An Imaginary Life

by Peter Parnell

Matt Abelman, a playwright and a divorced, middle-aged ma,n has found a lump that may or may not be malignant. As his fear of death overtakes him, the fabric of his life begins to unravel. He retreats to his typewriter, weaving fantastic tales while searching for a fictional way out of his very real problems. While we watch the tales unfold, are we seeing Matt's reality or his fantasies? Matt's tales become a play-within-a-play that is both dizzying and breathtaking. At a time when illness and premature death permeate our society, the play's positive philosophy of living life to the fullest is enormously uplifting.

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Peter Parnell is an American playwright, television writer, and children's author whose work spans Broadway, Off-Broadway, and television. He adapted The Hunchback of Notre Dame for Disney Theatricals and is known for stage plays such as Trumpery, QED, and The Cider House Rules, the latter earning him several awards. He has worked as a producer and writer on TV series including The West Wing, The Guardian, and BrainDead. With his husband, psychiatrist Justin Richardson, he co-authored the acclaimed and frequently challenged children's book And Tango Makes Three, which has received multiple literary honors. Parnell is Vice-President of the Dramatists Guild of America.