The smoking issue is topical and affects all of us – we are all either smokers or non-smokers. California, Maine, Delaware, Florida, Boston, New York City, among other cities and states, have adopted some sort of smoking ban. Italy, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Australia, The Netherlands, Sweden, Hong Kong, India, Iran and Russia have followed suit; Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2006; London by 2008. And most recently, the Westin Hotel chain has banned smoking from all its hotels throughout North America, Canada and the Caribbean.

Please pay special attention to the Author’s Notes that accompany the script regarding Stan’s scene entrances. Also, though some revisions were made for the publication of this play, you are welcome to be liberal with the use of obscenities. This, of course, will depend on the venue in which Stan’s Addiction is performing. Stan would like it that way.

One note on the set – it can be as simple or as elaborate as your budget affords. The supermarket, for instance, can be represented downstage center with Aubrey pushing a shopping cart and Stan holding a small tote. Use your imagination.

With regards to incidental music, I have included a list of songs whose subject matter – smoking and cigarettes – would fit nicely before and after the play, during intermission, or for scene changes. The final choice of any music; however, remains with the director. At the time of publication, I secured permission from the artists whose songs are noted with an asterisk(*). As always, each production is responsible for securing the rights to all other music used: “Smoke Dreams," k.d. lang; “My Last Cigarette,” k.d. lang; “Smoke Rings,” k.d. lang; “Love Is Like A Cigarette,” k.d. lang; “Hymn for the Cigarette,” Hefner; “Cigarette State," Robbie Fulks*; “Cigarette,” Ben Folds Five; “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk,” Rufus Wainwright; "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (That Cigarette)," Commander Cody*; “Make It Rain," Tom Waits; (To be used as audience exits the theater - after the ANNOUNCER fades out.) Both the song lyrics from Brian Wilson’s “A Day In The Life Of A Tree” and the title song, “Aubrey” by David Gates have been given their legal copyright credit within the context of the play. It is the director’s ultimate decision whether or not to play “Aubrey” as indicated in the script; and therefore, the director will assume all Performance Rights and royalty responsibilities which may be forthcoming, for either song title.

I would appreciate ANY publicity – newspaper clippings, reviews, playbills - generated from the production of Stan’s Addiction. You are welcome to contact me via Heuer Publishing if you have any questions or concerns.

Good luck with the show and have fun!