FROM THE TOP
by Scott C. Sickles
A contemporary comedy of manners about the things we keep from the people we love. From the Top examines (roughly) the same half-hour from three different perspectives as the characters prepare to leave for a special event. In Act One, young actor Edmund
arrives with his new boyfriend Paddy, seeking a private moment with his mentor, Brandon, a highly regarded theater director. His efforts are inexplicably blocked by Irene and Calvin, an actress/playwright couple. In Act Two, moments before Edmund and Paddy’s arrival, Irene tries to break up with bewildered Calvin. They discreetly negotiate the chaos going on around them, ultimately confronting the fate of their relationship. In Act Three, starting moments earlier than the previous act, Brandon welcomes Irene and Calvin, and soon the reasons for his sudden reclusiveness and their madcap efforts to hold Edmund at bay become heartbreakingly clear.
- Cast Size: 4M 1W
- Running Time: 90+ minutes
- Royalty Rate: $75 per performance
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About the Playwright
SCOTT C. SICKLES is an LGBTQ/neurodivergent/biracial Korean American writer. His plays have been performed in New York City, across the U.S., and internationally in Canada, Australia, the UK, Hungary, Singapore, Indonesia, and Lebanon. He is the author of Playing on the Periphery: Monologues and Scenes for and About Queer Kids. Plays include: Nonsense and Beauty (Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; Edgerton New Play Award; ATCA Steinberg Award Finalist), Marianas Trench (O’Neill Finalist), Pangea (O’Neill Semifinalist), Composure (New York Innovative Theatre Award; Lambda Literary Award Finalist), Intellectuals (Smith & Kraus’ New Playwrights: Best Plays of 2007), Hairdresser on Fire (Next Stage Press), Lightning From Heaven (Beverly Hills Theater Guild/Julie Harris Playwriting Award); Beautiful Noises (Smith & Kraus), murmurs (Samuel French); and Turtles and Bulldogs (Applause). Five consecutive Writers Guild of America Awards for the daytime drama General Hospital, eight Emmy nominations. Member, Dramatists Guild, New Play Exchange. www.ScottCSickles.com
ALSO BY SCOTT C. SICKLES
This astute little gem of a play was an absolute delight to read. Numerous comedic moments fold right into tender ones that somehow still manage to survive in this very funny, exquisitely well-crafted play. The shift in perspective from act to act was both simple and complex and would be a joy for any director to stage, any actor to embrace. Highly recommend!
Review From the Top.