Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce by Kate Danley

FULL LENGTH Workplace Farce

"9-to-5 Meets Weekend at Bernie's"

-Nominated for two OFFIES (Off West End Awards)
-Nominated for two BroadwayWorld UK / West End Awards
-Semifinalist Hart NPI
-Semifinalist Eugene O'Neill National Playwriting Competition
-Semifinalist 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival

Grace and Amy, two...
FULL LENGTH Workplace Farce

"9-to-5 Meets Weekend at Bernie's"

-Nominated for two OFFIES (Off West End Awards)
-Nominated for two BroadwayWorld UK / West End Awards
-Semifinalist Hart NPI
-Semifinalist Eugene O'Neill National Playwriting Competition
-Semifinalist 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival

Grace and Amy, two outrageous admins, are living for the crumbs of their soul-sucking jobs. But when calamity strikes and their boss chokes on an oatmeal raisin cookie, it sets off a domino-effect of destruction that brings down the corporate house.

(Working for Crumbs was formerly titled BureauCRAZY)
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce

Recommended by

  • Rich Rubin:
    9 Jun. 2023
    “ A zany and uproarious stew seasoned with some delicious physical comedy. Directors, actors and audiences will love this, and so do I. Hope to see this on-stage very soon! ”
  • Playwrights Foundation:
    30 Apr. 2023
    “ The community of National Committee readers for the 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival advanced WORKING FOR CRUMBS as a Semi-Finalist at Playwrights Foundation. We highly enjoyed the comically heightened chaos that ensues for two female executive assistants their female boss. We were engaged by themes of exploitative workplace culture and the fun twists as Amy & Grace suddenly have access to power in the small world they reside in. We hope this play is considered for further development and investigation, and finds dedicated collaborators in this play’s journey towards production. #BAPF46
    ”
  • Samantha Marchant:
    7 Jan. 2022
    “ Would love to see this on stage! Lots of humor - repartee and physical. The office absurdities are all too real. ”
View all 14 recommendations

Character Information

This piece is meant to be stylized, harkening back to Commedia and Restoration theatre. Actors should be strong physical comedians, preferably with a background in traditional clowning or improv.

  • Grace
    20s - 40s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    female, 20s-40s, a secretary. Must be a strong physical comedian. Background in improv and commedia preferred.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Amy
    20s - 40s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    female, 20s-40s, a secretary. Should be a strong physical comedian, preferably with a background in improv or commedia.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Molly
    20s - 40s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    overly-friendly, passive-aggressive secretary; reeks of too much perfume; kiss-ass
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Helen
    30s - 50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    30s-50s, a villain for today. A total Karen. Vice-president, social climber, power woman, loves Peru (in a cultural appropriation sort of way.) Physically demanding role. Should be a strong comedian, preferably with a background in improv or commedia.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Vivianne
    40s - 60s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    president of the company, a power woman
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • WATERMAN / JANITOR / AC GUY
    20s - 40s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    a man of all trades and a million faces. He proves the point that it is the uniform that shapes people's perceptions of others.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Theatre 33
    ,
    2023
  • Reading
    ,
    Vashon Repertory Theatre
    ,
    2022
  • Reading
    ,
    Mary Rogers Room - Dramatists Guild, NYC
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    CreateTheater, New York
    ,
    2020
  • Reading
    ,
    Ignition Arts, Lyric Theatre Oklahoma
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Women’s Theatre Festival of North Carolina - Occupy The Stage
    ,
    2019
  • Workshop
    ,
    Curtis Theatre with Project LaFemme - Page to Stage Playwright’s Festival, Brea, CA
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Seattle Playwrights Salon
    ,
    2017

Production History

  • Community Theater
    ,
    The Burlington Players
    ,
    2024
  • Fringe
    ,
    The Space
    ,
    2023
  • University
    ,
    FHU Theatre
    ,
    2023
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Grande Prairie Live Theatre
    ,
    2019

Awards

OFFIES - Nominated for Best Production and Best Director
,
Off West End Awards
,
2023
Semi-Finalist
,
Women Are Funny Award
,
Stageways
,
2018
Semi-Finalist
,
Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative
,
Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative
,
2018
Semi-Finalist
,
11th Season - 2019 slate of shows
,
Brelby Theatre Company
,
2018