playwrightsusanmiddaugh
Master Theft
Master Theft is a two-act dramatic comedy about the theft of a painting by Marc Chagall from the home of a Jewish philanthropist and the journey the painting takes before it comes back home. The play shows what happens when a valuable painting falls into the hands of a wide array of characters – drug dealers and street punks, a crooked pawn shop owner, a gigolo who thinks he’s an artist, a baggage handler at Kennedy Airport, a wealthy New York real estate developer and his estranged wife, and a sexy social climber from the wrong side of the tracks. In some mysterious way, each one of them, including the private detective who is hired to locate the stolen Chagall, is touched by this painting.
The second level of Master Theft reveals how the characters in the play view art and what the painting means to them. The play has a multi-racial cast of 16 characters: 11m, 5w. Some characters may play more than one part; in this way, the cast may be reduced to 8. The author has made some recommendations about how that might work.
Approximate running time: 90 minutes
Technical requirements: the use of simple props to indicate a change of scene is suggested.
Cast of characters
Jake Greenberg, a banker in his early 30's
Luisa, a Mexican cleaning lady, in her late 50's
Paul O'Mara, a middle aged private detective; he is black
Jorge, Luisa's grandson, in his late 20's, a hophead
Lionel, a street punk, late 20's
Danny, also a street punk, late 20's
Mel, a not very successful pawnbroker, 30's
Felipe, a gigolo who thinks he's an artist, 30's
Mamie, Felipe's rich, sexy girlfriend, 30's
Larry Turpin, a rich businessman, late 50's
Alma, his wife, a woman in her 40's
Moshe and Rachel Greenberg, in their 60's, Jake's parents
Baggage Handler, early 20's, male
Tom Goodwin, Mr. Turpin's lawyer, late 40's
Woman, an attractive museum patron, any age
Members of the cast may play more than one part. My recommendations are as follows: Luisa and Woman Museum Patron; Lionel and Baggage Handler; Danny and O’Mara; Tom Goodwin, Felipe, and Jorge; Mamie and Alma; Moshe and Mel; Jake Greenberg and Larry Turpin. In doing so, the cast will require eight actors instead of 16.
The second level of Master Theft reveals how the characters in the play view art and what the painting means to them. The play has a multi-racial cast of 16 characters: 11m, 5w. Some characters may play more than one part; in this way, the cast may be reduced to 8. The author has made some recommendations about how that might work.
Approximate running time: 90 minutes
Technical requirements: the use of simple props to indicate a change of scene is suggested.
Cast of characters
Jake Greenberg, a banker in his early 30's
Luisa, a Mexican cleaning lady, in her late 50's
Paul O'Mara, a middle aged private detective; he is black
Jorge, Luisa's grandson, in his late 20's, a hophead
Lionel, a street punk, late 20's
Danny, also a street punk, late 20's
Mel, a not very successful pawnbroker, 30's
Felipe, a gigolo who thinks he's an artist, 30's
Mamie, Felipe's rich, sexy girlfriend, 30's
Larry Turpin, a rich businessman, late 50's
Alma, his wife, a woman in her 40's
Moshe and Rachel Greenberg, in their 60's, Jake's parents
Baggage Handler, early 20's, male
Tom Goodwin, Mr. Turpin's lawyer, late 40's
Woman, an attractive museum patron, any age
Members of the cast may play more than one part. My recommendations are as follows: Luisa and Woman Museum Patron; Lionel and Baggage Handler; Danny and O’Mara; Tom Goodwin, Felipe, and Jorge; Mamie and Alma; Moshe and Mel; Jake Greenberg and Larry Turpin. In doing so, the cast will require eight actors instead of 16.
Black Widows
This is a cautionary tale about two Los Angeles women in their 70s who are crooks. The play opens as Vera Krabitz and Gwen Halsted are stealing cash and credit cards from hotel locker rooms. Gwen is afraid of getting caught and suggests they come up with a new scam. Vera and Gwen befriend a couple of homeless men they meet through a church soup kitchen. They give the men a place to live, take out multiple life insurance policies on them and name themselves as beneficiaries, then kill the men in hit and run accidents. Will they get caught? What impact will they have on one another? Regrets?
Cast of Characters
Vera Krabitz, 72, landlord and thief, widow, speaks in a Russian accent
Gwen Halsted, 73, thief, divorced
John McArdle, 55, homeless Vietnam Vet, amputee
Panhandler, feisty, male, any age
Auctioneer, male, any age
Moe Goodman, 35, LA detective
Security Guard, Hispanic male, any age
Lloyd, early 50s, homeless man
Process Server, male, any age
Female water aerobics instructor, any age
Morgue Attendant, female, any age
Shelly the insurance agent, female, late 20’s-early 30s
With doubling, the cast of characters would look like this:
Vera Krabitz
Gwen Halsted
John McArdle/Panhandler/Auctioneer
Moe Goodman/Security Guard
Lloyd/Process Server
Female water aerobics instructor/Morgue Attendant/Shelly the insurance agent
Time: early 2000s
Place: Los Angeles
Production Requirements
The stage consists of three playing areas. The largest is a studio apartment on Skid Row. The second space serves outdoor locations and the third indoor locations. The playwright encourages the use of simple props and minimal furniture to suggest each setting and change of scene.
Cast of Characters
Vera Krabitz, 72, landlord and thief, widow, speaks in a Russian accent
Gwen Halsted, 73, thief, divorced
John McArdle, 55, homeless Vietnam Vet, amputee
Panhandler, feisty, male, any age
Auctioneer, male, any age
Moe Goodman, 35, LA detective
Security Guard, Hispanic male, any age
Lloyd, early 50s, homeless man
Process Server, male, any age
Female water aerobics instructor, any age
Morgue Attendant, female, any age
Shelly the insurance agent, female, late 20’s-early 30s
With doubling, the cast of characters would look like this:
Vera Krabitz
Gwen Halsted
John McArdle/Panhandler/Auctioneer
Moe Goodman/Security Guard
Lloyd/Process Server
Female water aerobics instructor/Morgue Attendant/Shelly the insurance agent
Time: early 2000s
Place: Los Angeles
Production Requirements
The stage consists of three playing areas. The largest is a studio apartment on Skid Row. The second space serves outdoor locations and the third indoor locations. The playwright encourages the use of simple props and minimal furniture to suggest each setting and change of scene.
Not in Service
How and where do Americans develop a sense of community? If a community is simply a group of people who learn to care about one another, then that sense of belonging can happen anywhere, even in the most unlikely and humble of places – the public bus. Not in Service tells the story of three people of different races and backgrounds who meet as the result of a bus accident during a cold week in January in Baltimore. It is the story of Theresa Aguilar, a young Filippino American student who is putting herself through college; Donald Green, a 19-year-old African-American who needs to change jobs; and bus driver Henry Maxwell, a widower in his early 60's.The action of the play centers around Theresa’s efforts to help Donald find a job as a way of thanking him for helping her in the aftermath of the accident. It is also about the resistance she receives from Donald and her family.
Not in Service has five characters and runs just over 60 minutes. The use of simple props and sound effects to suggest settings is encouraged.
Not in Service has five characters and runs just over 60 minutes. The use of simple props and sound effects to suggest settings is encouraged.
A Modern Pas de Deux
A Modern Pas de Deux is a dramatic comedy about a middle-aged man and woman who meet by accident at a singles’ dance.
Pickles Amalfitano and Paul Quinn's romance reflects man and woman's yearning to find the right partner in life. Paul, a 48-year-old bachelor, has dated many women, but he hasn't loved any of them. Pickles, 50, a self-employed house painter, believes that sculpting will fulfill her. Are they too set in their ways to acknowledge their need for one another? Will an irascible bartender, who considers himself a love coach, have an impact on Paul’s decision? Will Pickles’s sister Belle persuade her to go out with Paul? What will happen to Pickles when Belle goes to Israel?
A Modern Pas De Deux has five characters: two men and three women. The settings are a room off a dance floor, a sculptor's studio, and a neighborhood bar.
Pickles Amalfitano and Paul Quinn's romance reflects man and woman's yearning to find the right partner in life. Paul, a 48-year-old bachelor, has dated many women, but he hasn't loved any of them. Pickles, 50, a self-employed house painter, believes that sculpting will fulfill her. Are they too set in their ways to acknowledge their need for one another? Will an irascible bartender, who considers himself a love coach, have an impact on Paul’s decision? Will Pickles’s sister Belle persuade her to go out with Paul? What will happen to Pickles when Belle goes to Israel?
A Modern Pas De Deux has five characters: two men and three women. The settings are a room off a dance floor, a sculptor's studio, and a neighborhood bar.
