On The Edge

by Rich Helms

and Dorothea Helms

As Adam teeters on the edge of life, he encounters a mysterious presence.

On the Edge is a 3-character, 10-minute play. Since “On The Edge” began as an audio drama, the staging remains simple and ideal for a reading. The main character, Adam, is centre stage while the other two are either off stage or back, out of Adam’s field-of-view.

This play was inspired by a near-death hospital stay.

As Adam teeters on the edge of life, he encounters a mysterious presence.

On the Edge is a 3-character, 10-minute play. Since “On The Edge” began as an audio drama, the staging remains simple and ideal for a reading. The main character, Adam, is centre stage while the other two are either off stage or back, out of Adam’s field-of-view.

This play was inspired by a near-death hospital stay.

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On The Edge

Recommended by

  • Debra A. Cole: On The Edge by Rich Helms
    “

    Grief is a bitch.. and Adam is going through all the stages all at once until there is a decision to make... a second time in ON THE EDGE. Death is an unknown for most, but RICH and DOROTHEA HELMS have made Death fascinating and engaging it his/her/its approach. Lovely.

    Grief is a bitch.. and Adam is going through all the stages all at once until there is a decision to make... a second time in ON THE EDGE. Death is an unknown for most, but RICH and DOROTHEA HELMS have made Death fascinating and engaging it his/her/its approach. Lovely.

    ”
  • Dan West: On The Edge by Rich Helms
    “

    An ailing man sits alone “on the edge” of his hospital bed. He has a decision to make. And it is not the first time in his life that he has been asked to make it. As a voice from the other side guides him through the grieving process to a potentially final destination, Adam must evaluate the value of a good life lived against the unpromised one yet to come. Rich and Dorothea Helms have done a superlative job crafting this short play that walks the narrow balance between poignant and sentimental without ever taking a false step.

    An ailing man sits alone “on the edge” of his hospital bed. He has a decision to make. And it is not the first time in his life that he has been asked to make it. As a voice from the other side guides him through the grieving process to a potentially final destination, Adam must evaluate the value of a good life lived against the unpromised one yet to come. Rich and Dorothea Helms have done a superlative job crafting this short play that walks the narrow balance between poignant and sentimental without ever taking a false step.

    ”
  • Josh Gauthier: On The Edge by Rich Helms
    “

    For a journey through the 5 stages of grief during a hospital stay, the authors find an effective balance of humor and vulnerability reflecting on the complexities of a life lived and teetering on the edge of a possible ending.

    For a journey through the 5 stages of grief during a hospital stay, the authors find an effective balance of humor and vulnerability reflecting on the complexities of a life lived and teetering on the edge of a possible ending.

    ”
View all 7 recommendations
• ADAM: middle-aged or older man wearing basic hospital gown. Not shaven and hair messy.
• THE VOICE: Deep voice. Heard from off stage.
• WIFE, Ruth: middle-aged or older woman. Heard from off stage.

Since “On The Edge” began as an audio drama, the staging remains simple and suitable for a reading.

Lights drop and when they come up Adam is sitting on the centre stage edge, his legs facing the audience. He is wearing only a basic short hospital gown. The Voice and Ruth are off stage or behind Adam so not in his field of view.

Production History

  • Community Theater, Stage Right Theatrics: The Home of the Natural Theater®, Scheduled to be performed on January 31 and February 1-2, 2025 at the Abbey Theater of Dublin in Dublin, OH