Lowell
Lowell
The story of Amy Lowell, told in the form of a drawing
room comedy.  The focus of this play is on the transition
from things traditional to things “modern,” including
poetry, music, art, industrial art, and sexual mores’.  The
destruction of things traditional to make way for things
new is a common theme.  The play also deals with
issues of woman’s rights and gay rights.
Characters:
Amy Lowell, the poet
Elizabeth, her personal maid
Grace Mously, her secretary
Ada Dwyer (Peter), her companion and lover
Berkeley Updike, a rare book dealer
Carl Engel, French-born pianist and friend of Amy
Maxwell Bodenheim (Bodey), American Poet and Novelist
Setting:
The play takes place in the
study of Amy Lowell’s
mansion, Sevenels, located
just outside of Boston.  
During Act One is decorated
in the early Victorian era
style.  During Act 2 the decor
is extremely modern.
About the Poet:
Amy Lowell was a strong advocate of
woman's rights, an openly gay woman,
and at one point in time considered by
many to be America's most popular
poet.  Her efforts on behalf of free verse
popularized that break from traditional
verse.  She was from the upper echelon
of Boston society.  Lowell
Massachussets was named after her
grandfather, and her brother founded
the Lowell observatory.
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