(For production by Professional Groups, College/University Groups, Community Groups)
What’s it like to pretend to be perfect? What’s it like to be a Mormon but question your faith? What’s it like to be gay and LDS? What’s it like to live in the “Borderlands”? A powerful exploration of the difference between outward orthodoxy and true faith. This is not an easy play. It asks hard questions by presenting tough material in edgy situations. It deals with hypocrisy and self-righteousness but deftly avoids smugness or easy answers. In each of the characters we see a little piece of Eric himself. These four characteristics of Eric, as characters themselves, have a stirring, problematic and essential conversation with each other and that conversation is what BORDERLANDS is all about. This play is also about ‘coming out’ — but not in the way most traditionally thought about. The young gay character has already come out. It is the other three who have a need to ‘come out’ and discover what it is that they truly believe about who they are and how they are. Set in a used car lot in Provo, Utah this play is written with Latter-day Saint characters, but its philosophies and questions – its heart – are part of any Faith.
Play contains mature language and situations.
PLAY DETAILS:
- 2M 2W
- DAVE MCGREGOR . . a car salesman
GAIL LEWIS . . . an independent business owner
PHYLLIS WELLS . . . an office manager
BRIAN ROENICKE. . . a mechanic - About 2 hours
- ORDER #2031
COMMENTS:
Jerry Rapier, Artistic Director of Plan-B Theatre Company in Salt Lake City, and the director of two readings of the play and, the Plan-B production of BORDERLANDS, was a guest in a podcast with moderator and host, Stephen Carter of Sunstone Magazine, where he made the following observations:
“BORDERLANDS is a transcendent piece of theatre. It is an example of how theatre can change people’s lives.”
The question came up of ‘How can you be truly faithful and human without doubt?’ The answer is “You can’t.” Faith and doubt are necessary opposites that assist in that transcendence, in the mere living of a successful life. EDITOR’S NOTE: There is always doubt – until there is not.
BORDERLANDS remains one of the most successful plays ever produced in the entire (over 30 year) history of Plan-B Theatre Company.
PERUSAL MATERIALS
- The PERUSAL PAGES file is in PDF format and contains the first half of the play: BorderlandsPERUSAL
PURCHASE REHEARSAL MATERIALS:
(Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account?), email us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Do not purchase rehearsal materials or pay for royalties until you have performance clearance.)
- Script in PDF format — Order #2031a : $25.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2031d : $75
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2031e : $65
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
PRODUCTIONS
- OutCast Productions, Langley Washington — 2024
- Reading at Plan-B Theatre Company – 2018
- Published in “Even More Plays from Behind the Zion Curtain.” – 2012
- Published in Sunstone Magazine – 2009
- Premiere at Plan-B Theatre Company (SLC) – 2011 (Productions Photos PDF) BorderlandsPHOTOS
- As recognized by the Dramatists Guild of America, Plan-B Theatre Company is the only professional theatre company in the United States producing full seasons of new plays by local playwrights.
- Reading at Fort Douglass Theatre — 2008
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
Borderlands
A Play
by
Eric Samuelsen
NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play. (In a press release all type, will of course, be the same size.)
ALSO:
THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“Borderlands is presented through special arrangement with Premiére Theatrical Licensing on behalf of Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”
From the catalog of
