Quotes by Playwrights

Good courage in a bad affair is half of the evil overcome. Plautus

Good Courage Overcome Evil Half Bad Affair

Things we do not expect, happen more frequently than we wish. Plautus

Wish More Frequently Expect Than Happen Things

The applause of a single human being is of great consequence. Raymond Hull

Great Human Being Single Human Being Applause Consequence

You know it is not my interest to pay the principal, or my principal to pay the interest. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

You Pay Know Principal Interest

Ay, ay, the best terms will grow obsolete: damns have had their day. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Best Day Will Had Obsolete Terms Grow

I mean, the question actors most often get asked is how they can bear saying the same things over and over again, night after night, but God knows the answer to that is, don't we all anyway; might as well get paid for it. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

God Saying Bear Over Most Well Knows Answer How Question Get Same Often Same Things After Anyway Again Mean Might Asked Paid Actor Things Night

I'm called away by particular business - but I leave my character behind me. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Character Me Business Particular Leave Behind Away

Certainly nothing is unnatural that is not physically impossible. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Impossible Nothing Unnatural Physically Certainly

You write with ease to show your breeding, but easy writing's curst hard reading. Richard Brinsley Sheridan

You Writing Reading Ease Easy Write Breeding Your Hard Show

I was enchanted by the escape into that meticulous world that seemed real yet not... well, it seemed not real, but very detailed and meticulous, bizarre. Richard Foreman

World Bizarre Detailed Seemed Well Real Enchanted Meticulous Very Escape

Now, when I started my theater, the modus operandi was having the actors stare right into the audience. Richard Foreman

Having Audience Theater Now Actor Stare Right Started

If I wasn't in the theater, I would be a hermit. Richard Foreman

Hermit Would Would-Be Theater

Because even at the age of fifteen, I used to go see all the Broadway shows and feel that they were sentimental, that they were pandering to the audience and trying to manipulate the audience. I had no use for practically any of the shows that were hits. Richard Foreman

So I decided to start writing plays, and went to Yale. Richard Foreman

Writing Yale Decided Start Plays

You know, actually, I went to Yale because I wanted to stay out of the army. Richard Foreman

You Army Out Stay Know Yale Because Wanted Actually

I realized that I had to be honest about where I was, where I was coming from, and what I was trying to do. Richard Foreman

To Be Honest About Had Coming Trying Where Realized Honest

What really happened was one day I decided to write a new kind of play. Richard Foreman

Day One Day Kind Write New New Kind Happened Decided Really Play

All the dialogue on tape, and we'd play the tape in performance. Then I thought it'd be interesting if the actor's repeated what they heard on the tape, but at a slower speed, so we'd get a web of language. Richard Foreman

Language Thought Speed Slower Web Performance Dialogue Repeated Heard Tape Get Interesting Then Actor Play

As I told you, from the time I was fifteen, I thought the theater was too much involved with actors trying to make the audience love them, being over emotional. Richard Foreman

Love Time You Too Much Thought Too Emotional Over Involved Make Audience Trying Being Theater Them Fifteen Much Actor

I do think the past changes at a slower rate. It sits a little more still for its portrait. Richard Greenberg

Past Think Changes Slower Rate More Still Little Portrait