DISTRICTLAND by Cristina A. Bejan

A day in the life of group of young DC go-getter types, living in a shared house in a transition neighborhood. Frank interns on Capitol Hill, Dave is an unemployed Georgetown Law grad, Charity is a former Peace Corps who works for an indigenous NGO and Maria is a Cuban-American Rhodes scholar at the State Department. Professional and relationship drama ensue. The script is a glimpse into the various DC worlds...
A day in the life of group of young DC go-getter types, living in a shared house in a transition neighborhood. Frank interns on Capitol Hill, Dave is an unemployed Georgetown Law grad, Charity is a former Peace Corps who works for an indigenous NGO and Maria is a Cuban-American Rhodes scholar at the State Department. Professional and relationship drama ensue. The script is a glimpse into the various DC worlds the characters interact with: including the IMF, World Bank, McKinsey, spoken word poetry (e.g. Busboys and Poets), an Afghani cabbie's quest for literary fame and an absolutely absurd lobbying group called Saving the Dogs of Bucharest.

World premiere took place in July 2014 at the Capital Fringe Theatre Festival in Washington DC, directed by John Dellaporta. The show sold-out its entire extended run. Script optioned by Russell Max Simon for development into a TV series. DISTRICTLAND TV Pilot has been shot and headlined the DC Independent Film Festival in March 2016. Both the play and the TV show have been featured favorably in the Washington Post.

DISTRICTLAND has been published in Bejan's play anthology "FINALLY QUIET: Four Plays from Bucharest to Washington DC" with No Passport Press in 2023. You can order the book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, or by contacting Bejan directly via her website: cristinaabejan.com
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DISTRICTLAND

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Character Information

Possible for roles to be doubled up: e.g. Waiter and Afghani Cabbie/Eloise and Random Sleepover Girl

  • Frank
    22,
    Asian (Chinese-American)
    ,
    Male
    Idealistic Intern on Capitol Hill, from Minnesota
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Maria
    25,
    Latina
    ,
    Female
    Originally from Cuba. The Rhodes Scholar – female, type A, extremely uncomfortable with other people, works in the State Department – just wants to be left alone – got roped into this house because went to high school in Johnson City, TN with the hipster and needed to move to DC in a flash, definitely regretting it. Always glued to her phone. Opinionated. Part of the Presidential Management Fellows Program.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Dave
    26,
    White
    ,
    Male
    Unemployed Georgetown Law School grad – male, from New England, somewhere predictable, recently was working on some campaign, kind of an ass – acts like he has it all figured out, involved in the “progressive” leadership movement; went to Yale undergrad with Katherine.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Charity
    25,
    White
    ,
    Female
    Hipster NGO worker – female, recently returned Peace Corps in Vanuatu – from Tennessee, bi-curious; works for a NGO championing indigenous rights, cerebral; went to Sewanee University of the South. Grew up in Johnson City, Tennessee. Spoken word poet.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Hamish
    35,
    South Asian
    ,
    Male
    The IMF economist, looking for a wife, living the American Dream, dating Maria yet worships Eloise, Indian
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Katherine
    26,
    White
    ,
    Female
    Dave’s consultant friend from New York City, went to college together at Yale – then she did a Masters at Columbia. The type of girl who needs men’s attention all the time and is a terrible friend to other women.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • A'isha
    30,
    African-American
    ,
    Female
    Lone DC Native - Frank the Intern is totally in love with her, spoken word poet
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Eloise
    32, Array,
    Female
    French ennui-filled World Bank employee – Every man in DC is after her
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Richard
    50,
    White
    ,
    Male
    Intern’s Congressman – a sexter, a man starved for intimacy and on a power trip, definitely an ass
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Afghani Cabbie
    40s/50s/60s,
    Middle Eastern (Afghanistan)
    ,
    Male
    Notorious DC taxi driver. Author of "Confessions of an Afghani Cabbie" detailing his romantic exploits in his cab. It's available on Amazon!
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Random Sleepover Girl
    19-24,
    White
    ,
    Female
    some random blonde girl who also represents the LSDB (the Lobby for Saving the Dogs of Bucharest)
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Waiter
    Any age,
    Any
    ,
    Any
    male, female or non-binary young waiter at the restaurant Richard and Maria lunch at.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any adult age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Romanian Embassy to the United States
    ,
    2014

Production History

  • Fringe
    ,
    Capital Fringe 2014, Washington DC - SOLD-OUT
    ,
    2014