''Mastergate'' is a play by

Larry Gelbart Larry Simon Gelbart (February 25, 1928 – September 11, 2009) was an American television writer, playwright, screenwriter, director and author, most famous as a creator and producer of the television series ''M*A*S*H'', and as co-writer of the B ...

, which he describes as "A Play On Words". The title refers to a fictional political scandal enacted on "Master Pictures Studios", a fictional movie company that is actually a cover for arms trading. The title of the play also references other real-life political scandals, such as Watergate and others subsequently given the suffix -gate.

Plot summary

The play is set in the Sherman Adams Room at the John Mitchell Building in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The "Select Joint Congressional Committee Investigating Alleged Covert Arms Assistance to Alleged Other Americas" investigates the CIA's attempt to divert arms to Central American guerrillas through a motion picture company's high-budget action film, entitled "Tet." (a reference to the

Tet Offensive The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the force ...

) ''Mastergate'' is a

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming ...

on congressional investigative committee hearings that took place during the

McCarthy Era McCarthyism is the practice of making false or unfounded accusations of subversion and treason, especially when related to anarchism, communism and socialism, and especially when done in a public and attention-grabbing manner. The term origina ...

, on the Watergate investigation, and on the Iran-Contra affair. In his opening address, the chairman explains that the purpose of the hearings is to find out what the president knew and if he had any idea of the affair. The satire employs many aspects of rhetoric and word-play, including puns,

malapropism A malapropism (also called a malaprop, acyrologia, or Dogberryism) is the mistaken use of an incorrect word in place of a word with a similar sound, resulting in a nonsensical, sometimes humorous utterance. An example is the statement attributed to ...

, mixed metaphors, tautology and Washington double-speak. The playwright said of his work that it is "First and foremost...a play about language. It's not for me to discover that politicians are corrupt or full of hot air. It's really about what they and television have done to the way we speak and the way we listen." The play uncovers aspects of the absurd in the working life of government employees; for example, it portrays a non-meeting, a non-discussion, and people being present in the minutes of the meeting despite not attending. It has been argued that several of the characters have real-life counterparts, for example, Major Manley Battle may be based on

Oliver North Oliver Laurence North (born October 7, 1943) is an American political commentator, television host, military historian, author, and retired United States Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. A veteran of the Vietnam War, North was a National Secu ...

Characters

* ''The committee:'' ** Merry Chase, a reporter for TNN (Total Network News) ** Archer Bowman, the committee chairman ** Oral Proctor, a congressman who had been elected for thirty terms ** Shepherd Hunter, the chief general counsel for the Combined Permanent Sub-Committee ** Representative Byers ** Senator Knight ** Representative Sellers *''The witnesses:'' ** Stuart Butler, a Department of Justice employee and acting assistant to the acting assistant deputy attorney general ** Foster Child, Butler’s attorney of the fictional law firm 'Prior, Pastor, Priest and Pope' ** Senator Abel Lamb ** Nat Picker, his attorney of the fictional law firm 'Block, Stall, Wilde and Wilder' ** Courtleigh Bishop, Secretary of State ** Major Manley Battle ** Lance Boyle, Battle’s attorney ** Vice President Dale Burden ** Wily Slaughter, director of the CIA

Performance History

''Original Broadway Run''
Criterion Centre Stage Right
First Preview: September 22, 1989
Opening Date: October 12, 1989
Closing Date: December 10, 1989
Previews: 23
Performances: 69 ''Original Production Credits''
Larry Gelbart ''Writer''
Michael Engler ''Director''
Philipp Jung ''Scenic Design''
Candice Donnelly ''Costume Design''
Stephen Strawbridge ''Lighting Design''
Marc Salzberg ''Sound Design'' The play was filmed for television in 1992. The production used the Emerald Room of the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles as a backdrop to the hearings. The play was recorded by

L.A. Theatre Works L.A. Theatre Works (LATW) is a not-for-profit American media arts organization based in Los Angeles founded in 1984. The intent of the organization is to produce, preserve, and distribute classic and contemporary plays of significance. Along with i ...

during their 1991-1992 season with a cast including Walter Matthau and

Harold Gould Harold Vernon Goldstein (December 10, 1923 – September 11, 2010), better known as Harold Gould, was an American character actor. He appeared as Martin Morgenstern on the sitcom ''Rhoda'' (1974–78) and Miles Webber on the sitcom ''The Golden ...

Reviews of ''Mastergate''

Positive reviews included that of

Jack Kroll John Kroll (''ca.'' 1926 – June 8, 2000) was a ''Newsweek'' drama and film critic. His career spanned 37 years – more than half the publication's existence. Biography Kroll was born in Manhattan. His mother was an Earl Carroll showgirl and ...

in ''Newsweek'', who wrote, "If George Orwell were a gag writer, he could have written ''Mastergate''. Larry Gelbart's scathingly funny takeoff on the Iran-Contra hearings is a spiky cactus flower in the desert of American political theatre." Similarly,

Frank Rich Frank Hart Rich Jr. (born 1949) is an American essayist and liberal op-ed columnist, who held various positions within ''The New York Times'' from 1980 to 2011. He has also produced television series and documentaries for HBO. Rich is curren ...

of ''The New York Times'' wrote, "When ''Mastergate'' is funny, it is very funny. When it is not, it still stands up for a patriotic integrity beyond the understanding of the clowns who parade across its national stage." By contrast, Howard Kissel of the ''Daily News'', wrote "If you think the title is funny, you'll probably enjoy ''Mastergate.'' If you find it adolescent, which I'm afraid I do, stay home and read Mark Twain on politics." Likewise, Linda Winer of ''Newsday'' wrote, "''Mastergate'' is a one-joke extended sketch that, unfortunately, never manages the leap to dramatic - much less philosophical - revelation of much we didn't already know. Nevertheless, the joke is a very good one, performed with deadpan delight by deft imitators."

Awards

* Outer Critics Circle 1990 Special Award: Larry Gelbart - (Winner) * 1990 Theatre World Award: Daniel von Bargen - (Winner)

Adaptation

A film was made in 1992 based on the play. The film was directed by

Michael Engler Michael Engler is an American theater director, and a Directors Guild of America and Emmy nominated television director and producer. Theater His Broadway credits include '' Eastern Standard'', starring Dylan Baker, Patricia Clarkson, Kevin Con ...

and written by

and produced by David Jablin.

Cast

Main

Tim Reid Timothy Lee Reid (born December 19, 1944) is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978–82), Marcel "Downtown" Brown ...

as Chip Chatworth *

Marcia Strassman Marcia Ann Strassman (April 28, 1948 – October 24, 2014) was an American actress and singer. She played Nurse Margie Cutler on ''M*A*S*H'', Julie Kotter on '' Welcome Back, Kotter'', and Diane Szalinski in the film ''Honey, I Shrunk the Ki ...

as Merry Chase *

Buck Henry Buck Henry (born Henry Zuckerman; December 9, 1930 – January 8, 2020) was an American actor, screenwriter, and director. Henry's contributions to film included his work as a co-writer for Mike Nichols's ''The Graduate'' (1967) for which he r ...

as Clay Fielder *

Richard Kiley Richard Paul Kiley (March 31, 1922 – March 5, 1999) was an American stage, film and television actor and singer. He is best known for his distinguished theatrical career in which he twice won the Tony Award for Best Actor In A Musical. Kiley ...

as Archer Bowman * Ed Begley Jr. as Steward Butler *

David Ogden Stiers David Allen Ogden Stiers ( ; October 31, 1942 – March 3, 2018) was an American actor and conductor. He appeared in numerous productions on Broadway, and originated the role of Feldman in '' The Magic Show'', in which he appeared for fou ...

as Shepherd Hunter * Henry Jones as Oral Proctor *

Bruno Kirby Bruno Kirby (born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu Jr.; April 28, 1949 – August 14, 2006) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in ''City Slickers'', '' When Harry Met Sally...'', '' Good Morning, Vietnam'', ''The Godfather Part II'', and ...

as Abel Lamb *

Jerry Orbach Jerome Bernard Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) was an American actor and singer, described at the time of his death as "one of the last'' bona fide'' leading men of the Broadway musical and global celebrity on television" and a " ...

as Clifton Byers *

Ken Howard Kenneth Joseph Howard Jr. (March 28, 1944 – March 23, 2016) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as Thomas Jefferson in '' 1776'' and as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in the television show '' The Wh ...

as Courtleigh Bishop *

Pat Morita Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was an American actor and comedian. He was known for his roles as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on '' Happy Days'', Mr. Miyagi in ''The Karate Kid'' film series, Captain Sam Pak on the sitc ...

as Kevin Naito * James Coburn as Major Manley Battle * Darren McGavin as Folsom Bunting * Robert Guillaume as Sydley Sellers *

Dennis Weaver William Dennis Weaver (June 4, 1924 – February 24, 2006) was an American actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, best known for his work in television and films from the early 1950s until just before his death in 2006. Weave ...

as V.P. Dale Burden *

Burgess Meredith Oliver Burgess Meredith (November 16, 1907 – September 9, 1997) was an American actor and filmmaker whose career encompassed theater, film, and television. Active for more than six decades, Meredith has been called "a virtuosic actor" and "on ...

as Wiley Slaughter

Supporting

* Mark L. Taylor as Foster Child *

Ron Vawter Ron Vawter (December 9, 1948 – April 16, 1994) was an American actor and a founding member of the experimental theater company The Wooster Group. Vawter performed in most of the group's works until his death from a heart attack in 1994 at the a ...

as Nat Picker *

Louis Giambalvo Louis Giambalvo (born February 8, 1945) is an American actor, frequently seen on television in guest roles. Early life and education Giambalvo was born and raised in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City, where he attended Ca ...

as Lance Boil * Ben Stein as Marvin Rotweiler *

Hy Averback Hyman Jack Averback (October 21, 1920 – October 14, 1997) was an American radio, television, and film actor who eventually became a producer and director. Early years Born in Minneapolis, Averback moved to California with his family when he w ...

as TNN announcer * Lynn Sellers as Mrs. Abel Lamb

References

{{reflist, 30em Political drama Plays set in the United States Works by Larry Gelbart