The Boys Next Door
June 4 - 20, 2010

Dramaturgy by Ross Harmon
Cast | The Boys Next Door | A Critic's Opinion | About the playwright: Tom Griffin | A Word With The Author | The Group Home Phenomenon | The Mission Project |

The Boys Next Door

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR
The Lambs Theatre, NYC
Opening Date: November 23, 1987
Closing Date: April 17, 1988
Number of Performances: 168
Tom Griffin, Playwright
Josephine R. Abady, Director

Opening Night Cast:
Laurinda Barrett - Mrs. Fremus / Mrs. Warren / Clara
Dennis Boutsikaris - Jack
Christine Estrabrook - Sheila
Josh Mostel - Norman Bulansky
Joe Grifasi - Arnold Wiggins
William Jay - Lucian P. Smith
Ed Setrakian - Mr. Kempler
Joseph Urla - Barry Kempler
John Wylie - Mr. Hedges / Mr. Corbin / Sen. Clarke

Replacements:
Woody Harrelson - Jack
Michael Jeter - Arnold Wiggins

A Critic's Opinion

November 25, 1987
Stage: 'Boys Next Door' at the Lamb's
By Mel Gussow, © The New York Times

IN "The Boys Next Door," Tom Griffin has written a sweet-tempered comedy of social concern. The subject of his play (at the Lamb's Theater) is the mentally handicapped and their place in society. Mr. Griffin's principal characters are four young men living together in an apartment in a New England city. With the supervision of a social worker, the roommates are able, in varying degrees, to act as participating members in their own world at large.

Aspects of the play are not too far removed from a television movie - However, Mr. Griffin approaches this difficult subject with sympathy and with considerable humor arising from character. Neither he nor his cast patronizes the characters but treats them equitably and with respect. At the same time, the play does not belabor its own instructiveness.

As skillfully directed by Josephine R. Abady, the play follows the men through their daily routine while revealing their anxieties, limitations, enthusiasms and identifying traits. Josh Mostel's character is addicted to doughnuts (he works in a shop that sells them), and the play is filled with amusing doughnut jokes. As a motif, there is a gentle romantic relationship between Mr. Mostel and Christine Estabrook as a mentally handicapped young woman.

Occasionally, in brief fantasy sequences, the author lets the characters momentarily lose their handicaps. In one scene, for example, Mr. Jay stands tall and tells us forthrightly what it is like to have the mind of a 5-year-old. Most touchingly, Mr. Mostel and Ms. Estabrook walk awkwardly onto the dance floor at a community center and, without missing a beat, begin to dance with the grace of ballroom champions. At such moments, "The Boys Next Door" moves the audience to an awareness of how many things in every day life we take for granted, matters than can be of major importance to those who are handicapped.

About the playwright: Tom Griffin

Tom Griffin’s highly acclaimed play THE BOYS NEXT DOOR was produced Off-Broadway in the Fall of 1987, after productions at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey and the Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Griffin has had his work produced at numerous American regional theatres, including the premieres at the Mark Taper Forum, the Long Wharf Theatre, the Hartford Stage Company and the Alley Theatre in Houston. His play EINSTEIN AND THE POLAR BEAR was produced on Broadway at the Cort Theatre. He has been awarded a CBS / Dramatists’ Guild Award (for AMATEURS), an L.A. Drama Critics Circle nomination (for THE TAKING AWAY OF LITTLE WILLIE), an N.E.A. grant and an O’Neill playwriting fellowship. He has had fiction published in the United States and Europe and has been the recipient of a Playboy editorial award. His play PASTA was produced at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island. It is there at Trinity Rep where he has appeared in over 25 productions as a member of their Tony Award winning resident acting company. He has also written two screenplays, FIDELITY and an adaptation of EINSTEIN AND THE POLAR BEAR both of which have been optioned for production. His updated version of DINNER AT EIGHT aired on TNT in 1989. AMATEURS was produced at Trinity Rep in the spring of 1990. His most recent play, MRS. SEDGEWICK’S HEAD premiered at Trinity Repertory in Providence, RI.

A Word With The Author

THE BOYS NEXT DOOR is unique. It was the most produced play in the United States in 1989. It has since continued to be produced successfully in professional and amateur houses alike.

"There's a BOYS NEXT DOOR production now in Israel," says playwright Tom Griffin. "It's been running in repertory at the national theater there for two years. There's a production in Tokyo. In all, there have been some 2,000 productions. That's not performances. That's productions. All over the world, even in Africa, everywhere except Latin America - never to my knowledge in Latin America, for some reason."

"I grew up in a neighborhood with quite a few challenged kids, kids with Down Syndrome and so on," Griffin says from his home in Barrington, R.I. "My dad's philosophy was play with those kids, don't exclude them. The worse thing is to exclude them."

"Another source of material was my best friend. He was a social worker. And he ran a group house like the one in the play. He'd tell me stories. Most of them were hilarious. And some were troubling. Hey, I'm I writer. I could see there was a play there."

As for THE BOYS NEXT DOOR it found its way onto film (without Griffin's help) as a Hallmark Hall of Fame TV adaptation.

Since BOYS NEXT DOOR always has been playing at some theater somewhere for the past 20 years, Griffin is an absolute anthology of production anecdotes. "But here's the best one," he says. "A friend was directing it in Dallas. And they'd have these question-and-answer sessions after the show. There are always a lot of special needs people in the audience for this particular play."

"A young woman stands up and says, 'I liked this play very much.' OK, fine, my friend thanked her and the discussion continued. Afterward, the woman's parents come up and say, 'Those were the first words our daughter has said for 13 years!' Wow. What d'ya think about that? I mean, mind-blowing."

The Group Home Phenomenon

Group homes are small, residential facilities located within a community and designed to serve children or adults with chronic disabilities. These homes usually have six or fewer occupants and are staffed 24 hours a day by trained caregivers.

Most group homes are standard, single-family houses, purchased by group home administrators and adapted to meet the needs of the residents. Except for any adaptive features such as wheelchair ramps, group homes are virtually indistinguishable from other homes in the surrounding neighborhood. Group homes may be located in neighborhoods of any socioeconomic status.

Residents of group homes usually have some type of disorder that impairs their ability to live independently. Many residents also have physical disabilities such as impairments of vision communication, or ambulation. These individuals require continual assistance to complete daily living and self-care tasks. Some also require supervision due to behavior that may be dangerous to self or others, such as aggression or a tendency to run away.

Although most group homes provide long-term care, some residents eventually acquire the necessary skills to move to more independent living situations. Group homes for children are usually temporary placements, providing care until a foster family can be secured. Others may return to their natural families. Occasionally, halfway homes for people recently released from prison or discharged from a substance abuse program may also be referred to as group homes. These types of group homes are also transitory in nature.

The development of group homes occurred in response to the deinstitutionalization movement of the 1960s and 1970s. As psychiatric hospitals closed, discharged individuals needed places to live. Group homes were designed to provide care in the least restrictive environment and to integrate individuals with disabilities into the community, reducing stigma and improving quality of life. The environment of a group home was intended to simulate typical family life as much as possible.

Since the passage of the Community Mental Health Centers Act in 1963, grants have been available to group homes. State and federal funds such as the Medicaid Home and Community-Based Waiver continue to support the majority of group homes. However, some homes operate on donations from private citizens or civic and religious organizations. Most group homes are owned by private rather than governmental organizations, and can be either non-profit or for-profits. Group homes are considered more cost effective compared to institutional care. Unfortunately, the number of available group homes has not always matched need, resulting in homelessness or re-hospitalization for some individuals.

One of the goals of group home living is to increase the independence of residents. Group home staff members teach residents daily living and self-care skills, providing as little assistance as possible. Daily living skills include meal preparation, laundry, housecleaning, home maintenance, money management, appropriate social interactions and self-care skills.

Staff also assure that residents are in contact with community service providers: including medical care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, vocational training, education, and mental health services. Most group home residents are assigned a case manager from a community mental health center or other government agency who oversees their care.

Initially, many people were skeptical about the adequacy of group home care compared to hospitals or other institutions. Over the past 25 years, many studies have examined the impact of group home care on residents. These studies have consistently shown increases in adaptive behavior, productivity, community integration, and level of independence.

Other factors that contribute to group home success are a small staff-to-resident ratio, well-trained staff, and a home-like atmosphere. Research suggests that individuals with severe cognitive impairments often experience a period of disorientation, and may need additional support or supervision for the first few months while adjusting to their new surroundings. Pre-placement visits and discussion can reduce anxiety for the future resident.

The Mission Project

THINK OF IT AS:
A parent group dedicated to providing a safe environment where their children can live independently with support, providing educational opportunities, and an active, varied social life.

HISTORY:

• 2004: Three couples and parents of young adults with developmental disabilities share concerns about alternatives for their children’s lives after high school. That summer, the first participant moves into chosen apartment complex.
• 2009: 15 participants are now living successfully in Mission, KS.

WHO’S INVOLVED?

• Young adults with developmental and cognitive disabilities.
• Parents, families, guardians and friends, dedicated professionals, an Advisory board, as well as supporting members in community.

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE MISSION PROJECT?

• Young adults with disabilities (participants) are located in apartments within the community of Mission Kansas.
• Live among other members of the community (same-aged peers, young families, older adults).
• Participants receive independent living and job supports that are contracted by individual families.
• The MP Steering Committee coordinates activities to support participants’ growing independence and active involvement in the community.

Barn Players The Boys Next Door Dramaturgy © 2010
Edited by Ross Harmon