A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The Business Proposal

Short Play, Comedy  /  1w, 1m, 1any gender (adult)

A nice young man finds out, when proposing to his Type-A girlfriend, that the woman he hoped would be his wife has just accepted a job to become his boss.

The Business Proposal

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 1m, 1any gender (adult)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Romantic Comedy
  • Suggested Use
    • Scene work
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Details

Summary

The Business Proposal begins with a botched marriage proposal by a nice young man to his Type-A girlfriend, who instead informs him that she has just accepted a position to become his boss. Over the next six months the two try to sort out what they really want out of their professional and personal lives. The solution comes as a surprise, both to themselves and to the audience. The play also features a comic waiter and some voice-overs, which can be done by the same actor.

Published as part of Tall Grass.

History
Tall Grass was first presented Off Broadway by Roger Alan Gindi in association with Nutmeg Productions at The Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row in New York City. The director was Nick Corley.
PAULA LABREK - late 20s
TREVOR PALUMBO - late 20s
WAITER
  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting A restaurant. An office.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes

Media

"Farce is Brian Harris' métier – it allows the brutality of each relationship to creep up on you, heightening the dramatic tension in a way that Neil LaBute's handling of similar themes cannot." - The New York Times

"Juicy, Entertaining and Dangerous! A woman becomes her boyfriend's boss, a man catches a burglar in his home, a con artist tries to dupe an elderly couple – each play veers towards violence and dark humor. The fizzy energy of a romantic comedy [...] a threatening sexual vibe!" - Variety

"Unpredictable Tall Tales! Three surreal notions of the things we do for love." - The Village Voice

"The dark, brutal underbelly of humanity is present in each character, perhaps making for a devastating look at modern life. Brian Harris' dialogue is fast, full of life, and showing these characters in all their complexities in such a short amount of time." - Edge Publications

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $55 per performance
    $90 with other plays in collection

Scripts

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Authors

Brian D. Harris

Brian Harris has an M.B.A from the University of Chicago and has spent most of his professional life as a stock analyst in New York. His short plays have won The Strawberry One Act Festival twice and The Jean Dalrymple Award for Best Comedy Playwright at the American Theatre ...
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