SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – Larry Kraft, longtime Springfield resident and civic official, can now add playwright to his resume. Kraft’s first stage play, a tragicomedy titled “Waiting For A Eulogy,” is being both performed and published.
The full-length play is scheduled to have its “world premiere” as a staged reading produced by the Springfield Community Players in April. It has also been published by Open: Journal of Arts and Letters, which “offers a range of contemporary aesthetic experiences made available through its several media platforms.”
Samuel Beckett’s classic play “Waiting For Godot” is both the inspiration for and a character in Kraft’s play. 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.
Kraft’s community involvement includes being the emcee for 20 consecutive Apple Blossom Cotillions, as well as co-producing and hosting a video celebration of the event’s history on SAPA TV. Having previously served on the school board and planning commission, he has been Springfield’s town and school district moderator for the past several years. The upcoming Town Meeting in March will be his last in this capacity.
Although he has been writing stories for many years, Kraft increased his creative output when he became a freelance consultant after leaving Springfield Hospital as its director of development in 2019. While working on his play during this period, he has also written feature articles for The Springfield Reporter, helped the Springfield Food Co-op with its relocation to downtown, contributed to the revision of the Town Plan, and assisted The Edgar May Health and Recreation Center with its fundraising efforts.
Since completing “Waiting For A Eulogy,” Kraft has also written a one-act play titled “The Fourth,” about card players who are missing their regular member under mysterious circumstances. He is also working on a new play based on his childhood experiences growing up in Buffalo, N.Y.
“Waiting For A Eulogy” can be found in the “Theater Arts – Drama: Plays for Page or Stage” section of Open: Journal of Arts and Letters website, www.ojalart.com.