A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Eisegesis

Short Play, Drama  /  1w, 2m, 1any gender (adult)

Mr. Arnold Halsworth wakes to find himself trapped alone in a mysterious prison cell, enclosed not by walls and doors but by a bizarre, otherworldly void. While he attempts to reason through his situation, two strange Men enter from the nothingness and overpower Mr. Halsworth, presenting him with a staggering accusation: that he alone is
humanity's most heinous criminal.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 2m, 1any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    30 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Fantasy, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for all audiences

Details

Summary

Selected play from the Eduational Theatre Association's 2010 Thespian Playworks program. Published in the collection Thespian Playworks 2011.

Mr. Arnold Halsworth wakes to find himself trapped alone in a mysterious prison cell, enclosed not by walls and doors but by a bizarre, otherworldly void. As he attempts to reason through his situation, two strange Men enter from the nothingness and overpower him, presenting him with a staggering accusation: that he alone is humanity's most heinous criminal. Astounded and utterly confused at such a monstrous allegation, Mr. Halsworth must search his past, recounting memories of his collegiate life and his girlfriend Danielle, to uncover the reasons for his imprisonment. Little by little, Mr. Halsworth pieces together the actions that led him there, arriving, ultimately, at mankind's greatest crime.

History

Eisegesis was originally produced in The Blank Theatre's Young Playwrights Festival (Daniel Henning, Artistic Director; Noah Wyle, Artistic Producer) in Hollywood, California, on June 9, 2011. It was directed by Warren Davis.

Keywords

ARNOLD HALSWORTH - A twenty-something physicist and intellectual; usually a normal, amiable college student, his given circumstances make him very defensive.
MAN 1 - One of Halsworth's mysterious interrogators; authoritative and intimidating but never violent; measured and in control.
MAN 2 - Halsworth's other interrogator, of similar demeanor; may be a female role.
DANIELLE RITTMAN - Halsworth's wife, a smart woman with a dry and sarcastic sense of humor.

 

MAN 2 may be played by a male or a female.

  • Time Period Present Day, The Future
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No intermission
  • Duration 30 minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size No Chorus

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $65 per performance

Scripts

Available Formats:

Add-Ons

Take a look below at how you can enhance your show!

Authors

Nick Mecikalski

Nick Mecikalski is a Senior at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Theatre and minoring in Computer Science. He is an alumnus of two programs with the National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center – the Advanced Playwriting Semester and the Theatermakers Summ ...
View full profile

Now Playing