PRISONERS IN PARADISE by
REVIEW - Nov. 7, 2023
“PRISONERS IN PARADISE has rich character dynamics and great use of humor and subtext. The tension is never derailed, and the character arcs are interesting and profound, especially for a piece with such great comedic balance.”
Catherine Randazzo
Associate Artist/Literary Manager
Florida Studio Theatre
____________________________________
...
“PRISONERS IN PARADISE has rich character dynamics and great use of humor and subtext. The tension is never derailed, and the character arcs are interesting and profound, especially for a piece with such great comedic balance.”
Catherine Randazzo
Associate Artist/Literary Manager
Florida Studio Theatre
____________________________________
...
REVIEW - Nov. 7, 2023
“PRISONERS IN PARADISE has rich character dynamics and great use of humor and subtext. The tension is never derailed, and the character arcs are interesting and profound, especially for a piece with such great comedic balance.”
Catherine Randazzo
Associate Artist/Literary Manager
Florida Studio Theatre
____________________________________
Professional reading in NYC at The Currican Theater.
Professional reading in NYC on Theater Row.
Professional reading in NYC at Theater 22.
Professional reading at Dowling College Performing Arts Center with professional Actors.
____________________________________
4 Characters
3 Men. 1 Woman
Simple Set
116 pages
Abandoned by those they entrusted to raise and guide them, abused by those they loved, ignored by their leaders, and living in a fragmented, disparate culture run by madmen, this tormented family seeks justice, truth and unity.
Punk, a burnt out, intelligent, one-time family man, now divorced, and Johnny, his brother via adoption, have had a very hard life. Johnny’s parents adopted Punk as a baby. The two kidnap a Billionaire Governor’s son, Chris, who is a Harvard Graduate and a Priest, in an attempt to start a new life with the ransom money they think they will obtain. The only problem with Punk and Johnny’s kidnapping scheme is that the Governor won’t answer his phone!
Eve, Punks one-time lover and Johnny’s cousin, is a porn actress and drug addict who is now pregnant, and is seeking the American Dream. She returns home from a porn shoot and into this world of a kidnapping, to find her drugs for her daily fix, and to cope with her existence. She dreams of a home with Punk, who she loves, for her and her new baby, and Johnny living with them as part of her extended family.
What Johnny and Eve don’t know in Act One, is that Punk’s hidden motives for the kidnapping have nothing to do with money or escaping poverty, helping Eve off drugs, getting clean, and setting them up in a new life.
Punk needs to confront the Governor, who is his real father, who had his mother killed when Punk was an infant, leaving him to die in his own defecation. His mother wanted the Governor to help them survive financially, and instead, he had her killed to cover up his affair with her, protect his career, ensure re-election, and maintain his marriage.
Punk wants to reveal to Chris that he knows what happened, who he is, and pursue justice. He also wants Chris to own up to the fact that he did not turn his father in when he knew of the murder, and benefited from his father’s wealth while being a priest.
The play becomes not about kidnapping as a crime, but a kidnapping necessary to right a crime committed. But the real crime is how all of these characters have been abandoned, abused and ruined by those they depended on for guidance, love and support.
Prisoners in Paradise offers a comic motif in a dire and existential situation, with four interesting and dimensional characters, where each must deal with their existential reality, and their abusive pasts while trying to find balance and unity for their future together. The play examines social and personal responsibility to self and others, and the results of neglect, abandonment and abuse.
10 Page Writing Sample offered below.
You can download the full script off my site easily. Or email me and I'll send the PDF.
Also have many other plays on my new website, with reviews, short and longer synopsis, photos etc.
“PRISONERS IN PARADISE has rich character dynamics and great use of humor and subtext. The tension is never derailed, and the character arcs are interesting and profound, especially for a piece with such great comedic balance.”
Catherine Randazzo
Associate Artist/Literary Manager
Florida Studio Theatre
____________________________________
Professional reading in NYC at The Currican Theater.
Professional reading in NYC on Theater Row.
Professional reading in NYC at Theater 22.
Professional reading at Dowling College Performing Arts Center with professional Actors.
____________________________________
4 Characters
3 Men. 1 Woman
Simple Set
116 pages
Abandoned by those they entrusted to raise and guide them, abused by those they loved, ignored by their leaders, and living in a fragmented, disparate culture run by madmen, this tormented family seeks justice, truth and unity.
Punk, a burnt out, intelligent, one-time family man, now divorced, and Johnny, his brother via adoption, have had a very hard life. Johnny’s parents adopted Punk as a baby. The two kidnap a Billionaire Governor’s son, Chris, who is a Harvard Graduate and a Priest, in an attempt to start a new life with the ransom money they think they will obtain. The only problem with Punk and Johnny’s kidnapping scheme is that the Governor won’t answer his phone!
Eve, Punks one-time lover and Johnny’s cousin, is a porn actress and drug addict who is now pregnant, and is seeking the American Dream. She returns home from a porn shoot and into this world of a kidnapping, to find her drugs for her daily fix, and to cope with her existence. She dreams of a home with Punk, who she loves, for her and her new baby, and Johnny living with them as part of her extended family.
What Johnny and Eve don’t know in Act One, is that Punk’s hidden motives for the kidnapping have nothing to do with money or escaping poverty, helping Eve off drugs, getting clean, and setting them up in a new life.
Punk needs to confront the Governor, who is his real father, who had his mother killed when Punk was an infant, leaving him to die in his own defecation. His mother wanted the Governor to help them survive financially, and instead, he had her killed to cover up his affair with her, protect his career, ensure re-election, and maintain his marriage.
Punk wants to reveal to Chris that he knows what happened, who he is, and pursue justice. He also wants Chris to own up to the fact that he did not turn his father in when he knew of the murder, and benefited from his father’s wealth while being a priest.
The play becomes not about kidnapping as a crime, but a kidnapping necessary to right a crime committed. But the real crime is how all of these characters have been abandoned, abused and ruined by those they depended on for guidance, love and support.
Prisoners in Paradise offers a comic motif in a dire and existential situation, with four interesting and dimensional characters, where each must deal with their existential reality, and their abusive pasts while trying to find balance and unity for their future together. The play examines social and personal responsibility to self and others, and the results of neglect, abandonment and abuse.
10 Page Writing Sample offered below.
You can download the full script off my site easily. Or email me and I'll send the PDF.
Also have many other plays on my new website, with reviews, short and longer synopsis, photos etc.