Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music

by Lee Blessing

Eve Wilfong, who lives over the "Nice People Dancing to Good Country Music Bar," is paid a visit by her niece Catherine Empanger, a novice nun who's been asked to leave her convent. It seems Catherine suffers from a curious compulsion to yell obscenities at the wrong moment, and even, on occasion, bark like a dog. Roy, an honest if simple fellow from the bar downstairs, wants to court Catherine whether she's a nun or not. Eve feels she should give her niece the benefit of her experiences with men before allowing her to venture back into the mad modern country world. What follows is not simply comic and well-observed, but romantic and affecting as well. (Formerly existed as two one-act plays under the titles, TOYS FOR MEN and NICE PEOPLE DANCING TO GOOD COUNTRY MUSIC.)

Genres: Plays

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Meagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for my theatre class because I was doing a monologue of Eve from this play. I have to say though I enjoyed with monologue much more than the play itself. By the end of the play nothing seemed to be resolved and was made worse by the final few pages of the play. The play was also confusing especially in the beginning. I dunno, it just wasn't my style of play.

[Lydia Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually loved this. Awesome monologues

[IReadPlays · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 🌟
~

A simple play that spans a single afternoon in a bar somewhere in Houston called “Nice Peope Dancing to Good Country Music.” No really. That’s the bar’s name. Lol) Roy (a bumbling regular at the bar) is interested in the bar owners’ niece named Catherine who also happens to be an ex novice that’s been put on leave from her convent for swearing too much. Roy and Catherine both individually seek out advice from Jim and Eva, the bar owners with a whirlwind romance story of their own.
~
It’s a delicious, heartfelt play that also comes with a stacked country playlist. As Catherine tries to navigate her new identity outside of being a nun, the dialogue is as comforting as it is funny…none of us really know what we’re doing, do we?

@ireadplays IG / @ireadplaysblog TIKTOK