Bird on a Tree Branch

by Jan Probst

It’s a spring day in April 1965. Vivian and Doug are a white, middle class couple taking refuge in their basement as they find themselves in the path of the worst tornado on record in the Midwest. They share their shelter with Hannah, a black woman they picked up at the bus stop, on their way home from church. Racial tension, misunderstanding, family secrets and regret underpin the story of this play. Civil...

It’s a spring day in April 1965. Vivian and Doug are a white, middle class couple taking refuge in their basement as they find themselves in the path of the worst tornado on record in the Midwest. They share their shelter with Hannah, a black woman they picked up at the bus stop, on their way home from church. Racial tension, misunderstanding, family secrets and regret underpin the story of this play. Civil rights meet civil war as the trio struggle to survive this shelter from the storm.

NOTE: The 2020 Premiere at Phoenix Theatre in San Francisco was cancelled due to the emerging Covid pandemic. Subsequently, a virtual version presented online was produced by Phoenix Arts Association in 2021 and received the following commendation from the San Francisco Theatre Critics Circle:

"For especially courageous and distinguished work online during Covid-19’s devastating forced closures. Thank you for keeping theatre alive through such dark days."

Bird on a Tree Branch is published by Next Stage Press. Script sample available under Supporting Materials.

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Bird on a Tree Branch

Recommended by

  • Donald E. Baker: Bird on a Tree Branch by Jan Probst
    “

    Huddled in a basement with the infamous Palm Sunday tornados bearing down on them, a married couple and their unwilling guest confront long-held secrets, self-serving lies, long-standing grievances, and ingrained prejudices. A terrific character study that deserves wide-spread production.

    Huddled in a basement with the infamous Palm Sunday tornados bearing down on them, a married couple and their unwilling guest confront long-held secrets, self-serving lies, long-standing grievances, and ingrained prejudices. A terrific character study that deserves wide-spread production.

    ”
  • Philip Middleton Williams: Bird on a Tree Branch by Jan Probst
    “

    Impending danger forces us to face reality: it forces us to be honest with ourselves and those we care about. In this taut drama where three people are taking refuge from a horrific storm, the peril of physical harm brings suppressed echoes of the past and lays them starkly on the table for all to see and deal with honestly. Jan Probst's characters are intricately drawn and we see what really lies beneath, like when a storm peels off the roof of a house to show us the inside. And yet they hang on and survive.

    Impending danger forces us to face reality: it forces us to be honest with ourselves and those we care about. In this taut drama where three people are taking refuge from a horrific storm, the peril of physical harm brings suppressed echoes of the past and lays them starkly on the table for all to see and deal with honestly. Jan Probst's characters are intricately drawn and we see what really lies beneath, like when a storm peels off the roof of a house to show us the inside. And yet they hang on and survive.

    ”

Character Information

The younger version of Vivian is written to be played by the same actor.
The character of Al is written as a double for the actor playing Doug.

However, the casting choice can be made to add a younger actor for the young version of Vivian, and a young actor for the role of Al.
  • Hannah Jackson
    Junior college instructor. Black, forty-eight years old.
    48
    African American / Black
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Al Smiley, Jr.
    Doug's deceased older brother, at the age of nineteen. Always wears his high school letter jacket. Can be played by the actor playing Doug, or as a separate role.
    19
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Announcer/Newsman
    Voice-over of radio announcer or newsman, to sound like a radio announcer from the era.
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Vivian Smiley
    Housewife, ex-Mennonite. White, forty-two years old, and one scene at the age of eighteen. Can be doubled, or cast as two separate roles.
    42
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Doug Smiley
    Vivian's husband. Sells insurance, likes to talk.
    42
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Valdez Theatre Conference, 2019

Production History

  • Professional, Phoenix Arts Association, 2021

Awards

  • Certificate of Commendation
    San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
    2021
  • The Kilroys List
    The Kilroys
    2020