LOWELL, Mass. (October 10, 2012)--Beat Generation notables Jack Kerouac, Neal Cassady and Allen Ginsberg come to life this week in Kerouac's hometown of Lowell, Mass., in the first production of Kerouac’s only play.

"Beat Generation" takes its name from the group of writers whose works raged against the conformity and consumerism of the 1950s and offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of Kerouac and his compatriots as they booze, bet and banter.

Director Charles Towers describes the comedy as a "kind of goodbye to the friendship" that characterized Kerouac's famous novel "On The Road."

The play is being performed as a staged reading of sorts at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre with a set, props and costumes, but the actors carry their scripts.

It runs from Wednesday through Sunday.