The Kentucky Cycle (Drama, Plume)

by Robert Schenkkan

Book Overview

In this series of nine short plays, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan has created a mesmerizing epic saga of rural Kentucky and an unblinking look at the truth behind our American... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452269679
• Release Date: June 1993
• Publisher: Plume
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.8" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

A new Gone with the Wind

This is an epic story tracing a family over 9 generations. It is AMAZING. I could not put it down. The style of Shenkkan's writing and the ambition of the story reminded me of Gone with the Wind. Anyone involved or interested in the theatre must read this book!

Spectaculuar Piece of Theatrical Energy

"The Kentucky Cycle" is simply put, a blaze of theatrical energy. Mr. Schenkkan has written a masterful piece of descriptive literature that leads the reader on a journey where each protagonist is forced into devastating behavior and choices, only so they could ultimately survive. And survive they do, and ultimately live lives filled with ambition, loss, love, and ultimately, redemption.Indeed following the lives of two warring clans, as well as the battle for land taken from its rightful owners, The Kentucky Cycle weaves cross-cultural lore in and out of its words, beautifully and sometimes painfully mingling the beliefs and truths of differing societies. Easily of the most haunting of moments is the segment which introduces to the reader the character of Morning Star, captured early on in this story. She is a free-spirited Native American woman, essentially taken hostage by one of the Rowen men, maybe looking for a wife, or maybe just a conquest. But her ploy and her grace are so beautifully drawn out in her dealings with her new husband and later on with her only surviving child. I say "her only surviving child" due to the fact that her husband only desired male children, and made good on the threat that he would kill any daughters born to him. This girl child does ultimately survive, as the triumphant ending of this masterpiece attests to, but the crushing blow to Star's spirit when her daughter is initially taken from her is easily one of the most wrenching portions of the entire work.As an actress, I would dearly love to be involved in a production of this play. As an audience, I would be equally mesmerized. For the earlier reasons, it has some of the most evocative, stunning audition material I have ever read. As an audience member, the spectacle of The Kentucky Cycle leaves me absolutely speechless.I highly recommend this piece, both as a stunning read as well as ideas for future productions of same.

A naturalistic history of American greed and violence.

Using two family histories, The Kentucky Cycle charts the tragic sequence of events that show the American heritage of greed and violence. Good impulses in individuals are overrun by bad ones, until the earth itself is destroyed. Success is always corrupted by selfishness--the craving for power and wealth. Indians, Irish immigrants and black slaves contend with these cravings, and are ultimately overpowered by more powerful earlier settlers of the U.S. It's a heart-breaking and realistic set of plays, reminiscent of How Green Was My Valley, by Richard Llewelwyn, who wrote of Welsh coal miners.

The story of our country.

An excellent adventure drama which parallels the growth of a rowdy young nation.

the best book ever

I just absolutely love it! I have to read it for school, and it sounded really boring, but it turns out that it's one of the best books I've ever read. I strongly recommend it.