5th of july : a play

L. Wilson

This is part of the Talley Trilogy, a series plays revolving around the Talley family of Lebanon, Missouri and focuses on the disillusionment with America in the wake of the Vietnam War. The other plays are Talley's Folly and Talley & Son. Kenneth Talley, Jr. is a gay paraplegic Vietnam veteran, living in his childhood home with his boyfriend, botanist Jed Jenkins. Visiting Ken and Jed are Ken's sister, June Talley, and her daughter, Shirley, as well as Ken and June's longtime friends, John Landis and his wife Gwen. Unbeknownst to anyone but June, John and Ken, Shirley is John's daughter, and his visit has much to do with a desire to gain joint custody of Shirley.