Jerry Kaufman,
The Idea Man
by Elizabeth Perry

A paragraph you say
Is it possible
A paragraph about Jerry?
Is that possible?
This man who dreams in sagas?
Well, he’d say, I’m an Idea Man

Endless spinning, sculpting, supposing…
Ideas, imaginings, preposterous,
Presumptuous, unrestrained
You, Jerry, a paragraph?
How do you contain
An Idea Man

The tumult of thought
Here’s a tip
Write this down
Make a list
Get on the phone
In that cub reporter tone

Not so fast, Jerry
But I’m an Idea Man

You tossed them out like
Rice at a wedding
Tickertape on a parade
And then swept up like leaves
In a gust of autumn
They spiraled about you
The ideas, damn good ones,
As you took off
For unknown parts

A paragraph, she asked
Oh no this is not, no not
A minor tribute to
An Idea Man
Sometimes a tome
Must be condensed to a poem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos

click on picture for larger image

Anita Keal and James DeLorenzo	John Beebout and Kathryn Grant
James DeLorenzo, Deb Armelino, Marie Wallace, Frank DeGregorio	Elowyn Castle, Nellie Evans and Kathryn Grant
Erica Kaplan	Erik Baker and James DeLorenzo
Susan and Fran Handman	Joe Sicari and Hershey Miller
John Beebout and Carla Brandberg	Julius and Hermione Landau
Kathryn Grant and Terri Campion	Lauren Robert
Jean Michelle Grier and Lyric Watson	Phyllis MacBryde and Lyric Watson
Steve Axelrod and Eddie Jones	Frank DeGregorio and Hershey Miller

Archive of Plays by Jerry Kaufman

A prolific writer, Jerry Kaufman left behind a sizeable collection of his plays, ideas, and theater memorabilia. Please click on the following links to read excerpts of his work and his full-length plays. Go to archives