Culver City Fever: Scenes from a Show Business Friendship

by Greg Jones Ellis

Geraldine St. James is a former primetime soap diva who hasn't been able to work since the series ended. Her flashy role on the series turned her into an industry joke. She has one shot at regaining her credibility, and the only one who can help is her old frenemy, Jane Farrell. Jane, once a promising actress who left the business to be a wife and mother, wants back in the spotlight. What’s Jane’s price for...

Geraldine St. James is a former primetime soap diva who hasn't been able to work since the series ended. Her flashy role on the series turned her into an industry joke. She has one shot at regaining her credibility, and the only one who can help is her old frenemy, Jane Farrell. Jane, once a promising actress who left the business to be a wife and mother, wants back in the spotlight. What’s Jane’s price for putting aside Gerry’s long-ago betrayal? Punctuated with flashbacks depicting the two women in younger days, this modern comedy examines the deals –and sacrifices—we make to stay relevant in a fickle world.

read more
  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

Culver City Fever: Scenes from a Show Business Friendship

Recommended by

  • Jordan Kilgore: Culver City Fever: Scenes from a Show Business Friendship by Greg Jones Ellis
    “

    Ellis' two aging actresses are beautifully nuanced and genuinely funny as they navigate their old grudge and reconcile and old friendship. This feel-good comedy provides two awesome roles for middle-aged women and a very unique take on our romanticized concept of stardom.

    Ellis' two aging actresses are beautifully nuanced and genuinely funny as they navigate their old grudge and reconcile and old friendship. This feel-good comedy provides two awesome roles for middle-aged women and a very unique take on our romanticized concept of stardom.

    ”
GERALDINE ST PATRICK, middle-aged, well-known actress from television, now in search of a role
JANE FARRELL, middle-aged, former actress and Geraldine’s friend and roommate in their young, single days.
YOUNG GERRY, early 20s
YOUNG JANE, early 20s
JACKIE, any age, ebullient, chatty
JESSIE, young, inclined to spontaneous tears
GPS VOICE
PUBLICIST
REPORTER
SARAH, JANE’S DAUGHTER
BONNIE, HEAD WRITER OF THE GLASS CEILING
*CASTING NOTES ON FLEXIBLE CASTING:
• THE SAME PERFORMER CAN PLAY YOUNG GERRY, JACKIE AND PUBLICIST.
• THE SAME PERFORMER CAN PLAY YOUNG JANE, JESSIE, SARAH, GPS VOICE AND INTERVIEWER
• VARIATIONS ON THE ABOVE ARE POSSIBLE; GERALDINE AND JANE SHOULD NOT PLAY OTHER ROLES, HOWEVER.
THE ROLES OF JACKIE, JESSIE, GPS VOICE, PUBLICIST AND INTERVIEWER ARE GENDER-NEUTRAL.
ALL ROLES ARE NON-RACE-SPECIFIC

Development History

  • Reading, Palisades Playwrights Festival, Theatre Palisades, Pacific Palisades, CA, 2019
  • Reading, New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York, NY, 2018
  • Reading, Washington Stage Guild, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Page-to-Stage Festival, 2018
  • Reading, North Street Playhouse, Onancock, Virginia, 2017