Meal Ticket

Story by: Wayne Peter Liebman
Produced by: Eric Winick & Wayne Peter Liebman
Recorded: November-December 2008, Los Angeles, CA
Music: Santo & Johnny

When a young doctor questioning his choice of profession has a chance encounter with cinema icon Marlon Brando, the ensuing conversation proves surprisingly profound -- not just for the doctor, but for Brando himself.

Featured by PRX as a News Station Pick for January 2009. Broadcast January 22, 2009 on WBHM-FM's "Tapestry" (Birmingham, AL), February 7, 2009 on WILL-AM's "Sidetrack" (Urbana, IL); April 20, 2010 on KUOW-FM's "KUOW Presents" (Seattle/Puget Sound); and September 19, 2010 on KUT-FM's "O'Dark 30" (Austin).

Wayne Peter Liebman is a poet and playwright. His plays include Better Angels (Trustus Playwright's Prize); Transference (2004 National Playwrights Conference, O'Neill Theater Center; Maxim Mazumdar Prize.) Other awards/commissions include a National Foundation for Jewish Culture grant (Rowing to Canaan), EdgeFest 2004/L.A. History Project presentation at the Autry National National Museum (The Sun Maiden) and 2nd place in the Springer-Lang Foundation (Nathan Miller) U.S. History Play Competition (Brimful of Push).

His work has also been produced/developed regionally at Kitchen Dog, Boston Theatre Works, The Alleyway, Last Frontier Conference, Lavender Fest and in Los Angeles at the Greenway Court, the Colony, the MET, the Road, EST, Virginia Avenue Project, 24th Street, Stages, A.S.K. Theatre Projects and the Black Dahlia.

He is the author of Tending the Fire (Ally Press) and co-edited (with Jo Scott) an anthology of poems, Raising the Roof (Bombshelter Press), for Habitat for Humanity. His poetry and prose are widely published and have been anthologized in In the Company of Others (Tarcher), Beyond the Valley of the Contemporary Poets (Sacred Beverage), Primary Care (University of Iowa Press) and 14 L.A. Poets (Bombshelter). His poetry was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2001. A native Angelino, he resides in Los Angeles with his wife Holly and their son, Graham. He is a proud member of the Dramatist's Guild and a founding member of Dog Ear.

HOW IT HAPPENED

I met Wayne at the Third Coast International Audio Festival in Evanston, IL, which is where he first told me this story. Since Wayne lives in L.A., he recorded his story there, and we compiled this story via e-mail, the first Yarn piece to be created in this fashion. Thanks to Jay Allison, Caitlin Fitzwater, Bradford Louryk, and Rob Ribar.