Years before the movie TOOTSIE was released the author provided substantial planning, copyrightable story telling, characters, and much dialogue for it; acknowledged by its producer/director, the late, great Sydney Pollack. Uncle Sammy makes extended and more serious fun of that 1982 comedy classic; way beyond the situation comedy of gender roles.
A stage actor, Samuel, due to a nomination for best supporting actor in his ONLY movie role, confronts a movie business, which may not be big enough for his very own "self"-image.
His world awry over problems about one of his old, mixed-gender, images and worldly matters, past and present, he makes and works on a three-picture movie pact, while insistingly trying to cure the world.
The movie scripts are of questionable authorship. - An intellectual property issue for all concerned.
Three of his girl friends become increasingly involved in his business and personal life, causing convolutions about relations; professional and intimate; serious and farcical.
Yvonne assists Gerri, talent agency CEO and caretaker of Samuel and his writer friend. A better employment opportunity exists for Yvonne with the studio chief and studio operating officer. So, she masquerades as Ivan to increase her chances of getting the job on her own merits, rather than through a prior, intimate relationship with the chief's nephew, Simon, who is a confidante of the studio's operating officer.
Jill uses a little, popular-actress's-leverage to get Gerri to recommend Yvonne to the studio. While seeking her own "new man."
Yvonne gets the studio job as Ivan. He must deal with promoting Samuel's image and fixing various issues. - A problem for their professional relations. While She dates him. - A delight for their growing intimate relations.
Leslie, who has been dating Samuel, seeks knowledge about a role for herself that hasn't been written and may not exist.
Yvonne and Samuel present a hair-raising solution to their conflicts about his image, and not so hair-raising solutions to worldly and heavenly concerns.
Leslie, Jill, and Yvonne, unaware of each other, arrive to spend the same night with Samuel in the apartment he shares with the writer. - A juggling act for the writer.
Simon, and Jill get together over matters of their understanding of good earthly and heavenly relations at a party celebrating the completion of the movies.
What are the "dramatic" topics?
Justice. Restitution. Righteous, charitable behavior. Fatherhood. Dignity, integrity, respect for privacy, and business good will. Keeping one's words worthy. Ethics. Corporate greed. The Citizen's United SCOTUS decision. Money and bribery in politics. Cyber and media misdeeds. Gratitude. Commitment. Consideration. Sovereignty of The Only God. Truth. And Peace. -- If that's too much: At its core Uncle Sammy is about love and ambition.
Fun, harmless glimpses at aspects of human nature with some life lessons; we are all such interesting and varied characters with the divine light of The Ineffable in common to help us accomplish work that benefits others, beyond our individual quirks and selfish-interests. That's life. And Theater.
In 2000, Ames Cushing, then William Morris West agent for Jason Alexander, expressed keen interest in the play, saying "there's only one problem," that Jason, was busy for two years.
One? We should all be so lucky!
