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Edward Albee

Edward Albee Quotes

Playwright

American playwright, known for his unique dramatic style and profound exploration of modern family relationships. Edward Albee's works often involve complex interpersonal relationships and moral dilemmas, and his plays hold a significant place in 20th-century American theater.

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All Play Writing Ifs Thinking People Playwright Knows Art Want Critics Character Should Years Wells Seems Reality Ends Theater Theatre Two

Famous Edward Albee Quotes

“I’m infinitely more involved in the reality of the characters and their situation than I am in everyday life.”

Character Reality Situation Involved Everyday Everyday Life

Book:Conversations with Edward Albee

Source: Conversations with Edward Albee

“The function of art is to bring people into greater touch with reality, and yet our movie houses and family rooms are jammed with people after as much reality-removal as they can get.”

People Art Reality House Rooms Greater Art Is Function Removal

Book:Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward Albee

Source: Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward Albee

“Being different is ... interesting; there's nothing implicitly inferior or superior about it. Great difference, of course, produces natural caution; and if the differences are too extreme ... well, then, reality tends to fade away.”

Ifs Wells Different Reality Courses Natural Differences Interesting Produce Extremes Superiors Fades Inferiors Caution Being Different Fade Away

Book:Seascape: The Entire Appalling Business

Source: Seascape: The Entire Appalling Business

“In rehearsals I get so completely wrapped up with the reality that's occurring on stage that by the time the play has opened I'm not usually quite as aware of the distinctions between what I'd intended and the result. There are many ways of getting the same result.”

Way Play Reality Results Stage Distinction Rehearsal

Book:Conversations with Edward Albee

Source: Conversations with Edward Albee

“Each time I sit down and write a play I try to dismiss from my mind as much as I possibly can the implications of what I've done before, what I'm going to do, what other people think about my work, the failure or success of the previous play. I'm stuck with a new reality that I've got to create.”

People Thinking Writing Trying Mind Done Play Reality Down And Stuck Implications

Book:Conversations with Edward Albee

Source: Conversations with Edward Albee

“In the two or three or four months that it takes me to write a play, I find that the reality of the play is a great deal more alive for me than what passes for reality. I'm infinitely more involved in the reality of the characters and their situation than I am in everyday life. The involvement is terribly intense.”

Writing Two Play Character Reality Three Deals Situation Four Alive Months Involved Everyday Intense Take Me Everyday Life Involvement

Book:Conversations with Edward Albee

Source: Conversations with Edward Albee

“My sense of reality and logic is different from most people's.”

People Different Reality Logic

Book:Conversations with Edward Albee

Source: Conversations with Edward Albee

“Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it. A good writer turns fact into truth; a bad writer will, more often than not, accomplish the opposite.”

Writing Facts Reality Truth Turns Opposites Intelligence Accomplish Good Writers

Book:Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward Albee

Source: Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward Albee

“Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it.”

Writing Book Reality Language Opposites Accomplish Good Writers

Book:Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward Albee

Source: Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward Albee

“What people really want in the theater is fantasy involvement and not reality involvement.”

People Want Reality Fantasy Theater Involvement

Author:Edward Albee

About the Author

Born: March 12, 1928
Died: September 16, 2016
Known for: Playwright
Quotes: 190

Related Topics

Play Writing Ifs Thinking People Playwright Knows Art Want Critics Character Should Years Wells Seems Reality Ends Theater Theatre Two

Popular Topics

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Books & Sources

Conversations with Edward AlbeeRelated source material

Stretching My Mind: The Collected Essays of Edward AlbeeRelated source material

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: A PlayRelated source material

The Collected Plays of Edward AlbeeRelated source material

WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?Related source material

At Home at the Zoo: Homelife and the Zoo StoryRelated source material

Seascape: The Entire Appalling BusinessRelated source material

Tiny AliceRelated source material

At Home at the ZooRelated source material

Edward Albee's Seascape: A Play in Two ActsRelated source material

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