Contemporary American Theater Festival. Awards include the AT&T Onstage Award, National Theatre Conference Playwriting Award, an NEA Playwright in Residence grant, a TCG Extended Collaboration grant, the Aristophanes Award for Best New Comedy, the Cleveland Arts Prize and two Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence grants.

Reviews

[Kristen]

This was a funny, irreverent play. It was alternately absurd, sad and thoughtful. I really enjoyed the elements of the Scottish Play that were scattered throughout the play. It was a fun read and definitely worth exploring.

[Sefra Hodge Hudman]

This play is absolutely hilarious. Such a quick read. A bit of language, but sooooo good

[Max]

A delightfully deranged remix of the Scottish play that shifts Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into parents trying to get their child into a prestigious preschool, even if they need to kill to do so.

[Alison]

This should be required reading for all NYC parents. It puts into hilarious perspective the vaunting ambition and deranged expectations parents have of their children and their future success. Sadly, I don't think real parents would see the humor in this. Afterall, Precious only has one shot at preschool admissions, and thus Harvard acceptance.

[Brittany Jackson]

A very interesting look at parenting!