The Prodigal One

by AJ DeLauder

The parable of the Prodigal Son, with an Appalachian heart and a transgender twist. Terry Hale, the patriarch of the Hale family, is dying, leaving the question of who will inherit the family farm. Alison Hale, soon to be Alex, yearns to be that heir, far more than his younger brother Joel, who has been away serving in Iraq with the South Carolina Air National Guard. Unfortunately, for two hundred years the farm...

The parable of the Prodigal Son, with an Appalachian heart and a transgender twist. Terry Hale, the patriarch of the Hale family, is dying, leaving the question of who will inherit the family farm. Alison Hale, soon to be Alex, yearns to be that heir, far more than his younger brother Joel, who has been away serving in Iraq with the South Carolina Air National Guard. Unfortunately, for two hundred years the farm has passed from father to son -- and even if Alison can overcome this historical barrier, there’s a greater problem still: Once Alison finally becomes Alex, will the society of his youth accept his new identity? Or will Alex be forced to flee from the land he loves?

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The Prodigal One

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  • Matthew McLachlan: The Prodigal One by AJ DeLauder
    “

    What a great family drama with current issues, mixed with the search for identity. So many different stakes set up in a very clear and poignant way that I found myself wondering what the hell was going to happen next and how this play was going to resolve itself. Great work.

    What a great family drama with current issues, mixed with the search for identity. So many different stakes set up in a very clear and poignant way that I found myself wondering what the hell was going to happen next and how this play was going to resolve itself. Great work.

    ”
1 Transmale, 1 Woman, 2 Men

ALEX (ALISON) HALE, transmale, late 20s to early 30s. A fifth grade teacher at the local elementary school who is just beginning to come out to his family and community. Avid runner.

JOEL HALE, male, mid 20s. Younger brother of ALEX. First Lieutenant in the South Carolina Air National Guard, who recently deployed to Camp Cooke, Iraq, where he secretly fell in love with an Iraqi translator named Mina.

NANCY HALE, female, early to mid 50s. Mother of Alex and Joel. Worked as a teacher's aid for twenty-five years before taking early retirement to care for her sick husband.

TRAVIS STEWART, male, late 20s to early 30s. A local guy who makes a living helping his father run their dairy farm and working for others in the community. Dating ALEX (Alison) at the beginning of the play.

Awards

  • Ashland New Play Festival
    Finalist
    2021
  • Showcase Theatre Reading Series
    HRC Theatre
    Finalist
    2019
  • The Bridge Award
    Arts in the Armed Forces
    Finalist
    2019