''The Boys Next Door'' is a play by Tom Griffin, first produced in the 1988/89 season.TOM GRIFFIN
at doollee.com, accessed 12 September 2014 Set in the Boston area, it deals with four men with various mental disabilities who live in a

group home A group home, congregate living facility, or care home (the latter especially in British English and Australian English) is a residence model of medical care for those with complex health needs. Traditionally, the model has been used for children ...

. It takes place over roughly a two-month period and consists of brief vignettes about the men's lives. The play provides a humorous commentary on the men's lives, taking a surprising turn as Barry's father comes to visit and as Jack (their caretaker) accepts a new job. It was adapted into a

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

in 1996 by

Hallmark Entertainment Halcyon Studios, LLC., formerly known as Sonar Entertainment, RHI Entertainment, Hallmark Entertainment, Qintex Entertainment, HRI Group and Robert Halmi Inc., is an American entertainment company specializing in the production and distribution ...

starring

Tony Goldwyn Anthony Howard Goldwyn (born May 20, 1960) is an American actor, singer, producer, director, and political activist. He made his debut appearing as Darren in the slasher film '' Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives'' (1986), and had his breakthr ...

, Courtney Vance,

Nathan Lane Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane; February 3, 1956) is an American actor. In a career spanning over 40 years he has been seen on stage and screen in roles both comedic and dramatic. Lane has received numerous awards including three Tony Awards, ...

, Robert Sean Leonard, and

Mare Winningham A mare is an adult female horse or other equine. In most cases, a mare is a female horse over the age of three, and a filly is a female horse three and younger. In Thoroughbred horse racing, a mare is defined as a female horse more than four y ...

Characters

* Arnold Wiggins is a man who lives with a mild mental disability and works at a movie theater as a janitor. He tends to be very obsessive-compulsive. He is hyperactive and talks constantly. He is also often abused by coworkers and afraid to fight back. When he becomes angry or scared, Wiggins repeats the word ;'nyеt;', meaning no in Russian, and threatens to run away to

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

. * Norman Bulansky is a middle-aged man with mental disabilities who works at a doughnut shop. Eating doughnuts at his job has caused him to become overweight. His girlfriend, Sheila, lives at another group home. Bulansky is very proud and possessive of a large ring of keys. * Lucien P. Smith is a large African-American man who faces extremely debilitating mental disorders. Despite the fact that he cannot read, Smith insists on checking out armloads of books from the library. He is at risk of losing his disability funds when the state senate accuses him of faking his mental condition. Smith does not understand what is around him when he goes to the " State Sneck", resulting in a profound scene. * Barry Klemper is a 28-year-old man with

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social w ...

who believes he is a pro golfer. He gets highly agitated over small things. This is partly because Barry has had a traumatic life growing up. Later in the story, when Klemper's abusive father visits him for the first time in years, the situation proves harmful to his mental condition. * Jack Palmer is the

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

for the four handicapped men. He has found himself increasingly burned out and is thinking about a new line of work. At the end of the play, Palmer leaves the men and becomes a travel agent. * Sheila is Norman's girlfriend. Like Norman, she faces mental disabilities. She is also obsessed with Norman's prized keys and is "no skinny minnie herself". * Mr. Klemper is Barry's abusive father. During the course of play, he decides to visit Barry while in the Boston area.

References

External links

*
''The Boys Next Door'' at Dramatist's Play Service, Inc.

Plays and musicals about disability Plays set in Massachusetts Off-Broadway plays 1988 plays American plays adapted into films {{1980s-play-stub