Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander

The Tank Theater, NYC, October 2019

The play begins with the audience onstage and the actors in the audience. Why are they there?
They seem to be waiting for something. They talk of mass murderers and unicorns and free will.
They decide to go out, but when exiting the theater, one of them kills an audience member. There
is an intermission in a bordello. Jazz music and free champagne. The second act begins. The
dead man wears a mask. The wife knits and agrees with everything he says. Two of the characters
cannot be seen. It is afternoon. Two children play “ring around the rosie.” The only way to be seen
is to murder the man again. Madame DeFarge from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities finishes her knitting.
The play ends. The audience must slog through rats to get out.

This production was funded by a NYC Artists Corps Grant.

Cast

Grace Chang (Stage Manager/Gaoler)

Clinton Powell (Bouncer)

Rachel Halper (Chris)

JaneAnne Halter (Alex)

Clara Steeves (Dubbs/Pizza Captain)

Te’ena Klein (Pat)

Mark Peters (Six/Hungarian Dialect Coach)

Crew

Tom Block (Playwright/Director)

Moshe Henderson (Real Stage Manager/Sound Designer/ Assistant CasNng Director)