William Inge: A Research and Production Sourcebook by Richard M. Leeson; Greenwood, 1994

Inge remained at Stephens College for five years teaching dramatics and play production, and was there befriended by the retired stage actress-turned teacher Maude Adams. No doubt her experience and enthusiasm for the professional theatre helped Inge, who was still somewhat emotionally unstable and beginning to drink, cope with his teaching duties. However, his depression and yearning for a career other than teaching were too real, and after a minor breakdown, he began to write, if for no other reason, as a way to alleviate his personal anxieties. While none of his early pieces was published, the experience of writing them no doubt helped prepare him for the next step in his professional life .

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