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Cockeyed

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  1w, 3m

“Rocking with laughter... hilarious... polished and engaging work draws heavily on the age-old conventions of farce: improbable situations, exaggerated characters, amazing coincidences, absurd misunderstandings, people hiding in closets and barely missing each other as they run in and out of doors... full of comic momentum.” – Talkin' Broadway

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Senior, Teen (Age 14 - 18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! HotCity Theatre GreenHouse New Play Festival

Details

Summary

Phil in accounting is lovesick for Sophia, the boss’s secretary. There’s only one problem – she’s completely unaware of his existence. Phil’s best friend Norman informs him that he hasn’t got a chance with the beautiful Sophia because she’s dating the boss and besides, he’s not in her league.

Phil gets up the nerve to say hello but Sophia acts as if he doesn’t exist. Norman tells the humiliated Phil that it’s not a big loss because the rumor around the office is that Sophia’s right eye is made of glass. This news thrills Phil because this tiny imperfection makes Sophia attainable! But more, Phil was standing to her left – perhaps she never saw him! Phil begs Norman to make a formal introduction. However, this second attempt ends in utter failure when Sophia looks right through Phil – again. 

His self-esteem in shambles, Phil goes to Sophia’s apartment to confront her. But before he can knock, she steps out, empties the garbage, walks past him and slams the door in his face. Phil flies into a rage. He softens when he hears crying coming from within, and he enters Sophia’s apartment to comfort her. Soon it occurs to him that Sophia in fact cannot see him. Perhaps he is caught in some kind of hyperspace or dualistic reality or perhaps Descartes was wrong!

Phil decides there is only one logical thing to do – he moves in with the woman of his dreams – despite the fact that she’s unaware of his existence.

History

Originally produced at the Hot City Theatre in St. Louis. Finalist at the Ashland New Play Festival (one of 11 finalists out of 170 scripts) and winner of the Greenhouse Festival of New Work (1st place out of 300) at the HotCity Theatre in St. Louis.

PHIL – A Nice Guy. Majored in philosophy in college.
SOPHIA – A Pretty Secretary. She has a glass eye.
V.P. MARLEY – A Handsome Boss. He wears a cell phone headset on one ear.
NORMAN – A Nervous Accountant. Phil’s friend. 

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting Sophia’s tiny studio apartment and the offices of Hibarger Corporation. The present.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features Physical Comedy
  • Duration 105 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“Fresh and invigorating.” – Playback Magazine

“A clever romantic comedy.” – St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Rocking with laughter... hilarious... polished and engaging work draws heavily on the age-old conventions of farce: improbable situations, exaggerated characters, amazing coincidences, absurd misunderstandings, people hiding in closets and barely missing each other as they run in and out of doors... full of comic momentum.” – Talkin' Broadway

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

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Authors

William Missouri Downs

William Missouri Downs has written everything from NBC sitcoms to Kabuki tragedies. He's had well over 300 productions of his plays and musicals from the Kennedy Center to the San Diego Rep. He's been produced in Spain, Canada, South Africa, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Switz ...

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