Cassie Strickland Is Not Under the Bed by Vince Gatton

[SHORT] Bed-bound Clay calls a friend for help.

*****This is one of a set of related plays, varying in length, genre, style, and setting but all connected in some way to a central, singular event. These plays each stand alone, so there’s no need to have read one to understand the others; but if you’re so inclined, the short pieces can be read together in the anthology The Thing That Happened,...
[SHORT] Bed-bound Clay calls a friend for help.

*****This is one of a set of related plays, varying in length, genre, style, and setting but all connected in some way to a central, singular event. These plays each stand alone, so there’s no need to have read one to understand the others; but if you’re so inclined, the short pieces can be read together in the anthology The Thing That Happened, along with the companion full-length You Have Earned Bonus Stars.

• JAM [One Act]
• Status Update [Short]
• Cassie Strickland Is Not Under the Bed [Short]
• Things Are Looking Up [Short]
• She’s Blown Away [Short]
• Janmadin [One Act]

• You Have Earned Bonus Stars [Full Length]
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Cassie Strickland Is Not Under the Bed

Recommended by

  • Christian St. Croix:
    8 Nov. 2021
    “ Many of Vince’s wickedly smart works can be described as “genre bending”, but they go way beyond that. He’ll set a genre in a room and ask of it to stay quiet until audiences are certain they’ve found it (they won’t have), then he’ll whistle for it to reveal itself. Such is the case with this amazing short. What begins as a bittersweet story about shame and grief turns into something else entirely. Another home run, Mr. Gatton. As you read this one, keep its title in mind. It’s not a lie. ”
  • Kim E. Ruyle:
    8 Nov. 2021
    “ Clay’s ankle is seemingly gripped by Cassie and his psyche is gripped by terror. The slow reveal is brilliant, and the ending is stunning. Ten minutes of pure suspense that will have the audience leaning in despite their fear. Excellent! ”
  • Daniel Prillaman:
    9 Oct. 2021
    “ You can call it whatever you want. It takes many forms. Stress. Anxiety. Paranoia. Trauma. We don't ever get a solid, concrete reason explaining Clay's fear, and we don't need it, because whether it's founded or not (is it?), it's real to him. And it is DESTABILIZING. To say more about the contents of this play would be to ruin its magic (another reason I so adore Gatton's work), but rest assured you are in the best of hands. A delightful, horror-filled exploration of the havoc our minds can wreak. ”
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***Casting Requirements contain spoilers***
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The two main characters can be played by adult men of any ethnicity. Ideally CLAY would be played by a man of larger build.

And now the SPOILER: There is also a small non-speaking role at the very end, to be played by a girl roughly 4 - 9 years old.