{"product_id":"the-hang-paperback","title":"The Hang - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eTaylor Mac\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eMatt Ray\u003c\/b\u003e (Composer)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA joyfully queer fantasia that draws on jazz music and operatic form to reimagine the last hours of Socrates as an ecstatic celebration.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe latest work from playwright Taylor Mac and composer Matt Ray takes us to ancient Athens on the eve of the death of famous philosopher Socrates. Sentenced to die for corrupting the youth (by having sex with them), Socrates decides to spend his remaining hours doing what he loves: engaging in philosophical debate about the true meaning of virtue. And singing songs. And dancing. And just, you know, hanging out. What follows is a musical-theatrical riff on philosophical history, complete with a Plato who assiduously but inaccurately writes it all down, implying that what's most essential in life, as in theater, are the unwritable moments of joyous communion. In other words, \"the hang.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTaylor Mac\u003c\/strong\u003e (who uses \"judy\"--lowercase [\u003cem\u003esic\u003c\/em\u003e]\u003cem\u003e--\u003c\/em\u003eas a gender pronoun) is the author of \u003cem\u003eJoy and Pandemic\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eThe Hang \u003c\/em\u003e(composed by Matt Ray); \u003cem\u003eGary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eA 24-Decade History of Popular Music\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eProsperous Fools\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eThe Fre\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eHir\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eThe Walk Across America for Mother Earth\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eThe Lily's Revenge\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eThe Young Ladies Of\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eRed Tide Blooming\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eThe Be(A)st of Taylor Mac\u003c\/em\u003e; and the revues \u003cem\u003eComparison Is Violence\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eHoliday Sauce\u003c\/em\u003e; and \u003cem\u003eThe Last Two People on Earth: An Apocalyptic Vaudeville \u003c\/em\u003e(created with Mandy Patinkin, Susan Stroman, and Paul Ford)\u003cem\u003e. \u003c\/em\u003eMac is the first American to receive the International Ibsen Award; is a MacArthur Fellow, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, a Tony nominee for Best Play; and is the recipient of the Edward M. Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History (with Matt Ray), the Doris Duke Artist Award, a Guggenheim, the Herb Alpert Award, a Drama League Award, the Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting, the Edwin Booth Award, two Helpmann Awards, a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, two Obies, two Bessies, and an Ethyl Eichelberger.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMatt Ray\u003c\/strong\u003e is a New York-based pianist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and music director. His arrangements have been called \"wizardly\" (\u003cem\u003eTime Out New York\u003c\/em\u003e) and \"ingenious\" (\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e), and his piano playing \"classic\" (\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e). For his work on Taylor Mac's show\u003cem\u003e A 24-Decade History of Popular Music\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003ehe won the 2017 Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired by American History. Notable live performances include playing at Carnegie Hall with Kat Edmonson, the Hollywood Bowl with reggae legend Burning Spear, Lincoln Center with Joey Arias, and shows in Paris and the UK with Justin Vivian Bond. He co-wrote songs for and performed in Bridget Everett's one-hour Comedy Central special \u003cem\u003eGynecological Wonder\u003c\/em\u003e as well as Everett's hit show \u003cem\u003eRock Bottom. \u003c\/em\u003eHe also music directed Taylor Mac's Obie award-winning play \u003cem\u003eThe Lily's Revenge. \u003c\/em\u003eRay has released three albums as a leader: \u003cem\u003eWe Got It! \u003c\/em\u003e(2001), \u003cem\u003eLost In New York\u003c\/em\u003e (2006); and \u003cem\u003eSongs For the Anonymous\u003c\/em\u003e (2013).\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 128\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.1 x 8.7 x 5.8 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 10, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47450080510201,"sku":"9781636701882","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0789\/2782\/3097\/files\/4hhq6DJw3R9781636701882.webp?v=1772046805","url":"https:\/\/bookscloud.io\/products\/the-hang-paperback","provider":"BooksCloud Book Dropshipping","version":"1.0","type":"link"}