Full Length Play
$15.00
The Full-Length version of A Night In Jail runs approximately 75 min. It has a cast with a minimum of 3 men and 1 woman. Be sure to add the free Educational Toolkit for your post-play discussion.
Please note: a licensing agreement must be purchased for any performance.
(Excerpt From Script)
Cast
| Danny | 18, ambitious and entering college, but gets high too often. |
| Captain | Homeless drug addict with schizophrenia. 40-60. Male |
| Officer Beef | Sardonic, guard in the jail. Middle-aged, female. |
| Steve | 17, Danny’s best friend and worst influence |
| Lynette | Danny’s high school girlfriend, loves to get high. |
Variety of parts to be played by the actor and actresses playing Officer Beef, Steve, and Lynette.
Saturday evening. 1978. Interior of Seattle’s King County Jail. LIghts up over the Guard’s Station. A pay phone is on the wall.
DANNY, 18, in a prison-issued jump suit. Feathered hair and sideburns. He’s stoned.
A CLOCK WITH THREE HANDS loom upstage. Whenever the time changes it is because Danny has looked at the clock.
CLOCK READS 9:39
The Officer, a strong Southern, sardonic woman, is checking in Danny’s personal belongings. She unfolds a piece of paper.
THE OFFICER
(reading the paper)
“1. To become a lawyer. 2. Git married. 3. Become a great skier.” (snort)
The officer drops the list in a ziplock bag with at lighter and marajuana pipe.
DANNY
(to the audience)
“Reality Rush.” That’s what I call it. When you’re getting high with your buddy, laughing, having a great time. But then the cops bust in and you gotta come down fast, straighten up and deal with reality. Reality Rush number 2: my parents think spending a night in jail will teach me a lesson.
Danny picks up the pay phone. Lights up on Stage Right. Enter STEVE who holds a rotary phone. This is Danny’s best friend and worst influence.
STEVE
What kind of fucking lesson is that? My dad says your parents are way too harsh.
DANNY
No shit!
STEVE
And that guard! She should have released you to my dad. What a mean, ugly bitch.
DANNY
And beefy, too.
STEVE
(sniggering)
“Officer Beef!”
Officer Beef looks up. Is he laughing at her? Danny turns his back to her. Steve lights a joint and takes a deep toke.
DANNY
Oh man! This time it’s going on my record! What–what if this hurts my chances to get into law school?
STEVE
Not gonna happen! Everyone’s doing it! (holding it) Besides, it’s probably no worse than a parking ticket, anyway…(exhale) Okay. I know: I’ll come pick you up in the morning. 8:00 AM? Right?
DANNY
Ohhhh, fuck, Steve! I can’t stay here all night!
STEVE
Dude, we just smoked soooooo much pot! Just go sleep it off!
Lights off on Steve. Danny hangs up.
OFFICER BEEF
Les go.
