This is a decidedly dark drawing room comedy that will surprise you as politicians, priests, and prostitutes are lambasted and roasted in the grand style of farce. As the corrupt get their comeuppance in a most deserving way from the most surprising source of all, you won’t believe the fun you have had along the way with twists and turns after turns and twists! This escape is well worth it! The situations are adult, but the language is not.
PLAY DETAILS
- 7f 7m
- William Richards – A conman and a burglar (a short, slight gentleman with a slightly bookish appearance, well-dressed, and with a look of energy as well.)
- Betsy Warner – A young prostitute (an exceptionally pretty, lively, intelligent young girl in her early twenties)
- Rev. Joseph Peabody – A middle-aged and frustrated preacher (Peabody is middle-aged, and is quite sincere about the ministry, but he has never achieved much success in it. He is a gib man, incline to be stout, and of limited intelligence.)
- Rev. Francis Hinkel – A young and frustrated preacher (small, thin, and quite distinctly uneducated. A certain unsteadiness of walk and speech reveals his crowning passion)
- Mrs. Pulsipher – Wife of the mayor (a handsome, tragic, well-dressed woman.)
- Bishop Artemas Bishop – Bishop of New Haven (a burly man, with a piratical countenance and swagger. He has a big black beard, and is otherwise the picture of health.)
- Madame Eleanora – Madame of New Haven’s most exclusive brothel (a strong-featured woman in her early forties.)
- Louisa Everest – One of her employees (in her middle twenties, attractive and sensible looking.)
- Elizabeth Edumunds – Another employee (early to middle thirties, she’s quite tall, and big-boned, but by no means unattractive.)
- Helen O’Tory – Another Employee (an empty-headed, but beautiful Southern Belle.)
- Rosita – Their maid (a harried-looking maid)
- Mayor Philemon Pulsipher – Mayor of New Haven (Enormous: immensely tall, immensely fat, and immensely pompous)
- Hankie – A short, tough-looking, stupid constable
- Ratty – A local constable
- Several locations
- TIME: 1869
- ACT I
- SCENE ONE — Street in New Haven Connecticut
- SCENE TWO — Offices of the American Board Of Missionaries, immediately after
- SCENE THREE — Parlor of Madame Eleanora’s Boarding House, shortly afterwards
- ACT II— Parlor of Madame Leonora’s Boarding House, minutes later
- ACT III
- SCENE ONE — Parlor of Madame Leonora’s Boarding House, moments later
- SCENE TWO — Outside the Jail, sometime later
- SCENE THREE — a warehouse, immediately after
- SCENE FOUR — a dock at the harbor, shortly afterwards
- Period Costumes (1869, Connecticut, USA)
- About 100 mins
- ORDER #3287
PERUSAL MATERIALS:
PRODUCTION/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 #3287a : $30.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3287d : $70
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3287e : $60
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
- EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.
PRODUCTIONS
- PREMIERE PLAY FILE
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
Escape from Madame Eleonora’s
A Drawing Room Comedy of the Darkest Ilk
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:
“Escape from Madame Eleonora’s is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”