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ISBN 978-0-573-69912-2Kathryn GrantDrama2m, 3fWinner! 2011 Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Citation
Winner! 2010 Premiere Stages Play Festival and the 2010 Jerry Kaufman Award in Playwriting The Good Counselor is a new drama about a chosen son's quest for truth. Vincent, a bright young lawyer in the Public Defender department has been assigned to defend a young woman accused of killing her three-week-old son. Hounded by his community and haunted by his past, Vincent struggles to defend both neglectful mothers: his client, and his own. A thought-provoking and beautifully written play, The Good Counselor literally prompts the audience to serve as the jury in determining what it means to be a good parent. “Unsettling drama…Ms. Grant doesn’t fall into the trap of oversimplifying her characters or seeing only one side of a relationship…this is a sign of Ms. Grant’s ingenuity as a playwright.” –The New York Times “Playwright Kathryn Grant is a promising talent with a sharp ear for dialogue…The Good Counselor is engrossing, thoughtful and thought-provoking, and worthy of our attention.” –Talkin’ Broadway“A searing new play… provides a vivid picture of life’s unrelenting hardness, as these people seek small pleasures in their lives, despite their struggles.” –NJ.com Character Descriptions:VINCENT HEFFERNON(27-34 years old) is an African-American public defender practicing law in a rural county.
RAY HEFFERNON (29-36 years old) is Vincent’s older brother, an African-American man currently working as a roofer. He has a history of drug addiction that may mask an underlying mood disorder like bipolar.
RITA HEFFERNON (60-75 years old) is Ray and Vincent’s mother. She is in poor health but struggles to stay out of bed and keep up appearances.
EVELYN LAVERTY (20-30 years old) is a single white mother currently a suspect in the death of her infant. She is not an appealing candidate to put on the stand in court because she is scared, truculent and a knee-jerk racist.
MAYA ARUNA (45-70 years old) is the supervisor in the county’s Office of the Public Defender. Originally the role was written for an Indian-American, but the role can be cast as a nationalized citizen born in South or Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, one of the countries of the former Soviet Union, a South East Asian Country or any other country (not African) with large segments of the population living in poverty (change name as needed.) FEE: $75 per performance
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