Stand-Up Dreams - FULL LENGTH - inspired by actual events

by Tom Erb

"Stand-Up Dreams" is a two-act play that follows ten diverse students in a stand-up comedy class taught by Freddie Mills, a veteran comedian who believes that honest comedy can heal personal trauma. The story unfolds over eight weeks in Providence, Rhode Island, as these unlikely comedians prepare for their graduation performance at a professional comedy club. The students include a high-achieving Chinese...

"Stand-Up Dreams" is a two-act play that follows ten diverse students in a stand-up comedy class taught by Freddie Mills, a veteran comedian who believes that honest comedy can heal personal trauma. The story unfolds over eight weeks in Providence, Rhode Island, as these unlikely comedians prepare for their graduation performance at a professional comedy club. The students include a high-achieving Chinese-American lawyer battling anxiety, a rebellious teenage dropout seeking validation, a mother of five reclaiming her identity, and seven men from various walks of life, each carrying their wounds and dreams: a divorced bus driver, a retired English teacher, an awkward IT specialist, a construction worker hiding his poetic soul, a real estate agent fighting his midlife crisis, and a security guard with writer's aspirations. As the weeks progress, Freddie (the instructor - Stand-Up Comedian) pushes each student to mine their pain for authentic comedy. They learn that great comedy comes from truth through workshop sessions, failed attempts, and breakthrough moments. The story culminates in their graduation showcase at the Comedy Connection club, where each student must face their fears and transform their struggles into seven minutes of stand-up material. Stand-Up Dreams" explores themes of personal transformation, the healing power of laughter, and the courage it takes to stand alone under a spotlight. It's a story about finding your voice, facing your fears, and discovering that sometimes the best punchlines come from life's hardest moments.

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Stand-Up Dreams - FULL LENGTH - inspired by actual events

Character Information

  • FREDDIE MILLS
    FREDDIE MILLS (48) turned to teaching stand-up after a health scare made him reevaluate his life on the road. A veteran comedian with twenty-five years of experience and several Comedy Central appearances, he discovered that helping others find their comic voice gave him more satisfaction than his performances. Behind his tough-love teaching style and casual appearance in vintage comedy club t-shirts lies a man who believes comedy can heal trauma – a lesson he learned during his battle with alcoholism fifteen years ago
    48
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • VICTORIA CHEN
    A first-generation Chinese-American corporate lawyer who recently made a partner, turned to comedy after a panic attack in court forced her to confront her perfectionism. During a particularly stressful merger negotiation, she made an accidental joke that made the boardroom laugh, showing her that humor might be the pressure valve she desperately needs. Her polished exterior in designer suits masks a woman struggling to balance cultural expectations with personal ambition.
    34
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • LUNA BLACKWOOD
    Uses her green hair, piercings, and combat boots as armor against the world. After dropping out of pre-med to pursue art, she did impromptu stand-up routines at the record store where she works, making customers laugh with her observations about pretentious music snobs. She secretly hopes success in comedy will prove to her parents that she chose to follow her creative dreams
    18
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • SUSAN PATTERSON
    Discovered her knack for comedy during a PTA meeting where her honest rant about Pinterest-perfect mom expectations brought down the house. A former marketing executive who now manages five kids, she needs to remember who she is beyond "Mom." Her disheveled appearance and self-deprecating humor mask a deep need to validate her choice to leave her career for motherhood.

    41
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • JAMES WALKER
    He began developing his comedy routine during physical therapy sessions after a motorcycle accident left him with a permanent limp. His custom-made cane became a prop and a metaphor in his journey to reinvent himself. After his marriage crumbled post-accident, he discovered that making people laugh gave him back his confidence.

    35
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • MARCUS WASHINGTON
    Started practicing comedy on his regular bus route, using his observations about daily commuters to distract himself from his recent divorce. His teenage sons think he's having a midlife crisis, but the laughter of his passengers convinced him that maybe comedy could give him the purpose he lost when his marriage ended.
    45
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • CHARLIE PETERSON
    Spent thirty years teaching high school English, making Shakespeare accessible through humor. Recently retired and widowed, he's finally pursuing the dream his late wife always encouraged. His bow ties and reading glasses might suggest a stuffy academic, but his clever wordplay reveals a man ready to start his second act.
    52
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • TOMMY WALLACE
    Tommy writes poetry secretly on his lunch breaks at the construction site, using humor to bridge the gap between his blue-collar world and his artistic aspirations. His coworkers' laughter at his work site observations gave him the courage to sign up, though he tells everyone he lost a bet. Under his flannel shirts and work boots lies an intellectual struggling to find his voice.
    23
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • BOB SULLIVAN
    Worked in I.T. and started developing stand-up material during endless tech support calls. His social anxiety makes him terror-stricken before every class, but he's discovered that people laugh at his dry observations about the absurdity of human-computer interactions. Through comedy, he's found a way to script social interactions in a way his analytical mind can process.
    29
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • MIKE HENDERSON
    Mike turned to comedy after realizing he couldn't afford his first sports car payment and his kid's college fund. A real estate agent with a perfect smile and expensive casual wear, he uses self-deprecating humor to work through his midlife crisis on stage instead of in a therapist's office. Every joke about aging and masculinity is an attempt to figure out who he is beyond his sales persona.
    42
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man