AMERICAN PLAYS TWO THROUGH FIVE.

AMERICAN PLAYS TWO THROUGH FIVE. Mamet ranks the next American plays as: 2. “The Front Page”; 3. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”; 4. “A Streetcar Named Desire”; and 5. Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons.” With the apparent rule of one play per playwright, and after some reflection, I agree with Mamet’s choices, with the exception that I would choose “The Price” for my Arthur Miller play. (Terry Teachout agrees that “All My Sons” is better than “Death of a Salesman.”) I am especially pleased to see comedy recognized in the form of “The Front Page.” Not only is comedy too often passed over, but “The Front Page” captures a brash vernacular quality that is characteristic of American theater. Although I have only seen the movie, I was glad to see that Mamet gave “The Boys in the Band” recognition, ranking it number 8.