Rituals
- Short Play, Drama, Present Day, Contemporary
- 1M, 2F
- ISBN: SFNY-5614
Published in 5 Easy Pieces: More One-Act Plays.
More information
Description
- Short Play
- Drama
- 10 minutes
- Time Period: Present Day, Contemporary
- Target Audience: Appropriate for all audiences
- Set Requirements: Interior Set, Bare Stage/Simple Set
- Cautions: Mild Adult Themes
- Performance Group:
- Community Theatre, High School/Secondary, Professional Theatre, Shoestring Budget, Reader's Theatre, Blackbox / Second Stage /Fringe Groups, College Theatre / Student
Originally commissioned and produced by New York's prestigious Primary Stages Company as a response to the events of 9/11, Rituals is the heart-wrenching tale of Dave and Janie, an upwardly-mobile couple whose lives have been shattered by the death of their young son. Dave brings Pat, his therapist, to their high-rise condo -- hoping that Pat can help put a stop to Janie's compulsive rituals, which Dave fears are causing her to retreat from reality. What begins as an intervention quickly escalates into a heated confrontation... and Dave realizes that rituals may actually represent a valid way to survive in the aftermath of a terrible tragedy.
Published in 5 Easy Pieces: More One-Act Plays.
Published in 5 Easy Pieces: More One-Act Plays.
Premiere Production:
Rituals was originally commissioned by Primary Stages Company in New York City as part of their 2002 Short Play Festival, "A Moment of Bliss." The play was first performed on March 4, 2002 and was directed by Marvin Einhorn.
Characters
- Casting: 1M, 2F
- Casting Attributes: Strong Role for Leading Woman (Star Vehicle), Ensemble cast, Color blind casting, Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle)
PAT - 40s
JANIE - late 30s
