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Free - Version 1 by Lindsay Price play script cover

Free - Version 1

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

Two teenagers come across an abandoned picnic. A sign in front of the picnic says, FREE FOOD.

Promisetown has been in dire straits ever since the local factory closed two years ago. The townspeople attempt to divide the food fairly, but end up struggling to reconcile their belief systems with their greed.

A stranger appears out of nowhere, offering to solve their problems, but ends up altering the town's course forever.

Drama
Also available in a competition-length version here.

Recommended for High Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 45 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
19 Characters
6 M 10 F 3 Any Gender
Set
Simple Set
Length
40 pages
Free Excerpt

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Performance Royalty Fees

Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

19 Characters

  • 6 Males
  • 10 Females
  • 3 Any Gender

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

  • Jack Male 149 lines
    The first the find the free food. One Monologue.
  • Jill Female 127 lines
    Finds the free food with Jack. Believes strongly in fairness.
  • Mrs Steel Female 72 lines
    A greedy, manipulative woman who wants the food for herself. One Monologue.
  • Mrs Brown Female 16 lines
    One of the townsfolk. A voice of reason. Two Monologues.
  • Bonnie, Betty, Becky Female 23, 27, 21 lines
    Three hiking girls that catch Jack in the act.
  • Mayor Male 37 lines
    Jill’s father. He’ll sort this whole thing out fairly… won’t he? Two Monologues.
  • Stranger Any gender 44 lines
    A visitor from faraway lands. Can he help solve the dispute?
  • Robby Male
  • Townspeople:
  • Man 1 Male 22 lines
  • Woman 1 Female 23 lines
  • Man 2 Male 20 lines
  • Woman 2 Female 18 lines
  • Man 3 Male 8 lines
  • Woman 3 Female 22 lines
  • Woman 4 Female 10 lines
  • 2 Guards Any gender
    (non-speaking)

Short Version

  • Jack Male 149 lines
    The first the find the free food.
  • Jill Female 127 lines
    Finds the free food with Jack. Believes strongly in fairness.
  • Mrs Steel Female 64 lines
    A greedy, manipulative woman who wants the food for herself. One Monologue.
  • Mayor Male 37 lines
    Jill’s father. He’ll sort this whole thing out fairly… won’t he? One Monologue.
  • Betty Female 25 lines
    A hiking girl that catches Jack in the act. One Monologue.
  • Mrs. Brown Female 19 lines
    One of the townsfolk. A voice of reason. One Monologue.
  • Stranger Any gender 39 lines
    A visitor from faraway lands. Can he help solve the dispute?
  • Townspeople:
  • Man 1 Male 22 lines
  • Woman 1 Female 23 lines
  • Man 2 Male 28 lines
  • Woman 2 Female 28 lines
  • Woman 3 Female 22 lines

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