LOT'S WIFE

by Eric Rosen

When struggling actor Tom Braddle discovers that his former fiancé has written a new play with a part for him, his hopes for reuniting are dashed by a realization that the play is all too autobiographical. Did Adam have a hand in the tragic death of his wife and child? A dizzying constellation of competing stories and interests swirl around the company and then - Adam disappears on opening night. A thriller, a comedy, a drama - a meditation on the impulse to make sense of tragedy in our lives through the theater.

Production notes:

SETTING: A large city with a thriving theater community – in this case, New York, present day. That same city in an imagined, noirish version in the 1930s. The Mace family’s elegant Upper West Side apartment. A large non-profit theater that is producing a new play called Lot’s Wife. Memory.

CHARACTERS:

4 Actors play the following roles:

ADAM MACE: A playwright, late 30s; intense, enigmatic, brooding in a way that makes theater people love him. The actor also plays:

ANDREW: Adam’s fictional self in the play he has written.

ACTOR: The actor that plays Andrew, while in rehearsals.

THALIA SWIFT: His lifelong friend and muse, an actress, funny, sharp tongued, a downtown star. The actor also plays:

TABITHA: her alter-ego in Adam’s play.

ASHLEY STONE: an actor, just out of grad school, perhaps a bit dim.

TOM BRADDLE: An actor, Adam’s former partner, somewhat younger than Adam. Bitter and very hurt, understandably. The actor also plays:

THOMAS, the villain of Adam’s play

JOAN KAY: The artistic director of the theater and director of LOT’S WIFE. She’s a tiger, ambitious, funny, powerful, and desperate for a win.

VOICEOVER ROLES:

CAROL: The stage manager. She is running rehearsals and could be calling cues from a tech table in the house, or (highly preferred) be the actual stage manager.

SHEILA: Recorded voiceover, Tom’s agent

Author

Eric Rosen

Eric has served as the Artistic Director of Kansas City Repertory Theatre and was the co-founder and Artistic Director of Chicago’s About Face Theatre. Directing—World premieres under his direction include Venice (KCRep, CTG, Public, named “Best Musical of 2010” by TIME, original cast recording Ghostlight), Clay (About Face/Lookingglass, CTG, LCT3, Jeff Award, Best Solo Performance, Ovation nomination), Roof of the World (KCRep), A Christmas Story: The Musical (KCRep, 5th Ave, subsequent Bway production Tony nominated for Best Musical), The Fairy Tale lives of Russian Girls (Alliance), M. Proust (Jeff nomination, Best New Play) and Theater District (Jeff Award, Best New Play, both at Steppenwolf/About Face).

Playwrighting—Lot’s Wife (earlier version called Wedding Play–Jeff nomination, Best New Play), Dream Boy (Jeff Award, Best Play, Best Direction) Winesburg, Ohio (Jeff Award, Best New Play) ... [FULL BIO]