Mr. Toole
by Vivian Neuwirth

The next step for Mr. Toole is a production at 59E59th, beginning February 28th, 2020! For more information and tickets, click on the button below.

Mr. Toole
by Vivian Neuwirth

Mr. Toole, a new play written by award-winning playwright Vivian Neuwirth had its World Premiere at The Midtown International Theatre Festival on July 21st. Set against the backdrop of New Orleans, this play is inspired by true events, and is a deeply personal reflection on the life of John Kennedy Toole, author of the Pulitzer Prize Winning novel, “A Confederacy of Dunces.” In this new play, inspired by true events, the life of John Kennedy Toole is seen through the eyes of one of his students at an all-girl’s college in New Orleans. The student, who is haunted by the memory of her first love, Mr. Toole, goes back in time to solve the mystery of his death and what she could have done to stop it. The teacher a student will never forget becomes a legend the world will never forget.
John Kennedy Toole was the writer of "A Confederacy of Dunces." The story of his untimely death, and the persistence of his mother in getting his manuscript published is legendary. But Vivian Neuwirth knew another side of Ken Toole. She was his student at St. Mary's Dominican College. She knew him as a teacher, a mentor, an opener of minds.
After Mr. Toole's death, Vivian thought she had lost him forever. And then she discovered his book, "A Confederacy of Dunces." Reading his words made her remember just how special he was, and she became determined to share with the world the "Mr. Toole" that she knew. This play is the result. She took the play to the Estrogenius Festival as a one-act, where it was praised by audiences and critics alike. So much so that Vivian won the "best playwriting" award for it! Bursting with new ideas, Vivian decided to expand on the story and wrote a full length version, which then debuted in the Midtown International Theatre Festival.