Roetzheim - Regional Best 2012

Edited By William Roetzheim Level 4 Press, Inc.
San Diego, CA Individual plays are copyright 2011 by the respective playwrights and all rights are reserved by those playwrights. Level 4 Press, Inc. has no performance rights to the plays, and instructions for those seeking performance rights are included in the preface to each individual play. The book as a whole is Copyright 2011 by Level 4 Press, Inc. and all rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Published by
Level 4 Press, Inc.
13518 Jamul Drive
Jamul, CA 91935
www.level4press.com To MarianneWho would have suspected that growing old with someone
could bring so much pleasure? ISBN: 978-1-933769-52-3

This is the second volume in what I hope will be an annual anthology of new plays. The first volume, Regional Best 2011, is up for a book of the year award by Foreword Magazine but I wont know the results until after this volume has gone to press. But whether it wins or not, and whether these books are a commercial success or not, I think theyre important. There are very few opportunities for aspiring new playwrights to get their best work read, and this is one of them. And, in a sort of mirror image, there are very few sources for Artistic Directors to use to find candidates new works for publication. Because its still relevant, Ill repeat one portion of the preface from volume one.

Questions naturally arise about my selection of the plays for inclusion in the anthology. The entry criteria into the process was that the play had premiered on stage at a regional theater, but that it did not yet have significant exposure in New York City. I then personally read all of the submissions, and selected the plays that I liked. What I was looking for was three things: As a playwright, do I feel like the play was well written and closely related, did I enjoy reading it; As a producer, would I like to produce this play if I had the opportunity; and As a theater-goer, would I like to see this play if it was on-stage? A play that did well in all three dimensions was accepted. A play that failed in any dimension was rejected. I did not restrict the plays to any specific length, and in fact, ended up accepting everything from ten minute plays all the way up to full-length plays.

The final selections were (with approximate running times shown): The Hum by Robert Tsonos (115 minutes) The Three Belles of Eden by Jacob Appel (125 minutes) Italy by Steven Schutzman (15 minutes) Gorked! By Donald Drake (130 minutes) We Live in Financial Times by Julia Lee Barclay (110 minutes) Finally, I should emphasize that the authors (or their agents) retain performance rights to the plays. Instructions for obtaining performance rights is included at the start of each play, and you must obtain the appropriate rights if you are interested in bringing any of these plays to the stage. But I do encourage you to do this, as a play is not truly alive except when its on stage.
William Roetzheim, Editor
william@aitheater.org

By: Robert Tsonos Robert Tsonos is a Canadian playwright, director, and actor currently living in Toronto. The Hum was first produced in Hong Kong and has received readings at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, Dezart Performs in Palm Springs, CA, and with NAAA in London, as well as being a finalist for The Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition. His play William & James has been produced in Toronto, New York, Montreal, and Ottawa with staged readings in Melbourne and Washington.

His other plays include Sharnoozle! which toured international schools in Tokyo, the CBC Radio play Ice Age, as well as I Am Not The One, Running - 3 short plays, and the short film Coffee Dogs. Robert has acted in, or directed, over 50 productions across Canada, Japan, England, Venezuela, and Hong Kong during his long career. He has been the Artistic Director of Sometimes Y Theatre for the past 14 years and was the resident director at the Canadian Embassy Theatre in Tokyo from 2003-2006.

The Hum was first produced by Sometimes Y Theatre, opening in Hong Kong, China on May 9th, 2007. Directed by: Giles Burton
Produced by: Penny Day
Production Designer: Ernie Corpus
Stage Manager: Van Chiu Cast
Bruce Henry Coombs
Michael Michael Pizzuto
Carol Suzy Sampson
David Robert Tsonos Charles Northcote
Literary Agent
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140 Wolfrey Ave.
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charlesnorthcote@rogers.com Bruce - (late 30s/early 40s) An aspiring politician
Carol - (late 30s/early 40s) Bruces wife, a writer
Michael - (50-60) A professor
David (30s) Bruces assistant A large city.
The stage is divided into separate playing spaces.
The play needs to move. Any political references mentioned in the play can be adapted and changed to different countries/times/history appropriate to the production and with permission of the playwright. Sound Cue: A hum
Bruce, dressed in a business suit, is delivering a speech. Sound Cue: A hum
Bruce, dressed in a business suit, is delivering a speech.

Michael is seated at the back of the theatre watching intently. BRUCE: The current government has been stalling, postponing action, pushing the day of hard decision ahead, theyve been pretending that the status quo can be sustained, theyre hoping that luck will shield them from the winds of change. The fact is the world has been transformed, and no matter how secure we may feel, the need for structural change has arrived. The needs of our country, and indeed the world, have evolved, but the present government has not. MICHAEL: (from audience, quietly) Oh Shit! BRUCE: The world is a different place than what our opponents would have you believe. We must play our part and not cower from our responsibilities.

MICHAEL: (from audience, to himself) Jesus Christ! BRUCE: The Party has been revitalized by these new challenges. We have a new vision for the future, a united voice that will allow this country MICHAEL: Stop. BRUCE: to take its place amongst the great nations/ MICHAEL: (exasperated) I SAID STOP! BRUCE: (frustrated) What now? MICHAEL: Just stop. BRUCE: What, what, what is it? MICHAEL: What are you doing? BRUCE: You keep interrupting me, how do you expect MICHAEL: What the fuck are you doing? BRUCE: You just did it again. MICHAEL: Youve lost it. BRUCE: Interrupting me.

MICHAEL: Everything weve worked on. BRUCE: Its veryRUDE. MICHAEL: Well if youd just BRUCE: No, no I am not the MICHAEL: Is this all a joke; is it a joke to you? BRUCE: Your interruptions, theyre, theyre MICHAEL: All of it, right out the window. BRUCE: theyre unhelpful. MICHAEL: Its too painful to watch. BRUCE: If you allow me to finish my MICHAEL: Painful do you hear me.

BRUCE: Oh, come on! I thought it was going well. MICHAEL: Not even close. BRUCE: Im sure I had it. MICHAEL: You did not have it. BRUCE: No, no, Im sure I MICHAEL: You had shit! (beat) Do you know how close you are? Do you realize you might even BRUCE: Yes, yes I realize that. MICHAEL: No, no, I dont think you do.