Act 1 Summary

The Shadow Box is a two-act play that showcases the lives of three terminally ill people and their families during one day at a special treatment hospital. The socially taboo subject of death and dying is placed in a symbolic shadow box for the audience to view while the human drama is enacted. The author was awarded both a Pulitzer Prize a Tony Award in 1977 for this work.

As the play opens, a man named Joe is seen in a cottage that could be mistaken for a vacation home on a beach. Also on the stage is a small area with a small stool that is suddenly lit up and draws Joe's attention. This area is called the "Interview Area." As Joe sees the light, he steps into this area and looks forward intently as the voice from an unseen person, the interviewer...