As to the Meaning of Words is a stage play written by Mark Eichman about a slightly fictionalized account of a 1975 court case in which a physician who had performed a seemingly legal abortion was afterwards charged with manslaughter. The play premiered in New York in 1981 and is classified as a courtroom drama.
Summary
The play opened in June 1981 at the American Theater of Actors in New York. The doctor accused of manslaughter (whose real name was Dr. Kenneth Edelin), here named Dr. Winston Gerrard, is portrayed as a rather passive character; on the opposite end of the scale is the aggressive prosecutor, with the defense counsel in the middle. There are many witnesses for both sides. The play does not seem to favor either side or position, presenting "just the facts".
Reception
Some reviewers criticized the author for not taking sides. The New York Times commented that "Mr. Eichman's scrupulous fairness might serve him better if he were a judge rather than a playwright."New York Times, June 3, 1981, "A Drama in Court, 'The Weaning of Words' " Critics were generally satisfied with the "competent cast", but found the material all in all lacked drama."The evidence piles up, but the drama remains slight." - N.Y. Times, June 1981
Cast and crew
Presented by the New York Theater Studio (artistic director: Richard V. Romagnoli; managing director: Cheryl Faraone), written by Mark Eichman, and directed by Ted Snowden, the play premiered in June 1981 at the American Theater of Actors, 314 West 54th Street, with the following cast:Theatre World, June 1981FilmReferences - Stage Plays
Dr. Winston Gerrard - Ron Foster Alexander Thomas - Joel Fabiani Ned Ryan - John Bentley Judge Horace J. Wheeting - Thomas Ruisinger Dr. Madelyn Foster - Fran Salisbury Dr. Ramon Norriega - Felipe Gorostiza Dr. Clarence Parrish - Bill McCutcheon Dr. Jonathan Wallace - Dann Florek Nurse Gloria Sanders - Stephanie Musnick Clerk - Sally Burnett Voices - Harry Bennet & Mary Cunniff
References