Bobbie Clearly

by Alex Lubischer

Something unspeakable happened in the middle of a cornfield two years ago. Now, at last, the upstanding residents of Milton, Nebraska – from the cop and the nurse to the co-captains of the dance team, and even Bobbie himself – are ready to tell you their sides of the story. This comedy-about-a-tragedy follows a sprawling cast of characters as a small town strives to make sense of senseless violence.

Something unspeakable happened in the middle of a cornfield two years ago. Now, at last, the upstanding residents of Milton, Nebraska – from the cop and the nurse to the co-captains of the dance team, and even Bobbie himself – are ready to tell you their sides of the story. This comedy-about-a-tragedy follows a sprawling cast of characters as a small town strives to make sense of senseless violence.

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Bobbie Clearly

Recommended by

  • Beau Bratcher: Bobbie Clearly by Alex Lubischer
    “

    I saw this at the Roundabout Underground and it was such a thrilling afternoon of theatre. But an even bigger endorsement of this thoughtful piece is that I took 30 high school students and they are still talking about it months later.

    I saw this at the Roundabout Underground and it was such a thrilling afternoon of theatre. But an even bigger endorsement of this thoughtful piece is that I took 30 high school students and they are still talking about it months later.

    ”
  • Eugene O'Neill Theater Center: Bobbie Clearly by Alex Lubischer
    “

    It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Alex Lubischer and their play Bobbie Clearly as a finalist for our 2015 National Playwrights Conference. The play rose through a competitive, anonymous, multileveled selection process that took nearly nine months to execute. As one finalist out of hundreds of submissions, the strength of this play’s writing has allowed this work to prosper in such a competitive selection process.

    It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Alex Lubischer and their play Bobbie Clearly as a finalist for our 2015 National Playwrights Conference. The play rose through a competitive, anonymous, multileveled selection process that took nearly nine months to execute. As one finalist out of hundreds of submissions, the strength of this play’s writing has allowed this work to prosper in such a competitive selection process.

    ”
  • Josh Sobel: Bobbie Clearly by Alex Lubischer
    “

    Review of Steep Theatre production (Chicago, IL):

    CHICAGO TRIBUNE
    3 Stars, Recommended
    "...staged with great overall intensity and some blistering individual performances at Steep Theatre, where, as this highly respected storefront's growing number of fans well know, the actors do not mess around... potent three-act play... the final few minutes are quite extraordinary... very skillfully directed by Josh Sobel... I found "Bobbie Clearly" exceptionally interesting and moving to watch... Lubischer, a writer of great talent, may well turn out to be a significant Chicago playwright."

    Review of Steep Theatre production (Chicago, IL):

    CHICAGO TRIBUNE
    3 Stars, Recommended
    "...staged with great overall intensity and some blistering individual performances at Steep Theatre, where, as this highly respected storefront's growing number of fans well know, the actors do not mess around... potent three-act play... the final few minutes are quite extraordinary... very skillfully directed by Josh Sobel... I found "Bobbie Clearly" exceptionally interesting and moving to watch... Lubischer, a writer of great talent, may well turn out to be a significant Chicago playwright."

    ”

Character Information

The play spans eleven years, but the age of each actor should roughly match the age of their character in Act Two.

The casting is color-conscious and should be representative of both a small Midwestern town and America.

If there are eleven white people on stage, something is wrong.
  • Jane Welch
    40s - 50s
    White
    She/Her/Hers
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Russ Scott
    40s
    He/Him/His
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Pete Pfeifer
    Mid-to-Late 20s
    Any
    He/Him/His
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Mitch Backes
    Mid-to-Late 20s
    Any
    He/Him/His
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Meghan Gotschell
    Late 20s - Early 30s
    Any
    She/Her/Hers
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Megan Currie
    Late 20s - Early 30s
    Any
    She/Her/Hers
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Darla London
    50s - 60s
    Any
    She/Her/Hers
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Derek Nelson
    Mid 20s - Mid 30s
    Any
    He/Him/His
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Eddie Welch
    Mid to Late 20s
    White
    He/Him/His
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Bobbie Clearly
    Mid-to-Late 20s
    White
    He/Him/His
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Stanley Welch
    40s - 50s
    White
    He/Him/His
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Roundabout Theatre Company, 2017
  • Workshop, Steep Theatre Company, 2015
  • Reading, Steep Theatre Company, 2015
  • Workshop, Actors Theatre of Louisville, 2014

Production History

  • High School, Canyon Ridge High School, 2023
  • University, Southern Methodist University, 2022
  • Professional, Roundabout Theatre Company, 2018

Awards

  • Best New Play
    The Joseph Jefferson Awards
    Winner
    2017