End Days

by Deborah Zoe Laufer

3m, 2f / Comedy / Interior End Days received the 2008 American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg citation. Sixteen year old Rachel Stein is having a bad year. Her father hasn't changed out of his pajamas since 9/11. Her mother has begun a close, personal relationship with Jesus. Her new neightbor, a sixteen-year-old Elvis impersonator, has fallen for her hard. And the Apocolypse is coming Wednesday. Her only hope is that Stephen Hawking will save them all. "The universality of the denouem

Genres: Plays, Drama, Fiction, Theatre, American

88 pages, Paperback

First published November 25, 2008

Reviews

[Ashley Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Working on a local reading and just read the script for the first time this evening with most of our cast. A hilarious and heartfelt piece.

[Audrey A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly the best play I’ve ever read

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love theater 😚😚

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty funny. I guess I'd have to see it staged but on the page I often wondered the line between authentic character and gimic - the kid who dresses up like Elvis, the Goth, etc.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent End of Days satire featuring a Goth Girl, Elvis Interpreter, Stephen Hawking, and a Fundamentalist Christian.

[Patricia Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. I loved reading it and the production was amazing.

[Kate Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a play! This is one of Deborah Zoe Laufer's best, and it's signature--laugh out loud funny, but with deep meaning, and an ironic stance that masks a love of humanity.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

End Days is a comedic drama about Rachel and her parents, Sylvia and Arthur, and Nelson, their quirky, Elvis-impersonator neighbor. After 9/11, when Arthur's office was destroyed and his coworkers killed, the family left New York. Arthur has not gotten out of his pajamas in a year; Sylvia has discovered Jesus; and Rachel has buried herself in a Goth girl shield. Over the course of this short play, Nelson is able to touch and change all of them.

I read this for a class and although I'm not much of a play reader (would much rather watch Shakespeare than read it) I really enjoyed this. It's quite clever with dry, unexpected humor. It's also short and easy to read. Definitely recommend

[Matthew · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was, as the kids say, cringe. You know how they say to write what you know? This is the perfect instance of writing what you know because the playwright clearly had an adjacent experience with this world but knew absolutely nothing of it. It felt like most plays of this kind : an intellectual thesis but not an emotional experience. No heart. I grew up in this world. I am very defensive of people who try and portray this world because if you’re going to do it, do it honestly…

[Zac Stojcevski · Rating 5 out of 5]

The individuals herein were difficult at the outset to like, but they grew on me through their quirkiness. PTSD and complex grief post 9/11 in an expose of hope. Useful interview of faith and science in the modern world included as an addendum.

[Robby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those plays that made me laugh and moved me. I recommend.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play does some interesting explorations of religion, but I don't feel like the characters are as developed as I would like

[Adam Friesz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the relationship between Nelson and Arthur and how Stephen Hawking became Rachel's Jesus. Very funny.

[Thalia Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nelson is everything I want to be 🥺

[MountainAshleah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"In Deborah Zoe Laufer's End Days, a suburban family is undergoing a spiritual crisis following the September 11th attacks. Sylvia Stein has turned to Christianity to save her disaffected husband Arthur and her rebellious teenage daughter Rachel. But as Sylvia races around preparing for the Rapture, Rachel is learning that there are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in her philosophy." Hmmm . . . not really. While End Days fails to explore in any depth the religious/scientific connections (forgivably, I think--this is a comic play after all), it touches on the debate and on virtually every dysfunction of the modern family: parent/teenage relationships, post-tragedy trauma, loss of self, zealotry, adolescent bullying, adolescent love, generational mis-communication, and on. Sylvia has bizarre conversations with erotic undertones with Jesus, while Rachel finds herself conversing (a bit less oddly) with Stephen Hawking; Arthur suffers survivor’s guilt, yet is able to forge some kind of relationship with the nerdy, bullied Nelson. These scenarios make for some pretty funny moments in the play, particularly with Sylvia’s Tupperware-style evangelical calling. Overall, the play is compelling and quick-witted.

End Days was selected as part of the L.A. Theatre Works' Relativity series, and it's a good choice. The play touches on the religious/scientific debate long enough to arouse the interest of the viewer/listener, without bogging down the pace of the production. This audio version features a 30 minute interview with Robert John Russell, founder/director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences--for me, the interview was the highlight of the audio version and should not be missed for anyone at all interested in continuing the religion/science conversation.

The play is true to the high-quality of L.A. Theatre Works productions--the actors deliver the dialogue clearly and deliberately, the pace is excellent, and the special effects add to the production rather than detract. I found the character of Nelson Steinberg a bit annoying, and his penchant for wearing an Elvis suit a tired, trite motif, although perhaps it's more effective on stage than on CD. (And perhaps we are meant to draw a connection between Jesus, Stephen Hawking, and Elvis . . . ). Recommended for students and fans of audio theater productions and contemporary plays.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly fun and meaningful play about science, religion, love, family, and recovering from tragedy. Despite the dramatic nature of its title and summary, End Days is actually a very mellow play. It's not about big, showstopping moments and dramatic confrontations, it's about the contrast and chemistry between very likable, very believable characters. I was worried that this play would be one of those pro-atheist anti-religion works, but that is not the case. Deborah Zoe Laufer does a great job of respecting her audience regardless of what beliefs they subscribe to and what life experiences they've endured. I should also mention that this play is incredibly funny without the humor feeling forced.

I highly recommend End Days to just about anyone with a couple hours to spare. I hope to direct this play one day.

[Gretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite genuinely lovable characters, and some funny moments I found the use of predictable tropes like "It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you believe something", and the gothic intelligent-but-hurting protagonist a bit distracting. Still, it's a solid family play, that isn't likely to offend and even offers some sweet moments to take away.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great play. It is so funny and has so many great lines. At the same time though, there are dark undertones that run throughout the play. I thoroughly enjoyed it though and am looking forward to playing Rachel in my acting class.

[A M H · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has a nice cast for the voices, including the actor from the movie "Chronicle", Dane DeHaan.

[Indira Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well that was a hoot