Christopher Hunt as Gordon in the ATP playRites premier production of the play in 1994.
I wrote Some Assembly Required in my home town of Regina, Saskatchewan back in 1993. Thanks to a serendipitous meeting with Bob White who was then at Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary, the play was developed at ATP, first as a Platform Play reading in 1993 and then as a playRites play in 1994. It was first published by Coteau Books in Regina and in 1995 was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award in Drama. ATP remounted it in 1996 as part of their 25th Anniversary Season. In 2000 it was translated into French as Noel de Force and produced by Compagnie Jean Duceppe in Montreal.
Up until 2013, it was produced at least once a year by some theatre, somewhere. All in all, this would add up to around a hundred productions or so, quite honestly I lost track long ago. I suppose you can put it down to the populist nature of my writing, but these productions have been more in the domain of Little Theatres and university drama departments across Canada and some in the US, While it’s had numerous productions in smaller centres in Ontario (if, for example, Ottawa can be said to be a smaller centre) it’s never been produced in Toronto.
At its core, it’s a simple but quirky story of an extremely dysfunctional family trying to put together some kind of Christmas for themselves. What I have heard again and again both from cast and crew and audience members is “How could you possibly know what my family is like?”
I guess the thing we learned from producing the play is that at some level, all families are dysfunctional, which can be denied year round, but harder not to come to grips with at Christmas time.
Despite its success as a book, Coteau never did a reprint, but thankfully Broadview Press published it in 2002 (cover pictured above) and it can be ordered through them at broadviewpress.com.
eugene stickland 
Hi Eugene,,
I have been researching Saskatchewan playwrights, as I am a board member of a non-profit community theatre group based in Moose Jaw and we are looking to put on a one-act play in our small library theatre. I was wondering what the runtime and cast look like for Some Assembly Required. I do know that you have Closer & Closer Apart, as well as Yard Sale listed on here as one-acts, but I thought that this play might be a contender if it had a smaller cast. Please let me know.
Thanks,
Cassidy
Hi Cassidy,
Thanks for your interest. Some Assembly Required is a full length play with a cast of five. There would be no way to condense it into a one act. FYI, it has had over 100 productions since I wrote it in 1994. I do have a one act play titled Closer and Closer Apart that might be of interest, a two hander between an older male and younger female (father and daughter). It can be found in my book No Harm Done available through Durvile Publishers in Calgary. I hope this helps. Take care!
Eugene
Hey Eugene, Mike here…..could this be a radio play for xmas 2021? Loved it when we saw it in Edmonton way back…….
Mike D
Hi Mike,
Sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner. I’d let the old blog slide and finally getting back to maintaining it. How are you guys doing? With Tom gone I no longer receive updates on your status. I hope all is well. And I guess anything could be a radio play. Sadly there doesn’t seem to be much market for them anymore. Take care,
Eugene
Broadview whatever.
Please.
Looking for this.
Some Assembly Required.
Broadview Press should have it. Sorry for the late, late, ridiculously late reply.
E
Need to get your script. Christmas. 2020.
I need to do your play, upcoming is Christmas. 2020
Good evening
I am starting a new community theatre group here in Abbotsford and I would love to direct this play for our first show.
I have an idea to stage it other than the standard box set construction
Who do i contact for performance royalties info
I loved the play as I played Dad a few years ago at Surrey Little Theatre. The audiences loved it
Regards
Jim Harrison
Hi Jim,
Awesome! Glad you want to do my play. I hold the rights and don’t have an agent so we can do it directly. Just email me and we can go from there. eugenius@telusplanet.net.
Talk to you soon.
Eugene
How do I get a copy of this script?
Hi,
It should be available through Broadview Press (broadviewpress.com). If you have any trouble getting it, please let me know. Thanks!
ES