"TONIGHT AT THE STAGE DOOR" - A Ten-Minute Pandemic-Era Drama

by Donald Loftus

CHARLIE, the night watchman at the Broadway theatre known as The Broadway Theatre, has fallen asleep in his chair at his post near the stage door. Suddenly, there is a pounding on the exterior of the stage door which startles CHARLIE. The unanticipated visitor is JIMMY, a chorus boy who recently lost his job. JIMMY was in the revival of “West Side Story”, which recently and abruptly closed at The Broadway...

CHARLIE, the night watchman at the Broadway theatre known as The Broadway Theatre, has fallen asleep in his chair at his post near the stage door. Suddenly, there is a pounding on the exterior of the stage door which startles CHARLIE. The unanticipated visitor is JIMMY, a chorus boy who recently lost his job. JIMMY was in the revival of “West Side Story”, which recently and abruptly closed at The Broadway Theatre due to the coronavirus pandemic. JIMMY explains that he has now been evicted from his apartment as is in a desperate situation. HE turns to CHARLIE for help. We quickly learn that CHARLIE has his own problems.

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"TONIGHT AT THE STAGE DOOR" - A Ten-Minute Pandemic-Era Drama

Recommended by

  • Glenn Alterman: "TONIGHT AT THE STAGE DOOR" - A Ten-Minute Pandemic-Era Drama by Donald Loftus
    “

    I really enjoyed Donald Loftus' play, Tonight at The Stage Door. I found it sincere and touching. It's rare that two characters in a short play are so well developed. We know both of these men and we care about them. The play is well written and believable. A real treat. ---Enjoy.

    I really enjoyed Donald Loftus' play, Tonight at The Stage Door. I found it sincere and touching. It's rare that two characters in a short play are so well developed. We know both of these men and we care about them. The play is well written and believable. A real treat. ---Enjoy.

    ”
  • Cheryl Bear: "TONIGHT AT THE STAGE DOOR" - A Ten-Minute Pandemic-Era Drama by Donald Loftus
    “

    We're all in it together, a reminder to look up at the stars with compassion and humanity for each other. Well done.

    We're all in it together, a reminder to look up at the stars with compassion and humanity for each other. Well done.

    ”
  • Jackie Martin: "TONIGHT AT THE STAGE DOOR" - A Ten-Minute Pandemic-Era Drama by Donald Loftus
    “

    I was lucky enough to see the Taphouse Theatre’s virtual performance of this piece. It was funny and touching, and it made me grateful to be part of a community of theaterfolk. Jimmy and Charlie have distinct voices, and when you put them together, they hit all the right notes.

    I was lucky enough to see the Taphouse Theatre’s virtual performance of this piece. It was funny and touching, and it made me grateful to be part of a community of theaterfolk. Jimmy and Charlie have distinct voices, and when you put them together, they hit all the right notes.

    ”
CHARLIE (50s) A gruff but compassionate night watchman at a Broadway theatre, Charlie has weathered years of hardship with quiet resilience. Beneath his blunt, no-nonsense exterior lies a deeply empathetic man who understands struggle all too well. Secretly living inside the theatre he protects, he finds purpose in helping others, especially fellow artists. Wry, grounded, and unexpectedly warm, Charlie becomes an unlikely guardian in a time of crisis.

JIMMY (20s) A hopeful, earnest chorus performer whose Broadway dream has been abruptly derailed, Jimmy is vulnerable, determined, and full of heart. Recently displaced and struggling to stay afloat, he clings to optimism despite mounting setbacks. Sensitive and sincere, he carries both the weight of disappointment and the spark of ambition. Jimmy represents the fragile yet enduring spirit of young artists chasing their dreams against overwhelming odds.

Development History

  • Workshop, DGPG & P.A.G.E.S. NEW YORK, 2020

Production History

  • Community Theater, OPEN HYDRANT THEATRE BRONX, NEW YORK , 2023
  • University, CRAFTON HILLS COLLEGE YUCAIPA, CALIFORNIA , 2023
  • Community Theater, THE MAGNOLIA ARTS CENTER GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, 2022
  • University, Antelope Valley College Spring 2022 One Act Festival Lancaster, California , 2022
  • Community Theater, 2021 Urban Waves Short Play Festival THE OPEN HYDRANT THEATRE SOUTH BRONX, NEW YORK , 2021
  • Community Theater, LAKESHORE PLAYERS THEATRE WHITE BEAR LAKE, MINNESOTA , 2021
  • Community Theater, SHAKER BRIDGE THEATRE ENFIELD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2021
  • Community Theater, THE BRIDGE PLAYERS SMITHVILLE PARK BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY , 2021
  • Fringe, ENSEMBLE THEATRE LIGHT UP ETC PODCAST SERIES CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSE , 2021
  • University, SUNY ONEONTA THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NY ONEONTA, NY , 2021
  • Community Theater, SCRIBE STAGES LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA , 2020
  • Community Theater, TAPHOUSE THEATRE'S ‘SHELTER IN PLACE’! VIRTUAL NEW PLAY FESTIVAL FT. WORTH, TEXAS , 2020
  • Community Theater, THE OPEN-EYE THEATRE MARGARETVILLE, NEW YORK , 2020
  • Community Theater, THE RITZ THEATRE SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA, 2020
  • Community Theater, THE WINTER’S THEATRE COMPANY 10 MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL WINTERS, CALIFORNIA , 2020
  • Community Theater, VON BRAUN CENTER HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA, 2020
  • Fringe, ANYTIME PLAYERS ENSEMBLE AN ACTOR’S FUND BENEFIT NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 2020
  • Fringe, RADIO THEATRE PROJECT ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, 2020
  • Workshop, THE PLAYGROUND EXPERIMENT NYC, NY , 2020