I wrote these two plays. THE FESTIAL QUARTET and REAL TRUE CRIME. They need a home. They’re quirky and personal and a bit eccentric. They’re not political, they don’t deal with social issues, they don’t really raise awareness of anything significant. But I like ’em. I wrote it after reading Chekhov. It’s like teen Chekhov in the 80s. I didn’t write them for Passage Theatre or for a youth ensemble or on commission or any of the other reasons I’ve written plays. I just wrote them ’cause I wanted to. REAL TRUE CRIME has had some great development work with the wonderful folks at Dreamcatcher Rep in Jersey as well as at The Hive in NY. I also had a great time working with Adam Immerwahr and theatre students at Rider University on the piece last year. FESTIAL QUARTET had a great reading at Bristol Riverside Theatre in Pennsylvania a few months ago (directed by Nick Anselmo), and at some point, we’ll do another reading at Writer’s Theatre of NJ.
This what they’re about –
THE FESTIAL QUARTET – (3M, 3W) When the best piano player at Festial High School dies, her friends (the titular quartet) gather together for a memorial service with Amy’s mom and the head of the local church youth group. Unfortunately, Amy was the glue that held the group together. As the choir begins to fall apart, the friendships begin to fracture. Secrets are revealed and world views are changed.
REAL TRUE CRIME – (3M, 3W) Maddie is divorced and working as a checkout clerk at Wawa. She never finished her thesis and is about to turn 40. She spends her days reading trashing true crime books and playing the lottery. When Charly holds her up at gunpoint and whisks her away, the two intend to embark on a crime spree. Instead they find themselves in a cabin with a college professor, a young punk rocker, a formerly famous child actor and a priceless comic book. Did I mention the guy in the penguin suit? There’s a guy in a penguin suit.
Both plays are waiting for a production. FESTIAL QUARTET is small, quiet, intimate – a good show for college age actors. It’s a play about young people, but it’s definitely not for young audiences. REAL TRUE CRIME is a farcical dark comedy. Big characters, lots of criminal activity and a scene where everyone drops acid. While they’re in nice shape just as they are, I’d also welcome the chance to do rewrites with a director and actors. If they sound interesting to you, you can email me at davidleewhiteplaywright@gmail.com Or if you’re a member of the New Play Exchange, you can download them here – https://newplayexchange.org/users/966/david-lee-white
David Lee White 