This weekend I stopped by the Drama Bookstore on 40th, and browsed through the "used plays" section. Nothing but obscure plays (with the occasion O'Neill or ancient Greek playwright thrown into the mix). I can't remember any of the specific titles, but my god, I had no idea there were that many super-obscure plays that had been published.
Mr Roxy said: Warp was to be a 3 part story with 3 separate productions. They were one and done.
True, in New York. But the whole trilogy had been a success in Chicago, so much so that it had a return production there in 1980. I happened to move there just at that time and saw all 3 parts. I could see both why it was an affectionate local favorite (campy fun, with ingenious staging in the round on gym mats) and why it didn't travel well to another city (there's no real reason to go see it, and there's not really enough of it for three full plays). A classic transplant story.
6 Rms Rv Vu isn't all THAT obscure. It had a nice midlevel full-season run (October through May) and got Jane Alexander (who costarred with Jerry Orbach) a Tony nomination. No doubt a light comedy made a welcome change of pace and image for her (still in the process of getting better known) after the angst of The Great White Hope on stage and film.
I think he meant the "title" was obscure, not the "play" was obscure. But, I could be wrong.
But, you are correct if he meant an obscure play and then mentioning 6 Rms Riv Vu, it was also a successful TV movie with Carol Burnett and Alan Alda. It is also a popular choice for regional and community theaters.
Robert Preston did not star in Never Live Over a Pretzel Factory, which I saw on opening night. He did star in a really good, obscure play called Nobody Loves and Albatross, however. Much better play than Pretzel Factory.
I did see that one. I found it quirky and funny. I laughed quite a few times at Zohra Lampert's offbeat performance.
Come to think of it, I enjoyed both Pretzel Factory and Nathan Weinstein a gazillion times more than the rotten fare that wins critical raves, Tony awards, and Pulitzer Prizes nowadays.
Just recently, Soho Rep did: We Are Proud to Present a Presentation About the Herero of Namibia, Formerly Known as Southwest Africa, From the German Sudwestafrika, Between the Years 1884-1915
A play by one of the Pulitzer Prize winners from A Chorus Line is not exactly obscure.
The Season has many that I had never heard of, Happiness is Just a Little Thing Called a Rolls Royce and Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights being two of my favorite titles.
"Contentment, it seems, simply happens. It appears accompanied by no bravos and no tears."