Broadway in the Shadows

A play based on the works of O.Henry and Al Jennings Buried in the depths of the Ohio Penitentiary, the cruelest prison in American history, an inmate known as "The Smilemaker" keeps his brothers' spirits buoyant and their hopes of survival alive

From burlesque to ragtime, from Hell's Kitchen to Fifth Avenue, this book presents a collection of witty stories, adapted for the stage.Buried in the depths of the Ohio Penitentiary, the cruellest prison in American history, an inmate known as "The Smilemaker" keeps his brothers' spirits buoyant and their hopes of survival alive with stories of love and sacrifice amongst the tenements and theatres of Manhattan. Leaping from the shadows bursts a throng of colourful characters including a delirious pair of tap-dancing lovers, a hitman disguised as Santa Claus and a Central Park tramp who, try as he might, can't get himself arrested. From burlesque to ragtime, from Hell's Kitchen to Fifth Avenue, this collection of sharp, witty and highly moving stories will be sure to make you smile. "Broadway in the Shadows" is a co-production of Word Of Mouth Theatre Company, Treatment Theatre, UK and Grand Theatre de Luxembourg. It opens at the Grand Theatre de Luxembourg in September 2006, and transfers to the Arcola, London in October.