Bo Eason’s powerful solo play Runt of the Litter, performed by Eason and directed by Larry Moss, is soon to be a major motion picture.
The play looks at what happens to two brothers in a family of over-achievers: when their parents assure their oldest son he is destined for football stardom, while their youngest son appears too small to compete, a line in the family sand is drawn that colors the rest of their lives. Runt of the Litter is, in fact, a semi-autobiographical account of Bo Eason’s life and career as a safety for the Houston Oilers in the 1980s. His determination and killer instincts on the playing field remain the stuff of legend. His brother, Tony Eason was the quarterback who led the New England Patriots to the Super Bowl in 1986. Though resolutely American in its themes (the competitiveness and violence of sports, sibling rivalry, underdog makes good), it also contains elements of ritual theater and blood sacrifice that give the material a mythic resonance and power. This is a superb and substantive one-man show by Eason, who gives a sexy, tough, charismatic performance of size and scope. The show cuts across all demographics and has an across-the-board appeal for everyone, from sports enthusiasts to hardcore theater lovers.
“One of the most powerful plays about sports in the last decade…. closer to Death of a Salesman than it is to Rocky…a tale of modern gladiators, obsession, testosterone, and revenge.” - The New York Times
Who’s Who
BO EASON (Playwright/performer — Jack Henry) was a professional football player in the National Football League, playing defensive safety for the Houston Oilers for five seasons from 1984-89. After retiring from football, he pursued his longtime interest in becoming an actor, appearing in the film “Pride and Glory” opposite Edward Norton and Colin Farrell, as well as in “A Bright Shining Lie,” “ER” and “Boston Grace.” RUNT OF THE LITTER marked his writing debut, premiering in Houston followed by a successful Off-Broadway run at the MCC Theatre in New York in 2002 and returned to New York in 2007. Bo is currently adapting RUNT OF THE LITTER as a feature film to be directed by Frank Darabont (“The Shawshank Redemption,” “The Green Mile”). He has also written a screenplay based on the 1924 US Olympic Rugby Team to be produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s production company. Apian Way. His next project is a remake of the 1977 movie, “Something for Joey,” the true story of Heisman Trophy winner John Cappellitti. For the past ten years Bo has been training as an actor and writer with such notable professionals in those fields as Roy London, Cameron Thor, Jean-Louis Rodrigue, Patsy Rodenberg, and Larry Moss.
LARRY MOSS(Director) Moss directed Pamela Gien’s THE SYRINGA TREE (2001 Obie Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award); Bo Eason’s RUNT OF THE LITTER at Manhattan Class Company in January 2002 and when it re-opened in November 2007 at 37 Arts Theatre. Richard Hellersen’s DOS CORAZONES both as a play and film; Premiere of a new musical JAM starring Clint Holmes; Jack Holmes’s RFK (Drama League Award); Josh Jonas’s CAPTURE NOW, Richard Kalinoski’s BEAST ON THE MOON; John Osborne’s EPITAPH FOR GEORGE DILLON which he recently work-shopped in New York for the first time in fifty years, Michael Raynor’s WHO IS FLOYD STEARN; A revival of John Patrick Shanley’s BEGGARS IN THE HOUSE OF PLENTY in Los Angeles; Michael Stewart’s I LOVE MY WIFE starring Jason Alexander at The Reprise Theater in Los Angeles, Richard Vetere’s HOW TO GO OUT ON A DATE IN QUEENS and April Daisy White‘s SUGAR; He will be directing RELATIVE INSANITY, a new movie which begins shooting summer 2010.
Mr. Moss is one of the master teachers on Triple Sensation, which airs on CBC in Canada. His book on Acting THE INTENT TO LIVE was released by Bantam Dell in 2004.
