Secret Order

by Bob Clyman

In the high-stakes world of cancer research, Dr. William Shumway has just made a stunning breakthrough. But is it really the cure for cancer? Despite the young scientists reservations, a senior mentor pressures him to trumpet his findings to the world. Part medical drama, part suspense-filled thriller, Secret Order turns its microscope on bioethics, money and power. A L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance Angela Goethals, Will McCormack, Richard Schiff, George Segal. Secret Order is part of L.A. Theatre Works' Relativity Series featuring science themed plays. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to enhance public understanding of science and technology in the modern world.

Genres: Plays, Audiobook, Fiction

1 pages, Audio CD

First published July 15, 2008

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

An audio recording of a play that I really enjoyed, from the writing to the performances to the sound design (phone calls and the like really sound like phone calls, etc.). George Segal, in particular, was phenomenal in his supporting role as an aging scientist threatened by the arrival of new management and ideas to a prestigious medical research institute but Richard Schiff also powers through a morally ambiguous mentoring role to the idealistic young researcher Shumway (sorry but I couldn't help think of ALF).

I recommend!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep coming back to the quote (which the internet seems incapable of consistently attributing to anyone) that "academic politics are so vicious because the stakes are so low." In Secret Order, the stakes are not low -- a young medical researcher has made a significant breakthrough in destroying cancer cells -- but the politics of it are so beside the point and, in the scheme of things, so petty that they end up scuttling the research itself. The play is an indictment of medicine in academics (and probably in general) and showcases how the concern for prestige and career advancement and the inability to ever admit a mistake or fault is killing sick people who rely on the scientists to be less small and self-involved and just do the work. Enraging and depressing, but the audiobook performances -- particularly by the two main narrators, Will McCormack and Richard Schiff -- are excellent.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives us an inside look to the battles that science has to face - when you are on to something when to do speak up that things have gone off track? How much backstabbing is involved along with the stealing of ideas/credit. The push to publish, the race for the Nobel, and to pharmaceutical funding. This was an interesting play that makes one think.

How did this book find me? It was a Hoopla Bonus Borrow.

[Beckiezra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hoopla bonus borrow. These plays are hard to judge, I mean their stated purpose is to bring science awareness to the public, and this does teach you a bit about the difficulties academic researchers experience, but was it entertaining or enjoyable? I don’t really know and it was set in current times but everyone sounds like they’re in a mid-1900s radio broadcast.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening and disheartening.

[bananagoy1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

School play next semester, good fast drama but I’m struggling to find out what the point was. Good character moments near the end with Brock’s character

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous story. Great acting.

[Gil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Order
By: Bob Clyman
Narrated by: George Segal, Will McCormack, Angela Goethals, Richard Schiff
Length: 2 hrs and 4 mins
Performance
Release date: 03-18-14
Language: English
Publisher: L.A. Theatre Works

L.A. Theatre Works Rocks!!  That should be the only thing said about all of these productions.  Their level quality is always superb.  The actors are always delivering high caliber performances.  

That being said this play turned out to be a very intriguing story about the world of medical research.  Every scientist in the fields of medical science wants to cure and/or prevent diseases.  The problem comes in when money is involved.  If a school/company were to find a cure for cancer it would be a major economic boon to them.  So what will they risk?

In this case a scientist has some startling results at the beginning of his experiments but after being pushed to publish from his higher ups he begins to get not so great results, in fact the exact opposite.  The treatment doesn't work and may make the cancer worse.  But Dr. Shumway who is the scientist in question is not able to express this with his mentor pushing him to publish and get the school on the map.

This story is a great story to alert the general public on not jumping to conclusions and how money is the root of all evil.    

Simply being a production of LATW is reason enough for me to recommend this story, but the intrigue and drama will keep you in the story.




Publisher's Summary
In the high-stakes world of cancer research, Dr. William Shumway has just made a stunning breakthrough. But is it really the long-sought cure for cancer? Despite the young scientist’s reservations, a senior mentor pressures him to trumpet his findings to the world. Part medical drama, part suspense-filled thriller, Secret Order turns its microscope on bioethics, money and power.

Includes an interview with Dr. Harvey Herschman, Director for Basic Research at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast performance featuring Angela Goethals, Will McCormack, Richard Schiff and George Segal.

Secret Order is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series featuring science-themed play. Major funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to enhance public understanding of science and technology in the modern world.

©2007 Bob Clyman (P)2008 L.A. Theatre Works

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting behind the scenes look at college research, seems it's a cut throat business - just business is business.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A play about medical research ethics and the pressure exerted by funding and prestige to succeed at all costs.