Lobby Hero PDF: How to Read and Appreciate Kenneth Lonergan's Masterpiece

Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan: A Play Review

If you are looking for a witty, engaging, and thought-provoking play that explores the complex issues of morality, justice, loyalty, and identity, you might want to check out Lobby Hero by Kenneth Lonergan. This play, which premiered in 2001 at the Playwrights Horizons in New York City, tells the story of four characters who are caught in a web of lies, secrets, and dilemmas in the lobby of a Manhattan apartment building. In this article, we will review the plot, characters, themes, and motifs of Lobby Hero, and show you how to get a copy of the play in PDF format.

Lobby hero kenneth lonergan pdf

Introduction

What is Lobby Hero?

Lobby Hero is a two-act play that revolves around Jeff, a young security guard who works the night shift at a middle-income high-rise apartment building. Jeff is a likable but aimless slacker who likes to crack jokes and make small talk with his boss William, a strict but fair supervisor who has high aspirations for his career. One night, Jeff's routine is disrupted by the arrival of two police officers, Dawn and Bill, who are investigating a murder case that involves William's brother. As the night progresses, Jeff finds himself in the middle of a moral dilemma that tests his loyalty to William, his attraction to Dawn, and his sense of right and wrong.

Who is Kenneth Lonergan?

Kenneth Lonergan is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director who is best known for his works that depict realistic and nuanced characters facing difficult situations. He has written several acclaimed plays, such as This Is Our Youth (1996), The Waverly Gallery (2000), and The Starry Messenger (2009). He has also written and directed several award-winning films, such as You Can Count on Me (2000), Margaret (2011), and Manchester by the Sea (2016), which won him an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Lonergan is widely regarded as one of the most talented and influential contemporary American dramatists.

Why is Lobby Hero worth reading?

Lobby Hero is worth reading because it is a captivating and humorous play that explores the themes of morality and justice, loyalty and betrayal, identity and self-image. The play challenges the audience to question their own values and judgments as they witness the characters struggle with their personal and professional conflicts. The play also showcases Lonergan's skillful dialogue and characterization, which create realistic and relatable characters who speak in witty and naturalistic language. The play has received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike, and has been nominated for several awards, such as the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Play and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play.

Plot Summary

Act One

The play begins with Jeff arriving for his night shift at the lobby of the apartment building. He greets William, his boss, who tells him that he has to go to the police station to give an alibi for his brother, who is accused of being involved in a brutal murder. William asks Jeff to cover for him and not to tell anyone where he is going. Jeff agrees, but he is curious about the details of the case. William reveals that his brother was with a friend who allegedly raped and killed a nurse in her apartment. William's brother claims that he was asleep in the car and did not participate in the crime, but the police have evidence that he was in the building. William says that he loves his brother and wants to help him, but he also does not want to lie to the police.

Soon after William leaves, two police officers, Dawn and Bill, enter the lobby. They are partners and lovers, but they have a strained relationship. Dawn is a rookie who is eager to prove herself, while Bill is a veteran who is cynical and corrupt. They are there to investigate the murder case and to question some of the tenants. Jeff introduces himself and tries to make conversation with them, but they are not interested. Dawn goes upstairs to interview a witness, while Bill stays in the lobby with Jeff. Bill starts flirting with Jeff and tells him that he likes to cheat on Dawn with other women. He also tells Jeff that he knows about William's brother and that he thinks he is guilty. He asks Jeff to tell him if William comes back, and Jeff agrees.

When Dawn returns, she tells Bill that she has found a new witness who saw two men leaving the nurse's apartment on the night of the murder. She says that this witness can identify William's brother as one of the men. Bill is annoyed by this news and tells Dawn to drop it. He says that they have enough evidence to convict the friend and that they do not need to involve William's brother. He also says that he does not want to ruin William's career, since he knows him from the neighborhood and respects him. Dawn is confused and angry by Bill's attitude and accuses him of being biased and dishonest. She says that she wants to do her job properly and find the truth.

Meanwhile, Jeff is listening to their argument and feels conflicted. He does not know whether to tell them about William's alibi or not. He also does not know whether to trust Bill or Dawn. He likes Dawn and thinks she is cute and smart, but he also thinks that Bill has a point about protecting William. He decides to keep quiet for now and see what happens.

Act Two

The play resumes with Jeff still in the lobby with Dawn and Bill. They are waiting for William to come back from the police station. Jeff tries to lighten up the mood by telling jokes and stories, but Dawn and Bill are still tense and hostile towards each other. Dawn tells Jeff that she hates working with Bill and that she wants to break up with him. She says that Bill is abusive and manipulative, and that he has hit her before. She also says that she knows that Bill is cheating on her with other women, including a tenant in the building. She asks Jeff for his opinion on what she should do, and Jeff tells her that she should dump Bill and find someone better.

Bill overhears their conversation and confronts them. He denies hitting or cheating on Dawn and accuses her of being paranoid and insecure. He also accuses Jeff of trying to seduce Dawn and of being disloyal to him. He says that he has been nice to Jeff and has given him tips on how to be a better security guard, but Jeff has betrayed him by siding with Dawn. He threatens to report Jeff to William for being unprofessional and incompetent.

At this point, William returns from the police station. He looks tired and stressed. He tells Jeff that he has given an alibi for his brother, but he is not sure if it will work. He says that he has lied to the police and said that his brother was with him at home on the night of the murder, even though he was not. He says that he did this because he loves his brother and believes that he is innocent, but he also feels guilty for compromising his integrity and reputation.

Bill then tells William that he knows about his alibi and that he supports him. He says that he has convinced Dawn not to pursue the new witness who can identify William's brother as one of the suspects. He says that he has done this as a favor to William, since they are friends from the neighborhood and share similar values.

Article with HTML formatting (continued): she has a moral duty to report this to her superiors and to testify in court. She says that she does not care about William's friendship with Bill or his career prospects.

William then tells Dawn that he does not appreciate her interference and that he thinks that she is naive and reckless. He says that she does not understand the realities of the justice system and the police force, and that she is putting herself and others in danger by pursuing this case. He says that he has worked hard to achieve his position and that he does not want to lose it because of his brother's mistake. He also says that he does not trust her judgment or her loyalty, since she has been flirting with Jeff and disrespecting Bill.

Jeff then tells William that he does not agree with his alibi and that he thinks that he is wrong to lie to the police. He says that he likes William and respects him as a boss, but he also likes Dawn and thinks that she is right to seek the truth. He says that he does not want to be involved in this mess and that he wishes that William had told him the truth from the beginning.

The play ends with a standoff between the four characters, each one holding a different perspective and a different stake in the outcome of the case. The audience is left to wonder what will happen next and who will prevail.

Characters Analysis

Jeff

Jeff is the protagonist of the play, a 27-year-old security guard who works at the lobby of the apartment building. He is a friendly, funny, and easygoing person who likes to make jokes and tell stories. He is also a slacker who has no ambition or direction in life. He dropped out of the Navy after six months and has been drifting from one job to another ever since. He lives with his brother, who is a successful lawyer, but he feels inferior and resentful towards him. He has a crush on Dawn, but he is too shy and insecure to make a move on her. He is also loyal to William, but he is conflicted by his alibi. Jeff is a character who represents the common man who is caught in a moral dilemma and has to make a choice between his conscience and his convenience.

William

William is Jeff's boss, a 35-year-old security supervisor who works at the same building. He is a strict but fair person who takes his job seriously and expects his employees to do the same. He is also a proud and ambitious person who wants to advance his career and become a manager or an owner of a security company. He comes from a poor and troubled background, where he had to deal with racism, violence, and crime. He loves his brother, who is accused of being involved in a murder case, but he also hates him for ruining his life and reputation. He decides to lie to the police and give an alibi for his brother, but he also feels guilty and conflicted by his decision. William is a character who represents the dilemma between family loyalty and professional integrity.

Dawn

Dawn is one of the police officers who investigate the murder case, a 25-year-old rookie who works with Bill as her partner and lover. She is a smart, brave, and idealistic person who wants to do her job well and make a difference in society. She is also a naive, insecure, and emotional person who has trouble dealing with the pressures and challenges of being a cop. She loves Bill, but she also hates him for being abusive and unfaithful to her. She discovers a new witness who can identify William's brother as one of the suspects, but she also faces opposition from Bill and William who want her to drop it. She decides to pursue the case and report it to her superiors, but she also risks losing her relationship with Bill and her career as a cop. Dawn is a character who represents the dilemma between personal loyalty and moral duty.

Bill

Bill is the other police officer who investigate the murder case, a 40-year-old veteran who works with Dawn as his partner and lover. He is a cynical, corrupt, and manipulative person who does not care about justice or truth. He is also a charming, confident, and charismatic person who knows how to get what he wants from people. He cheats on Dawn with other women, including a tenant in the building, but he also tries to keep her under his control. He knows about William's alibi and supports him, but he also uses it as a leverage to get favors from him. He convinces Dawn not to pursue the new witness, but he also threatens to expose her if she does not comply. Bill is a character who represents the corruption and hypocrisy of the system.

Themes and Motifs

Morality and Justice

One of the main themes of the play is morality and justice, which are explored through the murder case and the characters' reactions to it. The play raises questions such as: What is right and wrong? What is true and false? What is fair and unfair? How do people make moral decisions? How do people justify their actions? How do people deal with the consequences of their actions? The play shows that morality and justice are not clear-cut or absolute, but rather relative and subjective, depending on the situation, the perspective, and the interest of the people involved. The play also shows that morality and justice are not always in harmony, but rather in conflict, creating dilemmas and tensions for the characters.

Loyalty and Betrayal

Another theme of the play is loyalty and betrayal, which are explored through the relationships between the characters. The play shows how loyalty and betrayal are intertwined and how they affect the characters' emotions, actions, and outcomes. The play shows that loyalty can be a virtue or a vice, depending on the context, the motive, and the result of it. Loyalty can be a source of love, trust, support, and protection, but it can also be a source of guilt, conflict, compromise, and sacrifice. Betrayal can be a vice or a virtue, depending on the context, the motive, and the result of it. Betrayal can be a source of hate, distrust, hurt, and revenge, but it can also be a source of honesty, courage, justice, and change.

Identity and Self-Image

Article with HTML formatting (continued): strength or weakness, confidence or doubt, satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The play shows that identity and self-image can be challenged and changed by external events and internal conflicts.

Conclusion

What makes Lobby Hero a compelling drama?

Lobby Hero is a compelling drama because it presents a realistic and complex portrait of human nature and society. The play does not offer easy answers or clear resolutions, but rather invites the audience to think and feel along with the characters. The play creates a sense of empathy and suspense, as the audience wonders what the characters will do and how they will cope with their situations. The play also creates a sense of humor and irony, as the audience laughs and cringes at the characters' flaws and follies. The play is a masterful example of Lonergan's talent for writing dialogue and creating characters that are believable, relatable, and memorable.

How to get a copy of Lobby Hero?

If you are interested in reading Lobby Hero, you can get a copy of the play in PDF format from various online sources. One of them is the Internet Archive, which offers a free download of the play from this link: https://archive.org/details/lobbyhero0000lone. Another source is Documents and E-books, which also offers a free download of the play from this link: https://idoc.pub/documents/lobby-hero-by-kenneth-lonergan-pdfpdf-en5kgqm3j1no. You can also buy a printed copy of the play from Amazon or other online bookstores.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about Lobby Hero:

• Q: When and where was Lobby Hero first performed?

• A: Lobby Hero was first performed on March 13, 2001 at the Playwrights Horizons in New York City.

• Q: Who are the original cast members of Lobby Hero?

• A: The original cast members of Lobby Hero are Glenn Fitzgerald as Jeff, Dion Graham as William, Heather Burns as Dawn, and Tate Donovan as Bill.

• Q: Has Lobby Hero been adapted into other media?

• A: Yes, Lobby Hero has been adapted into a film in 2004, directed by John Crowley and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jeff, Don Cheadle as William, Anna Paquin as Dawn, and Steve Zahn as Bill. The film was titled The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.

• Q: Has Lobby Hero been revived or remounted on stage?

• A: Yes, Lobby Hero has been revived or remounted on stage several times, both in the US and abroad. Some notable productions include the 2002 West End production at the Donmar Warehouse in London, starring David Tennant as Jeff, Gary McDonald as William, Charlotte Randle as Dawn, and Dominic Rowan as Bill; the 2018 Broadway production at the Helen Hayes Theater in New York City, starring Michael Cera as Jeff, Brian Tyree Henry as William, Bel Powley as Dawn, and Chris Evans as Bill; and the 2019 Off-Broadway production at the Second Stage Theater in New York City, starring Michael Urie as Jeff, James Badge Dale as William, Ana Villafañe as Dawn, and Lucas Hedges as Bill.

• Q: Where can I find more information about Lobby Hero?

• A: You can find more information about Lobby Hero from various sources, such as Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobby_Hero), IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382077/), Playbill (https://www.playbill.com/production/lobby-hero-helen-hayes-theatre-2017-2018), and Broadway.com (https://www.broadway.com/shows/lobby-hero/).

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