Bill W. and Dr. Bob
Encyclopedia
Bill W. and Dr. Bob is a play that began previews Off Broadway at New World Stages
on February 16, 2007 and opened on March 5, 2007. It ran for 132 performances at New World Stages and closed on June 10, 2007. It is based on the story of William Wilson ( Bill W.
) and Dr.Robert Smith
(Bob S., or "Dr. Bob), the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous
and their wives Lois Wilson
and Anne Smith, creators of Al-Anon. Bill W. and Dr. Bob is written by Stephen Bergman
and Janet Surrey, produced by Bradford S. Lovette, Dr. Michael and Judith Weinberg, and The New Repertory Theatre
and stars Marc Carver as Man,
Kathleen Doyle as Anne Smith, Deanna Dunmyer as Woman, Rachel Harker as Lois Wilson, Patrick Husted as Dr. Bob Smith and Robert Krakovski as Bill Wilson. It is directed by Rick Lombardo and with music composed by Ray Kennedy.
"In 1929, the famous New York stockbroker William G. Wilson crashed with the stock market and became a hopeless drunk. Dr. Bob Smith was a surgeon from Ohio, who had also been an alcoholic for thirty years. In fact, he often went into the operating room with a hangover. Through an astonishing series of events, Bill W. and Dr. Bob Smith met and formed a relationship, each helping to keep the other sober. The two went on to form AA
together."
New World Stages
New World Stages, originally Dodger Stages, is an Off-Broadway venue. The architects were Beyer, Blinder, and Belle. The theatre designers were Sachs Morgan, and the interior designer was Klara Zieglerova.It is currently home to 6 shows:* Rent...
on February 16, 2007 and opened on March 5, 2007. It ran for 132 performances at New World Stages and closed on June 10, 2007. It is based on the story of William Wilson ( Bill W.
Bill W.
William Griffith Wilson , also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous , an international mutual aid fellowship with over two million members belonging to 100,800 groups of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety...
) and Dr.Robert Smith
Bob Smith (doctor)
Robert Holbrook Smith was an American physician and surgeon who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous with Bill Wilson, more commonly known as Bill W. He was also known as Dr. Bob. He was born in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where he was raised, to Susan A. Holbrook and Walter Perrin Smith...
(Bob S., or "Dr. Bob), the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
and their wives Lois Wilson
Lois Wilson (activist)
Lois Wilson was the co-founder of Al-Anon, a support group for the friends and family of alcoholics. She was the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill W....
and Anne Smith, creators of Al-Anon. Bill W. and Dr. Bob is written by Stephen Bergman
Samuel Shem
Samuel Shem is the pen-name of the American psychiatrist Stephen Joseph Bergman . His main works are The House of God and Mount Misery, both fictional but close-to-real first-hand descriptions of the training of doctors in the United States.Bergman was a Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford in...
and Janet Surrey, produced by Bradford S. Lovette, Dr. Michael and Judith Weinberg, and The New Repertory Theatre
New Repertory Theatre
The New Repertory Theatre is a Boston-area Regional theater company based in Watertown, Massachusetts.The New Repertory Theatre " is the third largest theatre in the Greater Boston area. It presents world premieres, contemporary and classic works in intimate settings." The artistic director is...
and stars Marc Carver as Man,
Kathleen Doyle as Anne Smith, Deanna Dunmyer as Woman, Rachel Harker as Lois Wilson, Patrick Husted as Dr. Bob Smith and Robert Krakovski as Bill Wilson. It is directed by Rick Lombardo and with music composed by Ray Kennedy.
The Story
Essentially, the story retells that of the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous:"In 1929, the famous New York stockbroker William G. Wilson crashed with the stock market and became a hopeless drunk. Dr. Bob Smith was a surgeon from Ohio, who had also been an alcoholic for thirty years. In fact, he often went into the operating room with a hangover. Through an astonishing series of events, Bill W. and Dr. Bob Smith met and formed a relationship, each helping to keep the other sober. The two went on to form AA
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
together."