A Rock Sails By
by Sean Grennan

A Rock Sails By Book Cover — A Rock Sails By Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

120 mins Present Day Reduced Casting (Doubling Possible) Role(s) for Senior Actor(s) Role(s) for Non-Binary Actor(s) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes Comedy

Synopsis

Astrophysicist Dr. Lynn Cummings has always believed in science over faith in the unknown.

But now that her life is changing, the certainty that was once a source of comfort has become a source of emptiness.

When an unidentified flying object is sighted heading toward Earth, she grants an interview to a journalist who misquotes her.

With her credibility on the line, she invites him to witness the object as it comes closest to the Earth with her.

Dr. Cummings hopes it will pass without incident, but there is no telling what she will discover beyond the stars.

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Olive Cummings Female, 20s–30s. Dr. Cummings’ daughter. Smart, self-possessed, caring. A positive, attractive person, she believes in more than she can see or, unlike her mother, is at least open to the possibility. She is a doctoral candidate in English literature. Also a bit terse at times. They clash over this and other things. Still, she loves her mother very much. She and Jason are a possible fit.	female	20s	Female, 20s–30s. Dr. Cummings’ daughter. Smart, self-possessed, caring. A positive, attractive person, she believes in more than she can see or, unlike her mother, is at least open to the possibility. She is a doctoral candidate in English literature. Also a bit terse at times. They clash over this and other things. Still, she loves her mother very much. She and Jason are a possible fit.
Jason Harper Male, 30s. A journalist, he is “floating through life” somewhat. He works for a magazine he doesn’t respect, has recently broken up with a girlfriend, and isn’t sure what he believes about the greater questions. He does want there to be more than this. He wants there to be meaning and order. Ethical, intelligent, searching.	male	30s	Male, 30s. A journalist, he is “floating through life” somewhat. He works for a magazine he doesn’t respect, has recently broken up with a girlfriend, and isn’t sure what he believes about the greater questions. He does want there to be more than this. He wants there to be meaning and order. Ethical, intelligent, searching.
Messenger Any gender or nonbinary.	—	—	Any gender or nonbinary.
Haley Any gender or nonbinary. A teaching assistant who works for Dr. Cummings.	—	—	Any gender or nonbinary. A teaching assistant who works for Dr. Cummings.
Chancellor Any gender or nonbinary. The head of the university.	—	—	Any gender or nonbinary. The head of the university.
Taylor Any gender or nonbinary. Jason’s superior at Grate magazine.	—	—	Any gender or nonbinary. Jason’s superior at Grate magazine.
Doctor Any gender or nonbinary. The specialist who Dr. Cummings sees.	—	—	Any gender or nonbinary. The specialist who Dr. Cummings sees.
Tom (Offstage Voice) Male. Dr. Cummings’ husband who died two years earlier. Roles may be doubled at the producing theater’s discretion. In the original production, a single actor played Haley, Chancellor, Taylor, and Doctor. If the actor playing these roles is female (as was the casting in this production), the offstage voice of Tom would have to be recorded, or perhaps performed by the Jason actor or another. Even if the actor playing Messenger is male, they should not perform or be the recording of Tom’s voice while physically present in the scene.	female	—	Male. Dr. Cummings’ husband who died two years earlier. Roles may be doubled at the producing theater’s discretion. In the original production, a single actor played Haley, Chancellor, Taylor, and Doctor. If the actor playing these roles is female (as was the casting in this production), the offstage voice of Tom would have to be recorded, or perhaps performed by the Jason actor or another. Even if the actor playing Messenger is male, they should not perform or be the recording of Tom’s voice while physically present in the scene.
Dr. Lynn Cummings Female, 50s–60s. An astrophysicist, professor. She is very intelligent, somewhat sardonic, a believer in facts. She can be terse and dismissive. She was widowed two years ago and is still in mourning. She has a daughter, Olive. Dr. Cummings receives a diagnosis of early-onset dementia but shows only slight signs of it during the play.	female	50s	Female, 50s–60s. An astrophysicist, professor. She is very intelligent, somewhat sardonic, a believer in facts. She can be terse and dismissive. She was widowed two years ago and is still in mourning. She has a daughter, Olive. Dr. Cummings receives a diagnosis of early-onset dementia but shows only slight signs of it during the play.