Michele Aldin Kushner

After years of strict adherence to Evangelical teachings, a Georgia man and his son break with the law; the boy's mother inadvertently gets her husband killed and her son arrested.

Three savvy cryptozoologists descend upon Dimple Rock, Maine. Venita Roger’s daughter, Allison, 25, has – according to her best friend - been kidnapped by a bigfoot. Venita (Mexican American), Clare (Chinese American), and Betsy (African American) have been cryptozoological comrades for years. This kind of quest is not unusual for them. However, Allison’s opioid addiction – and Venita’s having forced Allison to leave home - stress the women’s pursuit to find Allison in the dense Maine woods. Relationships fall apart as they try to unravel who is telling the truth: Cal, 25 (White American) Allison’s boyfriend, or Sarah, 25, (Native American) her best friend and the person who was with her during the supposed bigfoot kidnapping. In the end, Venita and Sarah are left alone with Cal. Suspecting he is the actual kidnapper, Venita ties him to a desk at gunpoint. Cal is left alone, immobilize. The real bigfoot arrives, allowing us to suspect that Sarah, all along, has been telling the truth.
Interspersed through the action (2 scenes that take place over one night) each character tells us the story of their “monster,” the creature, real or imagined, that has followed them through their lifetime.

SOMEWHERE IN MY SUNSET is about a young woman who escapes her cult and ends up healing the lives of the family who takes her in. It wrestles with the feeling of fear and hopelessness of our times and how one woman - who has been abused herself - is strong enough to overcome and teach love.

17 year-old Tino Castelletti, from an Italian family of modest means, focuses his huge intellect on studying the cosmos. Tino has always know he’s product of sperm donorship – and when his biological father contacts the family, he is the first who wants to meet him. To his surprise, Tino discovers that this man, Raju, is not only an astrophysicist but also Asian-Indian – a matter that Tino’s mother, Lucy, has always kept from her bigoted husband, San. Tino travels alone to meet Raju– where he learns Raju and his wife, Malha, need a bone marrow donor for their sick daughter. San disallows Tino to to be a donor – but Tino continues to visit Raju without his father’s knowledge. Raju offers Tino an education at his university that his parents would never be able to afford. San insists to his family that Raju is taking advantage of Tino. San and Malha finally confront San themselves. Malha is reduced to begging San, inciting Tino to stand up to his father. San must allow him be his sister’s bone marrow donor – or he will take Raju’s offer and move across the country. San concedes, not wishing his son to be usurped by another man.

In ABDUCTED a successful businesswoman and mom of two grown children, Diane, believes she’s going to be abducted by aliens.   And she won’t be returning. As she prepares for departure from her present life, her daughter fights to get her psychiatric help.  Her boyfriend wants to reclaim the woman with whom he fell in love - and her son wants to go with her.     Has Diane truly had interactions with E.T's or does she wish to leave life on her own terms? 

Inter-cut with the story below, are scenes from the New York 1857 murder inquest conducted by Coroner Edward Connery as he interviews witnesses. The victim and murderer’s identities are not revealed until the very last moment of the play.

ACT 1
The year is 1855. Emma Cunningham is a widow living beyond her means in hopes of securing a husband for her daughter. In fashionable Saratoga Springs, NY, Emma meets Dr. Harvey Burdell, a wealthy dentist and seemingly eligible bachelor. Harvey is immediately taken by Emma’s charm; Emma is flattered by his attention. When Emma admits to Harvey with embarrassment that she is soon to be a pauper, Harvey offers Emma and her daughter, Augusta, rooms in his large New York City home. Not having the means to pay for rent at Harvey’s upscale 31 Bond Street address, Emma asserts her services as landlady. Harvey’s enchantment with Emma piques the jealousy of Harvey’s young lover, Morris. Morris is haunted by Harvey’s dead mother who desires Morris leave her son – something which Morris vows never to do, despite how heavy the clandestine affair weighs upon the two men. As Harvey and Emma’s friendship blossoms, the more torment Mrs. Burdell inflicts on Morris. Harvey dismisses Morris’ complaints as foolish; to Harvey, Emma is a dear friend. One year after their first meeting, Emma gathers her courage to kiss Harvey. To his utter surprise, Harvey kisses her in return. Morris discovers them in a romantic embrace.

ACT II

1856: Harvey explains to Emma that they cannot marry. Emma had assumed he was courting her. She charges Harvey with breech of promise to marry (a legitimate legal action of the era punishable by imprisonment and a heavy fine). Morris demands that Harvey expel Emma from his household. Harvey refuses, feeling that he had indeed mislead Emma and her actions are justifiable. To reclaim Harvey’s attention, Morris seduces Harvey, knowing Emma will find them. After her initial shock, Emma uses this insight to her benefit. She tells her surprised daughter that she has secretly married Harvey – and that she has the marriage certificate to prove it. In truth Emma has solicited another man to act in Harvey’s stead as her groom. Emma then informs Harvey that if he does not behave as her new husband, she will tell all of good society of his illicit relationship with Morris. Harvey would lose his business, his friends and his good standing in the society he adores. His hand forced, Harvey tells Morris they must end their seven year love affair. Morris is devastated. The night the murder takes place, Harvey is unable to bear the sight of Emma. He demands that she leave his house. Emma is terrified that she and her daughter will end up penniless on the cold streets. The same night, Morris makes a last, belligerent appeal to Harvey and is rejected. 1857: The coroner’s inquest has ended and the Jury is asked to decide the fate of Emma Cunningham. After the inquest, Emma, having been exonerated by the jury, returns home to 31 BOND. She is now recognized as Harvey Burdell’s widow. To her surprise Harvey is there to greet her. Angry, he reveals that Morris has been found dead, drowned in a reservoir. She begs his forgiveness. She only desires that they begin a new, peaceful life together. Harvey curses her and disappears into vapor. Haunted by the ghost of Harvey, Emma will never live in peace.

Delilah, 16, has slipping grades, liquor on her breath, and a bad attitude when she arrives home at 3AM from clubbing. Her parents, Bette and Dock, have had it. While Dock advocates punishment, Bette believes in talking through the issues. Communication. Something her marriage severely lacks. Dock spends half of his time travelling for work and Bette feels like a single parent. Delilah advocates love. Her current fixation is Jason, her best friend, Jenna’s, ex-crush. Jenna convinces Delilah to send him nude photos of herself via her cell phone to keep his interest. Indeed, Delilah, wins Jason. And the attention of the whole school - when the picture goes viral. The school presses charges. Pending a trial, Delilah is (house) arrested under child pornography charges. Jenna tries to convince Delilah to dump Jason. He must have forwarded her picture to everyone. Delilah is unconvinced. Jenna tries to prove her wrong; she offers Jason free sex. Delilah now believes it was Jenna who sent her picture around school. With the accusation, their friendship is destroyed. Jason, his guilt heavy, confesses to the Principal; he forwarded Delilah’s picture to one classmate. Who sent it to another. Who sent it to another. He is ready to stand trial with Delilah. Just before the family learns of Delilah’s fate, Dock discovers that Bette has been having an affair with her co-worker. Then the phone call comes – Delilah is set free of all charges. Bette, however, is arrested – for buying her daughter the offending cell phone. Scared, guilt-ridden, Delilah tries to win back Jenna’s friendship. Dock tires to win back Bette’s affection. He has left his job. He lives in sweat pants. He has fallen apart without her. Jason and Delilah join forces to build a case for Bette, now out on bail. Their actions, they argue, were not a crime. It wasn’t about porn. Or sex. It was about love.

Lucy and Jim have endured four in-vitros, five miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy. One room in their home has been a study on pink and blue for eight years. In order to fulfill their dreams of having a child, Lucy and Jim are now determined to adopt. Lucy spends a great deal of time on the Internet, searching for a potential birthmother.

Larry and Leo give up adopting though an agency and decide to go on-line. They find Darcy, apparently a supreme choice as a teenaged, surrogate mother. Darcy, unlike the litany of agencies they have visited, holds no prejudice against a single-sexed household. Larry and Leo shower her with maternity wear, i-Pads, and organic groceries. Anything for the baby. However. What Leo and Larry do not know: Lucy and Jim have also found Darcy. Lucy and Jim have also been generous with their diminishing bank account. They too foresee the possibility of parental bliss.

Both families share time with Darcy, who regales them with different tales of her fractured life. One day Darcy disappears. And Lucy goes haywire. Jim turns to the Internet and finds an unlikely coincidence. Someone else has found a birthmother very similar to their own. Jim, doom clinging to his ankles, visits Leo and Larry for confirmation. Darcy has promised both couples the same child.

The couples’ fight for Darcy’s baby is mediated by an FBI agent, who is interested only in evidence of extortion – not broken hearts. The couples argue fiercely. Who deserves the child more? An infertile couple? A single sexed couple? Who has endured the most difficulty? Much to Lucy’s jealousy, the ADA chooses Leo and Larry to meet with Darcy. Leo is wired for sound. The Sting is complete. Darcy is arrested. In the end, Darcy confesses. Why did she promise them both her child? She liked the attention; they treated her like family. She didn’t think she would hurt anyone. In truth – Darcy was never pregnant.

1836: a barn in rural Ohio. Phoebe, 14, tries to convince her best friend, William, 15, to think about marriage and not leaving for Europe, a place he fantasizes holds a better life for him. Alice, 18, has her first poem published in the local newspaper and her first heartbreak. Her fiancé has broken off their engagement to marry a wealthy woman. Alice begs her sister, Phoebe, never to marry.

Fifteen years later, 1851: New York City home. Alice and Phoebe and struggle to make ends meet as writers. William visits. Divorced, his life is in shambles after living in France for ten years. He asks for Phoebe’s hand in marriage. Alice, who despises William for breaking a marriage promise to her sister, tries to convince Phoebe not to accept. As a wife she could no longer hold the profession for which she’s worked so hard.

Fifteen years later, 1868: New York City home. Alice and Phoebe are internationally celebrated authors. Alice is very ill. She fears that she will soon die, leaving Phoebe alone for the first time in her life. Without Phoebe’s knowledge, Alice has asked William, now estranged, to visit in hopes to rekindle the romance between William and Phoebe. Unbeknownst to both sisters, William intends to marry a Civil War widow. Phoebe is heartbroken – again. With Alice’s death looming, the sisters confront their sacrifice of love and family for career and independence.

Sean is under suspect of blowing up his High School homeroom. While in Juvenile Detention he’s visited by his best friend, Bay. Sean is convinced Bay has tried to frame him for the explosion; the teens argue heatedly under the watchful eyes of the authorities. The police have indeed sent Bay to cull information from Sean – but Bay genuinely wants to keep Sean out of prison. For all appearances, both boys have motivation to “act out” towards their school. Bay’s flunking his classes. Sean has been disallowed early graduation, although his academic performance at sixteen has gained him early acceptance into college.

Meanwhile, Sean’s mother, Louise, defends Sean on network TV. Shortly thereafter, she tells the interviewer of her suicide attempt, having recently received divorce papers.

Within this portion of the play, two flashback scenes (in chronological progression) illustrate Sean’s social awkwardness and his sense of isolation, accentuated by Bay’s newfound loyalty to his first girlfriend.

Since authorities have no material evidence, Sean is released into the custody of his father (who has yet to appear). Sean is left in the hands of his father’s young girlfriend, Selina. Selina wants to win Sean’s affections; however, she is unconvinced of Sean’s innocence. She questions him delicately, trying to ascertain how much he knows about events during his stay in Juvenile Detention. She tells him one classmate has died due to bombing injuries and it is Bay, not he, Sean, who will most likely be charged with the crime.

Meanwhile, Bay is under police interrogation. Unaware he is a suspect in the bombing, he defends Sean. He reveals himself as a troubled teen with a home life as difficult as his best friend’s. Bay accidentally indicts himself under the pressure of police questioning.

Within this portion of the play, there are three flashback scenes (in chronological progression): Louise threatens suicide before Sean; Bay confesses he will flunk school and his step-father will force him to move out; the two teens have been making plastic explosives which they set off in the woods as recreation.

Ultimately, the suspicion of guilt may lie heavier with Sean, but anger and frustration could have pushed either Sean or Bay to commit the crime, separately or collaboratively. In his final meeting with his lawyer, Sean refuses to indict Bay for the crime. Rather, Sean claims blame for himself, a sacrifice, he relates, Bay would reciprocate.

Historic Background: Popularity of Eugenics grew during the turn of the 20th Century. In 1904 Pennsylvania was the first State to adopt a statute allowing the compulsory sterilization of “mental defectives.” Several States followed Pennsylvania’s example, including Virginia in 1924; however, few doctors performed operations in fear patients would seek prosecution. In 1924 Dr. Albert Priddy, Superintendent of the Virginia State Colony for the Epileptic and Feebleminded in Lynchburg, VA, petitioned to sterilize his patient, Carrie Buck, age 17. Aubrey Strode, Esq., celebrated champion of civil liberties, carried the case, Buck V. Bell, all the way to the US Supreme court where Oliver Wendell Holmes concluded his opinion with the infamous justification: “…three generations of imbeciles are enough.”

Act 1
1922, Charlottesville, VA. Carrie Buck, living with her foster parents, the Dobbs, must contend with an unexpected visitor, the Dobbs’ volatile nephew, Nathan. Alice Dobbs grows concerned by the seeming friendship blossoming between Carrie and Nathan. The same year Aubrey Strode Esq. bears the loss his beloved wife of nineteen years. Dr. Albert Priddy, a close friend Aubrey’s, urges him to court the young Louisa Hubbard, in town as a field worker for the Eugenics Records Office. Albert also implores Aubrey to get back to work – and write Virginia’s Sterilization Law; he contends his work at the State Colony of The Epileptic and Feebleminded can progress without it. The Dobbs soon visit Dr. Priddy at the State Colony. They are desperate to commit Carrie. She has become “uncontrollable.” In truth, Carrie is pregnant and the Dobbs wish to hide this embarrassment. On Aubrey and Louisa’s wedding day, Albert announces that Colony’s Board wants Aubrey to use Carrie Buck as a “test case” for the imminent Sterilization statute. Aubrey’s quite sure the law will be tested all the way to the US Supreme Court.

Act II
1924. Carrie has since been committed to Albert Priddy’s State Colony. Irving Whitehead had been hired to defend the rights of Carrie Buck as the Sterilization Statute heads for Virginia Circuit Court, in Amherst, VA. Aubrey represents the State Colony and Dr. Priddy. During the trial of Buck V. Priddy, several expert witnesses are called - all of whom support the nature of Carrie’s “feeble-mindedness” and the benefits of sterilization. The new science of Eugenics is explained – that feeblemindedness and other bad traits, such has licentiousness, poverty, criminality – are all inherited. Should those with bad these traits be sterilized, society would be vastly bettered. Aubrey wins his case and prepares for the appeal. Meanwhile, Louisa, unable to have children, is very unhappy. Aubrey comforts her as best as he can. But Albert Priddy had recently died and Aubrey has become even more consumed by the Buck trial. At the State Colony, Carrie, who longs to be free, is also miserable. Dr. James Bell, who has taken over Albert’s position, explains to her that she may be released after her “necessary” operation. Aubrey and Irving Whitehead are called into Bell’s office – where they meet Carrie Buck. Carrie confesses to Aubrey that she had been raped by the Dobb’s nephew – an awful secret she’s ashamed to bear. That night at home, Aubrey confesses to Louisa his own awful secret: his parents died in a mental institution. Louisa is horrified. If the news were public, Aubrey could be victim of his own legislation. In May of 1927, the US Supreme Court delivers their opinion upholding Virginia’s Sterilization Law and Carrie will undergo the procedure. Carrie Buck thanks Aubrey Strode profusely. After her operation, she will be released from the Colony. She is very excited to resume her life – and completely unaware that she will never conceive another child.