American Buffalo is a play by David Mamet, published in 1975 and dealing with themes of betrayal, greed and miscommunication. The story centers on Don, Bobby and Teach who are plotting to steal a rare coin back from a man whom Don sold from his junk shop. Originally getting Bobby to commit the heist, Don is later convinced to have the more experienced Teach do it. After Bobby returns to the store trying to sell a very similar coin but refusing to say where he got it, suspicions arise.
An American Tragedy is the story of Clyde Griffiths, a young man raised by penniless religious fanatics. Clyde falls into a life of crime, flees his hometown, and becomes a foreman in the factory of his wealthy uncle. His uncle, though, does not permit him access to rarified social circles. Isolated and forbidden from interacting with the workers, Clyde begins clandestine romances with a poor worker and with a bored socialite. Eventually he murders the pregnant worker in an attempt to join high society, but he is caught and executed.
Angels in America is the story of WASP lawyer Prior Walter and those surrounding his life. Prior has just been diagnosed with AIDS, and his life crumbles over the course of the play while various subplots handle themes as diverse as McCarthyism, the Rosenberg trials, and religious prophecy. The play is a seminal work of the state of gay culture and closeted culture in middle-class America, as well as a unique look at San Franciscos's history.