Paris, 1673. The young King Louis XIV grants performance space to a new theatre company, its manager Madeleine Bejart, and its brilliant playwright-director MOLIERE. Putting aside his penchant for tragedy, Moliere employs comic satire to mock the pretense and venality of the age; setting aside his longtime lover Madeleine, he marries her lovely young sister, Armande, thereby creating the first of two problematic love-triangles. Montfleury, leader of a rival troupe, plagues Moliere throughout; yet the playwright's most formidable antagonist is the Church, which condemns acting and urges his Majesty to ban "Tartuffe," a play that apparent ridicules religion. Serious confrontation ensues, as Moliere struggles with his vocational agenda and private life as well. But comedy pervades much of GOD OF LAUGHTER, from subtle verbal humor to hilarious farce. Eccentric characters abound, from Moliere's feisty, interfering maid to the pompous Montfleury and the vain, snobbish Theresa du Park. Issues of artistic integrity, ambition, loyalty, betrayal, and forgiveness are explored, leading to a coompelling climax and denouement. GOD OF LAUGHTER won first place in the 2003 national coompetiton for full-length plays sponsored by CITA (USA).