Collection reveals friends’ hardships

    Stage West is presenting Donald Margulies’ Pulitzer Prize runner-up play, Collected Stories.

    To what extent does one own the events or his life? Should one have right of first refusal for the story of his life? Or does someone have the right to take what he wishes for his own uses? Are those rights altered by fame? Should friendship enter into the equation? These questions are at the heart of Margulies’ play.

    Ruth Steiner, a college professor and writer, made her reputation in the now legendary literary scene of the ’50s and ’60s in Greenwich Village. She lives alone, and likes it. Into her life comes Lisa Morrison, a graduate student, for a writing tutorial.

    The two could hardly be more different. Ruth is Jewish; Lisa is a WASP. Ruth is strong-willed and self-sufficient while Lisa seems such an airhead that Ruth can hardly believe she is the author of the short story she is to critique.

    Despite her reservations, Ruth agrees to take Lisa on as an assistant, and over a six-year span, their mentor/student relationship evolves into the friendship of equals.

    Collected Stories was inspired by the legal battle between British poet Stephen Spender and novelist David Laevitt. Spender won his suit and was able to force the withdrawal of Leavitt’s biographical work.

    The Stage West production will reunite Kathleen Archer (Ruth) and Dana Schultes (Lisa); the two previously appeared in Simpatico.

    Collected Stories opened last weekend and will conclude its run through Saturday, Nov. 10.

    Performances are at Stage West, 3055 S. University Dr., Fort Worth. Times are Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday 7:30 p.m.

    Ticket prices range from $18 to $22. Discounts are available for groups. Five dollar student rush tickets are available at all performances 30 minutes prior to curtain. For information, call 817-784-9378.