FULL-LENGTH PLAY (1 HOUR, 45 MINUTES). When an interviewer prods playwright Owen Griffith to defend his well known belief in open relationships, the video goes viral. When he and wife Valerie discuss the video with friends Norbert and Janine, Norbert brags about the “fidelity clause” included in their pre-nuptial agreement. Soon both marriages fall apart; Owen gets involved with Janine and becomes a big...
FULL-LENGTH PLAY (1 HOUR, 45 MINUTES). When an interviewer prods playwright Owen Griffith to defend his well known belief in open relationships, the video goes viral. When he and wife Valerie discuss the video with friends Norbert and Janine, Norbert brags about the “fidelity clause” included in their pre-nuptial agreement. Soon both marriages fall apart; Owen gets involved with Janine and becomes a big proponent of fidelity; Norbert tries to win Janine back; and Valerie seeks companionship in a surprising place. In the end, Owen’s relationship bliss is tempered when Janine’s past starts to catch up with her, and his newfound commitment is put to a test.
The genesis of THE FIDELITY CLAUSE was a 10-minute play called THE BRAZILIAN DILEMMA (First Prize, McLean Drama Company, Washington, DC, 2013; produced by The Collective NY, 2013 & 2015; published by The Collective NY, 2013;), which was then produced as a film by Collective NY Films (released on Amazon Prime Video, 2019). The full-length play was developed at the Pulse Ensemble Theatre Playwrights’ Lab in New York. A short excerpt, titled COFFEE BREAK, was presented in a podcast by Panglossian Productions, Williamsburg, VA, 2018, and in a staged reading at TAKE TEN: An Evening of 10-Minute Play Readings by the Dramatists Guild Playwrights Group at The Players Club, 2018.
This play calls for a cast of 6 actors (3 men, 3 women) playing 9 roles.
It can also be covered by a cast of 5 (2 men, 3 women) by combining the role of Norbert Metz and the roles played by Actor #6.
Owen Griffith
45,
Any
,
Male
Famous playwright. Verbose. Pompous. Self-involved. Oversexed. Married to Valerie Clarkson.
Can be played by:
Age:
40s, 50s
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Male
Janine Fiorato
40,
Any
,
Female
Owner of a corporate public relations firm. Practical. Sexy. Sincere, but a little calculating and secretive. Married to Norbert Metz.
Can be played by:
Age:
30s, 40s
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
Valerie Clarkson
55,
Any
,
Female
An international management consultant. Sophisticated. Witty. Wealthy. Generous. Married to Owen Griffith.
Can be played by:
Age:
50s, 60s
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
Norbert Metz
42,
Any
,
Male
A lawyer. Competitive, punitive, and calculating, but sometimes generous and devoted. Married to Janine Fiorato.
Can be played by:
Age:
30s, 40s, 50s
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Male
ACTOR #5: Linda and Gretchen
Linda - 37; Gretchen - 32,
Any
,
Female
LINDA: Owen’s mistress. Insecure. Jittery. Stressed-out. Sexually needy.
GRETCHEN: Guest at party. Attractive and flirtatious.
Can be played by:
Age:
30s
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Female
ACTOR #6: Interviewer; Josh; Bobby.
Interviewer - any age; Josh - any age; Bobby - 33,
Any
,
Male
INTERVIEWER: TV show host. A bit goofy, dense, and obnoxious.
JOSH: A waiter. Solicitous. Observant.
BOBBY: An actor. Hunky. Flirtatious.
Can be played by:
Age:
20s, 30s
Race/Ethnicity:
Any race/ethnicity
Gender:
Male
Development History
Reading
,
10-minute excerpt (COFFEE BREAK) presented by the DGPG Writers at The Players Club, New York City
,
2018
Reading
,
Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock, Manhasset, NY
,
2017
Reading
,
10-minute excerpt (THE BRAZILIAN DILEMMA) presented in a staged reading by McLean Drama Company, Washington, DC
,
2013
Production History
Community Theater
,
10-minute excerpt (COFFEE BREAK) presented as a PODCAST by Panglossian Productions, Williamsburg, VA
,
2018
Professional
,
10-minute excerpt (THE BRAZILIAN DILEMMA) produced as a film by Collective NY Films
,
2018
Workshop
,
10-minute excerpt (THE BRAZILIAN DILEMMA) presented by The Collective NY
,
2015
Workshop
,
10-minute excerpt (THE BRAZILIAN DILEMMA) presented by The Collective NY
,
2013
Awards
Winner
,
10-minute excerpt (THE BRAZILIAN DILEMMA) awarded First Prize