SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – The current production of the Springfield Community Players is a staged reading of the play “Waiting for a Eulogy” by local author Larry Kraft.
Kraft’s play is subtitled “Another tragicomedy in two acts,” because it is inspired by Samuel Beckett’s classic play “Waiting for Godot.” Like the original, the theme is friendship and the meaning of life.
In “Waiting for a Eulogy,” two travelers on the road of life once again banter and bicker about the things they may or may not have done – only this time they are in a bar, and one of them is dead.
They share memories and find meaning in their past interactions as they take turns struggling to honor each other’s death. As they engage in a variety of humorous and insightful discussions and encounters, their friendship reveals itself to be stronger in death than it ever was in life.
Patty Greene-Pawelczyk, director of the performance, says, “This will be the play’s debut, and we are very excited to host this special show.”
In addition to its production in Springfield, the play has been published at the literary website Open: Journal of Arts and Letters. Kraft has also written two short plays, a long one-act play, and has had one of his short stories published.
Kraft, who has lived in Springfield for almost 25 years, was director of development at
Springfield Hospital, where he was emcee for 20 annual performances of its Apple Blossom Cotillion. He also coproduced and hosted a video celebration of that event’s history on SAPA TV, and wrote many feature articles for the Springfield Reporter newspaper.
Performances of “Waiting for a Eulogy” are Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22, at 7:30 p.m., at the Springfield Community Players Theater, 165 South Street, Springfield.
The theater will host “Meet the Playwright” following the reading. Reservations and tickets are not required. A suggested donation is requested at the door. The theater opens at 7 p.m.