William Inge

William Inge's popular plays of the 1950s received Tony nominations ( Bus Stop [1956], and Dark at the Top of the Stairs [1958]) and won a Pulitzer Prize ( Picnic [1953]). As a screenwriter, he won an Academy Award ( Splendor in the Grass [1961]). Yet Inge's career ended in perceived failure, depression and finally suicide. These previously unpublished essays take a fresh look at some of his most popular work, as well as his less well-known later plays. Inge's work was often ahead of its time, a