Layers
by Gary Rodgers
Step inside Robin’s world as he grapples with his conscience and his anti-conscience. And then deeper still as the writer tries to figure out an ending... which he may not be able to do if he’s not actually the writer.
About 35 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
17
2 M | 1 W | 14 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
Simple set
36 pages
"Wait... so now Sedrick is talking to you? She's stepping outside of the play within a play to talk to the playwright? What is with that?"
Step inside Robin’s world as he grapples with his conscience and his anti-conscience. And then deeper into a world of misinformed theatrical anthropologists from the 25th century. And then deeper still as the writer tries to figure out an ending... which he may not be able to do if he’s not actually the writer.
This is not just one play. It’s a play within a play within an onion within a cabbage. Layers is filled with, well, layers. Characters and story overlap and cabbage gets thrown. Make sure you read to the very end because it’s not the writer who writes the final word...
Characters
17
2 Men, 1 Woman, 14 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
-
LAYER 1
[A]
12 lines
- Overly pleasant and cheerful.
-
LAYER 2
[A]
10 lines
- Equally as pleasant and cheerful as Layer 1.
-
LAYER 3
[A]
7 lines
- Serious and intelligent.
-
CONSCIENCE
[A]
24 lines
- Respectable, moral and rather naïve.
-
ROBIN
[M]
64 lines
- A typical awkward teenaged boy who is in love with Mona.
-
ANTI-CONSCIENCE
[A]
21 lines
- Manipulative, mischievous and unethical.
-
KNOWLEDGE
[A]
18 lines
- Follows Quote and is obviously under her control. He despises Quote and nags her relentlessly.
-
QUOTE
[A]
11 lines. lines
- Gives many physical gestures to Knowledge to direct his movements. She governs him but is quite annoyed by his incessant nagging. She speaks only in quotes.
-
ART
[A]
54 lines
- A regular pot user, rough around the edges, tough and streetwise. She often speaks incoherently or repeats herself as though she is high, however, this is not to be overdone.
-
CRAFTY
[A]
54 lines
- Art’s drug buddy, she is equally tough, streetwise, and stoned.
-
MONA
[W]
9 lines
- Typical teenaged girl, has been waiting for Robin to ask her out.
-
PROFESSOR LIVINGSTONE
[A]
60 lines
- Pompous and pretentious, she is Sedrick’s superior and supposed mentor, though terribly perturbed by Sedrick’s lack of experience and expertise.
-
SEDRICK
[A]
43 lines
- Apprentice to Professor Livingstone, longs to become an advanced dimensionality anthropologist. Has endless admiration for Professor Livingstone and Lord Master Hamdenburg.
-
LORD MASTER FRONZ HAMDENBURG
[A]
35 lines
- She is Professor Livingstone’s colleague and is equally pompous and pretentious.
-
WRITER
[A]
38 lines
- Nervous and jittery, easily spooked, looks as though he may have fallen asleep at his desk last night while writing a play.
-
ADVISOR
[M]
54 lines
- Confident and usually in control, offers Writer advice and his thoughts regarding his play.
-
PLANT
[A]
37 lines
- An unsuspecting audience member.
- Subgenres
- Farce Fantasy Avant-garde Experimental form
- Settings
- Abstract setting Present day
- Dress
- Contemporary costumes Elaborate costumes Fantasy costumes Period costumes
- Audience
- Pre-teen Teen
- Features
- Gender neutral cast Character study Physical comedy Stage combat Variable gender breakdown
- Set
- Simple set Interior set
- Cautions
- Drugs Adult themes Onstage murder
- Themes
- Adolescence Relationships Peer pressure Self-image Theatre Depression
- Other uses
- Competition Class work
Prop List
4 wooden boxes (multi-colored), 1 or 2 office chairs, Office type desk with desk items (mugs, pens, papers etc.), Laptop computer (preferably one that can take some abuse), Pots, Cabbage, Ladder, Large bag of chips, Feather boa, Onion, Tree, Magnifying glass, Skull, Light bulb
Production Photos
Multimedia
Related Titles
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.
All others must pay at the time of ordering.
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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.
Layers
by Gary Rodgers
About 35 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
17
2 M | 1 W | 14 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
Simple set
36 pages