FULL LENGTH: In 1921, Virginia Rappe attended a party thrown by silent screen star Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. No one knows for certain what happened between the two actors in Roscoe’s room at the Hotel St. Francis in San Francisco, but four days later Virginia died. Roscoe Arbuckle was put on trial for manslaughter, and the trial became the first “trial of the century.” While history has treated Roscoe with empathy, viewing him as being at the wrong place at the wrong time, Virginia is remembered as either a saint or a whore - when she is remembered at all. In The Trials of Virginia Rappe, Virginia’s ghost attends Roscoe’s trial and attempts to tell her own story by using the medium she used in life – a Hollywood movie set.

Playwright’s Note:

*Aside from Mr. Wozniak, all of the named characters have been inspired by real people who were involved either with Virginia Rappe or with Roscoe Arbuckle’s manslaughter trials.

*Although there are some direct quotes from the trial transcripts and from people associated with Roscoe and Virginia, this is a work of fiction. Anyone looking for an accurate account of the Roscoe Arbuckle trials should look elsewhere. I recommend Room 1219 by Greg Merritt.

*I found no evidence that Louella Parsons ever reported on the scandal.

Ghost Rules: Virginia cannot be seen by the living characters unless there is physical contact. When Virginia wants to speak to someone who’s alive she touches them, and for the time that they are physically connected the other person will be able to see her. But when Virginia lets go the magic is broken and the living character immediately forgets that they had seen Virginia.