The 27 short plays that comprise the entirety of the Metropolitan Operas were commissioned in 1985 by The Circle Repertory Company in New York City and produced in three-evening cycles, under the title Rapid Fire. In 1995, Dolphinback of Chicago presented the entire 27-play collection in marathon, day-long productions under the title American Divine. The pieces focus on the  “saints and sinners and the dreamers and destroyers of Pintauro’s sacred and profane world. There are bursts of unforgettable poetry.  Pintauro’s greatest strength is his poetic impulse--a lush blend of lyricism and mean streets rage.  All of Pintauro's characters are torn between sinning and penitence”(Chicago Sun-Times).