As Bees In Honey Drown

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As Bees In Honey Drown is a Theatrical piece by Douglas Carter Beane, an American playwright and screenwriter. The first showing of the play was in New York City in June, 1997. Four weeks later it moved to Lucille Lortel Theatre in the West Village, where it played for a year.

[edit] Plot Summary

The show begins in New York City with Eric Wollenstein, pennamed Evan Wyler, getting his photo taken for the cover of his new book. The photographer convinces him to take his shirt off for the photo, insisting it will give his book more appeal. When Alexa Vere de Vere, a fancy, flashy con-artist who entrances and takes advantage of the almost-famous, sees his half-naked photograph on his book, she plans on carrying out another scheme.

During her first meetings with Evan Wyler, Alexa claims to be a record producer and asks Evan if he will write the screenplay to the story of her life, which is a glamourous one and would require Evan to follow her and take notes. She promises him fame and fortune in return for doing this as she has promised many other aspiring hot, young things-of-the-week. During this time she spends money in lavish and wasteful ways, eating and staying at the Royalton and buying new suits from Saks Fifth Avenue. The first transaction of money occurs when Evan offers to put lunch on his card, and she repays him with too much. The rest of the transactions occur on his credit card, and while she promises to pay him back, she never does. ^[1]

Evan Wyler is gay, but that does not stop Alexa from bringing passion and romance into the situation. On a ferry boat, a glimmer of romance begins and finally they end up at the Royalton for the night. After a night of passion, Alexa opens up about painful events in her life, giving Evan the last of the material he needs for the screenplay. They are scheduled to meet in LA to discuss the movie opportunities it involves when Evan Wyler is given notice that his credit card has been maxed out and Alexa has disappeared. Once again, she has run off with an aspiring artist's money.

Evan plans to try to get revenge, with the help of other con victims. These victims include Morris Kaden, a record producer, Illya Mannon, a dancer, Ginny Cameron, an aspiring violinist, and Alexa's claimed dead husband, Mike Stabinsky, who is actually alive and a painter living in New York. After they tell Evan Alexa's true past and game, they all plan to bombard Alexa at once to demand answers, using Ginny Cameron as a decoy to get her there. Unfortunately, Ginny gets nervous and blows the cover of the plan, so Alexa arrives at Evan's apartment to let him know their plan has been spoiled. She offers to bring him in on her schemes, but he refuses.

In the end, Alexa passes by a bookstore to see a cover using her common catchphrase, "As Bees in Honey Drown". She opens the cover to see Evan and the story of all the cons and schemes she has perpetrated in her life. The tricks she has played on the aspiring artists of New York are over because of the artistic writings of Evan Wyler.^[2]

[edit] Cast

• Alexa Vere de Vere: Anatagonist in the play, a con artist living in New York

• Evan Wyler: Author who gets tangled up in the web that is Alexa Vere de Vere

• Mike Stabinsky: Alexa's old friend from before she became a con artist, knew her as Brenda Gelb

• Morris Kaden: An executive at Delta Records who was also scammed by Alexa

• Secretary: Secretary to Morris Kaden

• Ginny Cameron: A young violinist who is being photographed by the same photographer as Evan Wyler for a magazine article

• Carla: An apparent old friend of Alexa's we meet in a nightclub

• Skunk and Bandmates: A british rock band and victims of Alexa

• Muses: Representations of Alexa

• Ronald: Salesclerk at Sax's 5th Ave

• Illya Mannon: A dancer and victim of Alexa

• Swen: A swedish model and victim of Alexa

• Bethany Vance: An actress and victim of Alexa

• Photographer/Mr Morrelli: Takes photos for book labels or magazine articles

• Amber: Assistant to the photographer ^[3]

[edit] References