Bug (play)

Bug
Written by	Tracy Letts
Characters	Peter Evans Agnes White Jerry Goss Dr. Sweet R.C. Pizza guy
Date premiered	20 September 1996
Place premiered	London, England
Original language	English
Subject
Genre	Black comedy
Setting	Oklahoma, USA

Bug is a play by American playwright Tracy Letts. It was adapted into a film in 2006, with Letts writing the screenplay and Michael Shannon reprising his role as Peter.

Synopsis[]

Most of the play takes place in a seedy motel room. Lonely cocktail waitress Agnes lives there, hiding from her violent ex-con ex-husband Jerry Goss. One night, her lesbian biker friend R.C. introduces her to Peter, a Gulf War veteran who might be AWOL. She gets involved with Peter, who grows increasingly paranoid about the war in Iraq, UFOs, the Oklahoma City bombing, cult suicides, and then secret government experiments on soldiers — eventually drawing Agnes into his delusions. The play deals with the issues of love, paranoia, conspiracy theories, and Agnes' slow descent into insanity under Peter's influence.

Production history[]

London premiere[]

The play originally premiered at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill, London, England on September 20, 1996.^[1] The rehearsals were at A Red Orchid Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.^[2]

• Shannon Cochran - Agnes White
• Michael Shannon - Peter Evans

American premieres[]

Following its London run, the play made its U.S. debut at Ithaca, New York, followed by the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C.

In Washington, DC, the play underwent a series of revisions and received an American premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in March/April 2000.^[3]

• Opening Date: March 18, 2000
• Closing Date: April 16, 2000
• Director: Wilson Milam
• Deborah Hazlett - Agnes
• Eric Sutton - Peter
• Steve Schmidt- Jerry
• Kate Eastwood Norris - R.C.
• Brian Hemmingsen - Dr. Sweet

The play's Chicago Premiere was at A Red Orchid Theatre, where the play first rehearsed prior to its world premiere in London.^[2]

• Opening Date: August 20, 2001
• Closing Date: October 28, 2001
• Director: Dexter Bullard
• - Agnes
• Michael Shannon - Peter
• Guy Van Swearingen III - Jerry
• Robin Witt - R.C.
• Troy West - Dr. Sweet

Off-Broadway[]

• Barrow Street Theatre, New York City, New York^[4]
• Opening Date: February 29, 2004
• Closing Date: January 30, 2005
• Director:
• Shannon Cochran - Agnes
• Michael Shannon - Peter
• Michael Cullen - Jerry
• Amy Landecker - R.C.
• Reed Birney - Dr. Sweet

Amanda Plummer resigned from the Off-Broadway premiere 24 hours before its February 21 start date.^[5] A notice in the theater box office warned that the show contained nudity, violence and cigarette smoking.^[6]

Australia[]

The play premiered at The SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross, Sydney, in May 2010, as part of Griffin Theatre Company's Independent Season 2010, in conjunction with Picture This Productions.

• Opening Date: 12 May 2010
• Closing Date: 5 June 2010
• Director: Anthony Skuse
• Jeanette Cronin - Agnes
• Matthew Walker - Peter
• Jonny Pasvolsky - Jerry
• Catherine Terracini - R.C.
• Laurence Coy - Dr. Sweet

Film adaptation[]

A film version of the play was released in 2006 from Lionsgate. It was directed by William Friedkin, and starred Ashley Judd, Harry Connick, Jr and Michael Shannon. Friedkin contacted Tracy Letts after having seen the play, and they cooperated on a screen adaptation. Friedkin described the film as "the most intense piece of work I've ever done".^[7] Michael Shannon had played the part on stage. Lionsgate wanted to cast an actor with more name recognition, but Friedkin was determined to have Shannon perform in the film, saying he brought a unique quality to the part.

Awards and nominations[]

References[]

Further reading[]

• Letts, Tracy (2006). Bug: A Play. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press. p. 93 p. ISBN 0-8101-2348-7.

External links[]

Bug at the Internet Off-Broadway Database