dirt
by Mandy Conner

Highlights

Female

Male

One Act 30 mins 1930s Ensemble Cast Flexible Cast Size Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes

Synopsis

When the 1935 Dust Bowl batters the Texas Panhandle with drought, dirt and devastation, the Loftin family is hit especially hard.

Matriarch Edith already works a night job at the post office to help feed the household of ten, while her husband struggles to run their farm with an injured leg and an oldest son whose behavior grows increasingly erratic.

Once the dust storms hit, not only do the Loftins suffer a devastating loss among their own, they also face the loss of their farm.

Though Edith is sent reeling, she must find a way to move forward somehow.

But where is hope to be found?

A moment in American history sets the stage for this personal, immediate drama about finding purpose amid overwhelming disaster.

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
EDITH 35, mother, hard and soft at the same time.	female	—	35, mother, hard and soft at the same time.
LLOYD ALVIS 45, father, has a permanently injured leg from being run over by a horse cart.	male	—	45, father, has a permanently injured leg from being run over by a horse cart.
DEBBIE 14, daughter.	female	—	14, daughter.
UNEX (full name Timothy) – 15, son.	male	—	(full name Timothy) – 15, son.
FRANK 18, son.	male	—	18, son.
ALVIS 20, Lloyd’s son from his first marriage, suffers from schizophrenia.	male	20	20, Lloyd’s son from his first marriage, suffers from schizophrenia.
GARY RAY (nicknamed Rayboy) – 12, artistic and asthmatic, the baby of the family.	—	—	(nicknamed Rayboy) – 12, artistic and asthmatic, the baby of the family.
MIKE (full name Michael Lee) – 16.	—	—	(full name Michael Lee) – 16.
CUFFY 68, Lloyd’s father.	male	—	68, Lloyd’s father.
WINNIE 41, Lloyd’s sister.	female	—	41, Lloyd’s sister.
PREACHER	—	—	—
DOOCHIE 36, Edith’s best and dearest friend.	—	—	36, Edith’s best and dearest friend.
RED CROSS WOMAN	—	—	—
ENSEMBLE As many as needed, or can be doubled as Cuffy, Winnie, Preacher, and Doochie.	male	—	As many as needed, or can be doubled as Cuffy, Winnie, Preacher, and Doochie.