Natural Causes

by Charles Zito (he/him)

Maria has many opinions. As one of the hard pressed siblings in Natural Causes she puts them to the test in her efforts to keep her family together despite very sane reasons to move on. The ultimate test comes when long gone brother Anthony returns to interrupt the annual festivities for Groundhog Day. He's come to take their youngest sister, Joanna, away from a house where people end up drunk, on their knees...

Maria has many opinions. As one of the hard pressed siblings in Natural Causes she puts them to the test in her efforts to keep her family together despite very sane reasons to move on. The ultimate test comes when long gone brother Anthony returns to interrupt the annual festivities for Groundhog Day. He's come to take their youngest sister, Joanna, away from a house where people end up drunk, on their knees, ripping up the carpet with a claw hammer; where a mother can't bear to be in the same room as her children; and, where long held secrets make an obscure holiday more important than any other day of the year. Maria moves aggressively to stop him, first by doing away with his brother-in-law and then with Anthony himself. Though both her sister Rose (who drinks excessively) and her father see what's coming, they are powerless to stop her. Maria finally gets what she wants most, a family moment frozen in time. For her it's worth the sacrifice of a life or two.

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Natural Causes

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear: Natural Causes by Charles Zito (he/him)
    “

    Family dynamics are never simple and in this case there's a lot driving the drama and chaos that ensues. A thought provoking and riveting drama with some valuable lessons!

    Family dynamics are never simple and in this case there's a lot driving the drama and chaos that ensues. A thought provoking and riveting drama with some valuable lessons!

    ”

Character Information

4 F 3M
  • Maria
    The oldest sibling. A hypochondriac for whom the family and the holidays are everything. As the play progresses her left-hand goes from a bandage on one finger to all five fingers wrapped, making it unusable. Her naturally hard attitude is only softened when she speaks of the past and in scenes from the past.

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks.
    30
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Rose
    The second child. A drunk whose antipathy toward the family is tempered by virtue of them being an endless source of liquor. Her level of drunkenness is gauged from less drunk (snark and sarcasm) to more drunk (honesty)

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks.
    28
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Joanna
    The youngest child. She is on the verge of leaving but is awaiting a sign from St. Francis to confirm her next steps. She is steeped in a religious fervor that started as a simple means of distinguishing herself from her sisters but has now become a true obsession.

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks.
    18
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Father
    A man never in doubt as to how everyone is to behave. He is in a constant personal struggle not to explode in anger and rage.

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks.
    62
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Anthony
    The third child. He left home eight years ago and has not been seen or heard from since. Suffers from a deep paranoia but tries hard to do the right thing. His paranoia makes him withdrawn and suspicious, but should never be confused with a learning disability or autism.

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks.
    26
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Winslow
    Anthony's brother-in-law; Rose’s former boyfriend. An insider and an outsider. A man whose desire to do right is consistently frustrated by his poor judgment.

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks. Winslow can be any race ethnicity independent of the family.
    28
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Mother
    A woman with a real desire to be a mother and, once a real opportunity. She has withdrawn into herself and now cannot bear to be in a room with any of her children if she can in any way avoid them. She is personally happy, living in her imaginary world, and when we meet her she is charming and pleasant even as she describes the most insane ideas and horrific events.

    For casting the family members should look like a family, however, that looks.
    60
    Any
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      60s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female

Development History

  • Workshop, Bristol Valley Theater, 2019