Cutting the Leash
by Steven Bergman
ISBN #1-933159-081
JAC
#2005-0003Cast
- SAMMY MAESTRO17, delinquent high school student
- JIMMY UNCOLUKAS16, typical high school student, a follower.
looks up to Sammy
- LIAM CHEWTlate 30s, preppie teacher
- MRS. DELILAH FRANBERRY50s, angel dressed as a hippie
- GINNY CHEWT40ish, Liams wife
- ELAYNE CHEWT17, Liams daughter
- PRIEST50ish, any gender
- DIANEfemale friend of the Chewt family (must double
as Mrs. Franberry)
- NUTSHells Angels, and not the motorcycle group
- BOLTSHells Angels, and not the motorcycle group
- MECHANIC25-35, any gender (could double as the
priest)
Synopsis
A light-hearted mystery, this new play
from Steven Bergman can be performed as either a long one-act, or two
shorter acts. Liam Chewt is a teacher who finds himself recently deceased.
The first person he encounters at “the wait station” is his (also deceased)
4th grade teacher, Delilah Franberry. Mrs. Franberry tells Liam that, in
order to get into heaven, he has 24 hours to solve his own murder. So Liam,
with the help to two “Hell’s Angels,” Nuts and Bolts, becomes a sleuth as he
tries to uncover his own murderer. The suspect list includes everyone from
Sammy Maestro and Jimmy Uncolukas, the school thugs, to Liam’s own daughter,
Elayne, to even Mrs. Franberry herself! A fun, yet poignant work that is
perfect for teenage performers and Little Theaters, this play examines
topics such as family relationships, finding the right friends, and
treasuring life while we’re living it.
The Place
Anytown, middle America.
The Time
Springtime in a present or future year.
Author Biography
Plays published by JAC Publishing
and Promotions include Cutting the Leash, The Guy Chair and Grieving
Process. Published plays: “History” (Brooklyn Publishers; Winner in the
15-Minute category of the Sonoma County (CA) Rep’s New Drama Works Scripts
Competition (2003)), “Rosie the Teddy Bear,” (Brooklyn Publishers; premiered
at the 2004 ACME New Works Festival) and “Critic’s Carnival” (Brooklyn
Publishers). Composer: “The Curse of the Bambino” (Lyric Stage Company of
Boston, CD available at www.bambinomusical.com), “Jack The Ripper: The Whitechapel Musical"
(Boston Center of the Arts), “Four Kisses”, and original scores for
Shakespeare’s “Comedy of Errors,” and Wilson’s “Book of Days.”. His
oratorio, a celebration of the holiday Tu B'Shvat entitled "Time Of the
Trees", is available on ZCRecords. For young audiences: Adaptations of "Tom
and Huck", “Tatterhood,” (a Swedish folktale),“King Midas and his Friends,”
(co-written Peggy Traktman), "The Pied Piper" (co-written with Christopher
DiGrazia and Earl Maulding), and "Rumplestiltskin". Musical Director: “Das
Barbec¸” (New Repertory Theatre), “…Forum” (American Stage Festival), the
New England premieres of “The Gig” and "When Pigs Fly" (Lyric Stage
Company), “Personals,” “Tomfoolery” (Actors Playhouse), "Berlin to Broadway
with Kurt Weill", "The Fantasticks", "Pump Boys and Dinettes", "Something's
Afoot", "Pirates of Penzance", and "Smoke On The Mountain" (Worcester
Foothills Theatre), and the world premiere of "The Orphan Queen" (Jewish
Theatre of New England). Keyboardist: "Nunsense Jamboree" (national tour
with Georgia Engel, CD/DVD with Vicki Lawrence), as well as national tours
of "Sunday in the Park with George", "Dreamgirls",
"Guys and Dolls", and
"Les Miserables." Mr. Bergman is a member of Theatre Communications Group
and The Dramatists Guild of America, Inc., and teaches Drama and Music in
the Littleton Schools in Littleton, MA. Visit his website,
www.everydayaholiday.net for
more information.
In the News
2/7/12 - Playwrights
Steven Bergman and David Kruh have new
published stories in the anthology, "Final Fenway Fiction: More Short
Stories from Red Sox Nation." Check them out at
Amazon
and
Barnes & Noble
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