Pedro Bloch, a Brazilian playwright and physician who had one Broadway credit — a four-performance run of Conscience in 1952 — died of a lung disorder Feb. 23, 2004, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to the Associated Press. Dr. Bloch was 89. Besides Conscience, which starred Maurice Schwartz on Broadway, he wrote 20 other plays, including The Hands of Eurydice, which was translated into many languages and performed in 40 countries, AP reported.

AP characterized his work as monologues, "often dealing with the psychological isolation of modern life."

His play, Dona Xepa, concerned the disparity between rich and poor in Brazil. The play inspired a TV soap opera.

Dr. Bloch was born in the Ukraine and his family came to Brazil when he was a child, fleeing persecution for being Jewish. His wife, Miriam, survives him.