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

Character Information

Possible for roles to be doubled up: e.g. Waiter and Afghani Cabbie/Eloise and Random Sleepover Girl
  • Frank
    Idealistic Intern on Capitol Hill, from Minnesota
    22
    Asian (Chinese-American)
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Charity
    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.
    25
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Dave
    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.
    26
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Maria
    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.
    25
    Latina
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • A'isha
    Lone DC Native - Frank the Intern is totally in love with her, spoken word poet
    30
    African-American
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Eloise
    French ennui-filled World Bank employee – Every man in DC is after her
    32
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Hamish
    The IMF economist, looking for a wife, living the American Dream, dating Maria yet worships Eloise, Indian
    35
    South Asian
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Afghani Cabbie
    Notorious DC taxi driver. Author of "Confessions of an Afghani Cabbie" detailing his romantic exploits in his cab. It's available on Amazon!
    40s/50s/60s
    Middle Eastern (Afghanistan)
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Katherine
    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.
    26
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Random Sleepover Girl
    some random blonde girl who also represents the LSDB (the Lobby for Saving the Dogs of Bucharest)
    19-24
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Waiter
    male, female or non-binary young waiter at the restaurant Richard and Maria lunch at.
    Any age
    Any
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
  • Richard
    Intern’s Congressman – a sexter, a man starved for intimacy and on a power trip, definitely an ass
    50
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Romanian Embassy to the United States, 2014

Production History

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