Welcome to the official website for the award-winning dramatic writer Robert Cole.
NEWS
July 13, 2010
Change of dates: Cole's new translation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House will play three performances-- 7:00 p. m. on September 18, 2010 and 2:00 p. m. and 7:00 p. m. on September 19, 2010.
July 6, 2010
The 2010-2011 season of PVHS Theatre has announced two world premiere projects by Robert Cole. Cole's new translation of Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House will play September 16-18, 2010 and the world premiere of Cry of the Native Children, an adaptation of George Washington Parke Custis' Pocahontas, or The Settlers of Virginia, will play February 10-12, 2011.
June 28, 2010
Holly Grove Press proudly presents a paperback edition of Songs of the Valley: Selected Plays of Robert Cole. Half the cost of the Hardcover edition, this is a perfect addition to your library that won't break the bank.
May 17, 2010
The performance of Above the Mountains was sadly cancelled, but members of the cast of PVHS Theatre's production of Grease performed a scene and number from their stellar show. Look for more to come soon.
April 3, 2010
Robert Cole's short play Above the Mountains will be revived at the PVHS Fine Arts Center Auditorium on May 13, 2010 as part of the PVHS FIne Art Night, including the talents of the PVHS Band, Choral, and Visual Arts departments. More information will be posted as soon as available.
March 16, 2010
January 27, 2010
Robert Cole is now on myspace.
January 13, 2010
Make your plans now to see the very first workshop and staged reading of Cole's Cry of the Native Children at the PVHS Fine Arts Center Auditorium in Pinson, Alabama February 5 and 6, 2010 at 7:30 p. m. The event is free and open to the public. The first twenty guests will receive half-price tickets to PVHS Theatre's production of Grease May 6-8, 2010.
Deceber 28, 2009
Robert Cole has published his top 100 films of the decade on his blog, in addition to two other postdramatic texts-- ix, x, xi and HEADRICK/water.
Deceber 20, 2009
Robert Cole has begun writing and publishing royalty-free postdramatic theatre pieces on his blog, beginning with Beginnings.
Deceber 15, 2009
Robert Cole is now on twitter.
November 23, 2009
Robert Cole is now on facebook.
November 20, 2009
Holly Grove Press is now offering acting editions of Cole's Above the Mountains and The Way She Lost Her Smile. The acting editions are slim, handsome editions perfect for rehearsals. Each play is printed with space on the opposite page for notes and blocking. The scripts also include costume and property plots as well as Ground Plan, Music, and Sound suggestions. If available, photographs from the original productions top off the perfect script companion for your professional or amateur productions. The scripts are available in affordable paperback editions and as downloads from Lulu.
November 14, 2009
Cry of the Native Children Workshop and Reading Press Release
A developmental workshop and staged reading of a new play written and directed by Robert Cole (under the name Ryan C. Tittle); based upon George Washington Parke Custis’ Pocahontas, or The Settlers of Virginia. The story of the Jamestown Settlement is re-invented for an imaginative and engrossing new play about Pocahontas, John Smith, and the early settlers of America. The United States’ first great story of culture clash has captivated audiences for centuries and, now, you can be a part of the development of the legend. PVHS Theatre is providing two staged readings of the new play Cry of the Native Children and will hold a Q & A Session with the writer/director and cast after the performance. Come and enjoy this unique event for the Birmingham area. The performances will be February 5 and 6, 2010 at 7:30 p. m. The event is free and open to the public, but donations to PVHS Theatre are encouraged. The performances will be given at the Pinson Valley High School Fine Arts Center Auditorium. For reservations, call 205 379 5100 x. 639.
October 29, 2009
Cole directed Romulus Linney's Sand Mountain for PVHS Theatre and has announced his newest work, Cry of the Native Children (an adaptation of George Washington Parke Custis' Pocahontas, or The Settlers of Virginia), will have a workshop and staged reading at the PVHS Fine Arts Center in February of 2010.
July 9, 2009
Robert Cole has recently been named the Theatre teacher of the Fine Arts Department at Pinson Valley High School in Pinson, Alabama. The school is part of the renowned Jefferson County School System.
July 8, 2009
You can now read Cole's frequent reviews of film, theatre, television and other media through his Walstone/Walbridge County blog at Blogger. Other major articles will still appear regularly on this site as well. Follow the blog today.
February 16, 2009
Robert Cole has made his publishing debut. Songs of the Valley: Selected Plays of Robert Cole is now available from Holly Grove Press. In this collection, Cole takes readers to the startling fictional world of Walstone County, Alabama. The eight plays in this collection offer proof of the continuing literary legacy of the American South. It includes the full-length play Songs of the Valley as well as six short plays from Cole's Walstone Cycle-- She's Standing Behind Me, Above the Mountains, Cowboy Music, Osceola Cries, The Sexy Daughter Cheyenne, and The Lonesome Blue-- and the short play The Way She Lost Her Smile. A foreword to the plays is provided by theatre director Penn Genthner. The volume is currently available in hardcover print and as a download from Lulu.
WELCOME
We encourage you to stop by often for updates on new plays and upcoming productions & staged readings from this prolific and exciting playwright.
While here, browse the Plays section for synopses and information on all his current work. Also, check out his non-fiction work. Film criticism, theatre survey, and other essays will be added regularly. Take a look at the Biography and Reviews sections to read more about the creator of the world of Walstone County and Walbridge County, Alabama and their stories of love, youth & age, hope & despair, life & death.
If you are a literary manager for a theatre company, please take a look at the Script Request section to find out how to obtain a copy of any script for perusal.
Write to us at robertcole@walstonecounty.com to let us know what you think of this site. Thanks for visiting!
Unsung American Drama
For young people who are entering into the world of the theatre of today, there should be great trepidation. The Broadway of Eugene O'Neill (America's patron saint of tragedy) and George S. Kaufman (likewise, of comedy) has been gone for longer than we remember; Off-Broadway with its "seasons" basically has little chance of an open-ended run of anything; even the regional theatres (which were supposed to save us) are part of a cookie-cutter industry whether they realize it or not. My, I better be quiet before I ruin my chances of ever being performed anywhere...