Danny, King of the Basement

By David S. Craig, Walter Pitman and Richard Greenblatt

In two years, Danny and his mom have moved more often than most kids lose teeth...

When Danny moves into a new basement apartment, the kids he meets seem to have way more problems than just being hungry. But Danny’s imagination creates a community that allows his friends to cope with their problems and ultimately to help Danny—because his crisis isn’t losing a home. It’s gaining one…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press
• Release date: Jan 1, 2007
• ISBN: 9780369102553

David S. Craig

David S. Craig is one of Canada’s most prolific and successful dramatists. He has written 29 professionally produced dramatic works including his hit comedy Having Hope at Home and the internationally acclaimed Danny, King of the Basement. David's work has won numerous awards including The Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Production (three times), the Chalmers New Play Award (three times), the Rideau Award, The Canada Council Prize, The Writer’s Guild Prize for Radio Drama and a Geoffrey. Toronto’s NOW Magazine named David, “One of Canada’s Top Twenty Playwrights.”

Book preview

Cover: Danny, King of the Basement by David S. Craig

A young man stands under a bright light on a stage, looking slightly to the right and up towards the light. He wears a red, scruffy plaid lumber jacket and has messy hair. In the foreground of the image, with their bent backs facing the camera, are two figures dressed in personal protective gear for surgery. They face the young man. To the right of the young man's head, in orange type, reads Danny, King of the Basement. At the bottom left of the image reads David S. Craig in orange type.

Craig’s touching play for youth…. Brilliantly played, current, touching theatre for young people.

—Kronen Zeitung, Austria

"What do you get when you combine a gifted cast, a stellar director, a sharp script and an inventive set? You get Roseneath Theatre’s play Danny, King of the Basement."

—Kate Greenaway, Montreal Gazette

David S. Craig wrote this little gem of a play for children but it actually deserves to be seen by the widest possible audience.

—John Highfeld, The Star, Sheffield, England

"Thank you for inviting me to see the performance of Danny. It was brilliant. It reminded me how powerful live theatre is— so intimate, taking you on a journey."

—Lorna Fitzsimons, MP, Rochdale, United Kingdom

"Please pass on my heartiest congratulations to the creative team of Danny, King of the Basement. The play was entertaining, encouraging, meaningful and reflected accurately the stresses and strains too many young people in Toronto face daily. The play exposed a difficult truth and did so with humour, taste, and feeling. Bravo!"

—Olivia Chow, Child and Youth Advocate, City of Toronto

In facing up to the very real issues of child poverty and homelessness with honesty and humour, Craig and Roseneath have created a powerful piece of theatre that speaks to all of us. ‘Royal tour-de-force.’

—John Coulbourn, Toronto Sun

DANNY, KING OF THE BASEMENT

DANNY, KING OF THE BASEMENT

David S. Craig

Playwrights Canada Press

Toronto • Canada

Danny, King of the Basement © Copyright 2001 David S. Craig

First edition: July 2004. Revised second edition: January 2007.

Cover photos of Gil Garratt and Yanna McIntosh by Tom Sandler.

Cover design & production editor: JLArt

Playwrights Canada Press

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No part of this book may be reproduced, downloaded, or used in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the publisher, except for excerpts in a review or by a licence from Access Copyright, www.accesscopyright.ca.

For professional or amateur production rights, please contact:

Playwrights Guild of Canada

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416.703.0201 :: [e-mail]

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION

Craig, David S. (David Stewart)

Danny, king of the basement / David S. Craig. -- Rev. ed.

A play.

ISBN 978-0-3691-0173-0

I. Title.

PS8555.R265D35 2007       C812’.54     C2007-900244-7

Playwrights Canada Press acknowledges that we operate on land, which, for thousands of years, has been the traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, Wendat, Anishinaabe, Métis, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Today, this meeting place is home to many Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island and we are grateful to have the opportunity to work and play here.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Canada Council for the Arts— which last year invested $153 million to bring the arts to Canadians throughout the country— the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), Ontario Creates, and the Government of Canada for our publishing activities.

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Excerpt from The Hobbit © 1937 J.R.R. Tolkien reprinted with permission of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., Hammersmith, London. Copyright in the