Things Are Looking Up by Vince Gatton

[SHORT] Three nurses on a run to 7-11 encounter a stroke of good luck -- and other surprises. A play about cynicism, compassion, and sudden reversals of fortune.

*****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...
[SHORT] Three nurses on a run to 7-11 encounter a stroke of good luck -- and other surprises. A play about cynicism, compassion, and sudden reversals of fortune.

*****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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Things Are Looking Up

Recommended by

  • Jeffrey James Keyes:
    5 Feb. 2022
    “ Gatton really knows how to pull you in and shows you how to love and feel like you're part of the world of his characters. I love the banter and storytelling in this piece, which seems polite and friendly until he masterfully surprises you with a broken expectation that pulls the rug out from beneath you. I could read his plays all weekend. Great work Vince! ”
  • Kim E. Ruyle:
    8 Nov. 2021
    “ Vince Gatton knows how to suck you in. He’s sneaky. Nothing on the nose. One minute you’re gliding along on the rails of well-crafted but innocuous dialogue, just some chatter between three distinctly different ER nurses, barely a hint of a problem, but then – WHAM. You’re hit between the eyes. Can’t wait for the next chapter in this story! ”
  • DC Cathro:
    4 Sep. 2021
    “ The title is misleading in this dark, semi-comedic-but-not-quite, short play. Gatton weaves these lives together like the knitting in the piece, and the characters are clear and well voiced. The moment captured in this piece means something drastically different for each of these people, and in this unassuming convenience store, all of their lives are about to change forever. That speaks to so many of us on many levels. Engrossing and ultimately heartbreaking, but really wonderful writing. ”
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Character Information

  • Colleen
    20s to 40-ish,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    20s – 40s-ish female nurse, any ethnicity. New hire in the Emergency Department.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Adam
    20s to 40-ish,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    20s – 40s-ish nurse, any ethnicity, of large build. Could have played defense on a football team at some point, now he’s a nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Paula
    60s-ish, Array,
    Female
    70s-ish female nurse, probably white. Veteran nurse in Pediatrics.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female