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Gompers
“GOMPERS is Rapp’s most emotional and powerful work to date, and its beautifully forged characters pack a significant emotional punch and live with the viewer well after the final curtain. GOMPERS…is a work with palpable heart and authenticity.”Chris Jones, Variety “Adam Rapp’s unconventional characters flood the stage with such immediacy and simple authority that it’s nearly impossible to ignore them or not care about them.”Alice Carter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “Rapp revels in the seamy side of humanity and, while digging around in that milieu, unearths a richly textured poetic prose style. The vibe I got was Elmer Rice’s STREET SCENE populated by characters from Eric Bogosian’s SUBURBIA.”Ted Hoover, Pittsburgh City Paper ”Fiercely comic.”Christopher Rawson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- GenresPlays
106 pages, paperback
First published January 1, 2005
12 people want to read
About the author
Adam Rapp
53 books306 followersAdam Rapp says that when he was working on his chilling, compulsively readable young adult novel 33 SNOWFISH, he was haunted by several questions. Among them: "When we have nowhere to go, who do we turn to? Why are we sometimes drawn to those who are deeply troubled? How far do we have to run before we find new possibilities?"
At once harrowing and hypnotic, 33 SNOWFISH--which was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association--follows three troubled young people on the run in a stolen car with a kidnapped baby in tow. With the language of the street and lyrical prose, Adam Rapp hurtles the reader into the world of lost children, a world that is not for the faint of heart. His narration captures the voices of two damaged souls (a third speaks only through drawings) to tell a story of alienation, deprivation, and ultimately, the saving power of compassion. "For those readers who are ready to be challenged by a serious work of shockingly realistic fiction," notes SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, "it invites both an emotional and intellectual response, and begs to be discussed."
Adam Rapp’s first novel, MISSING THE PIANO, was named a Best Book for Young Adults as well as a Best Book for Reluctant Readers by the American Library Association. His subsequent titles include THE BUFFALO TREE, THE COPPER ELEPHANT, and LITTLE CHICAGO, which was chosen as a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. The author’s raw, stream-of-consciousness writing style has earned him critical acclaim. "Rapp’s prose is powerful, graphic and haunting," says SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL. [He] writes in an earthy but adept language," says KIRKUS REVIEWS. "Takes a mesmerizing hold on the reader," adds HORN BOOK MAGAZINE.
In addition to being a novelist, Adam Rapp is also an accomplished and award-winning playwright. His plays--including NOCTURNE, ANIMALS AND PLANTS, BLACKBIRD, and STONE COLD DEAD SERIOUS--have been produced by the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the Bush Theatre in London, among other venues.
Born and raised in Chicago, the novelist and playwright now lives in New York City.
At once harrowing and hypnotic, 33 SNOWFISH--which was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults by the American Library Association--follows three troubled young people on the run in a stolen car with a kidnapped baby in tow. With the language of the street and lyrical prose, Adam Rapp hurtles the reader into the world of lost children, a world that is not for the faint of heart. His narration captures the voices of two damaged souls (a third speaks only through drawings) to tell a story of alienation, deprivation, and ultimately, the saving power of compassion. "For those readers who are ready to be challenged by a serious work of shockingly realistic fiction," notes SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, "it invites both an emotional and intellectual response, and begs to be discussed."
Adam Rapp’s first novel, MISSING THE PIANO, was named a Best Book for Young Adults as well as a Best Book for Reluctant Readers by the American Library Association. His subsequent titles include THE BUFFALO TREE, THE COPPER ELEPHANT, and LITTLE CHICAGO, which was chosen as a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age. The author’s raw, stream-of-consciousness writing style has earned him critical acclaim. "Rapp’s prose is powerful, graphic and haunting," says SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL. [He] writes in an earthy but adept language," says KIRKUS REVIEWS. "Takes a mesmerizing hold on the reader," adds HORN BOOK MAGAZINE.
In addition to being a novelist, Adam Rapp is also an accomplished and award-winning playwright. His plays--including NOCTURNE, ANIMALS AND PLANTS, BLACKBIRD, and STONE COLD DEAD SERIOUS--have been produced by the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the Bush Theatre in London, among other venues.
Born and raised in Chicago, the novelist and playwright now lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 8, 2008
Gompers is named for the fictional neighbourhood wherein 10 disparate characters try to find their way to a better life. The upcoming opening of a riverboat casino nearby gives the inhabitants cause for hope. Only a few will actually see a brighter day.
I have to admit - I'm not much of a fan of Adam Rapp's work. I don't hate it - I just don't connect with it much. I don't "feel" his dialogue, I don't know his characters, I don't relate to his settings. There's nothing wrong with this play, it just isn't very interesting to me. The end wherein only one character seems to have a chance at bettering himself felt very contrived and Hallmark-ish. Really not my cup of tea.
I have to admit - I'm not much of a fan of Adam Rapp's work. I don't hate it - I just don't connect with it much. I don't "feel" his dialogue, I don't know his characters, I don't relate to his settings. There's nothing wrong with this play, it just isn't very interesting to me. The end wherein only one character seems to have a chance at bettering himself felt very contrived and Hallmark-ish. Really not my cup of tea.
Displaying 1 of 1 review