Playing Doctor
by Billy Van Zandt, William Van Zandt, Jane Milmore

Name: Playing Doctor
Brand: Billy Van Zandt
SKU: 9780573619359
Rating: 3 (7 reviews)

Playing Doctor Book Cover — Playing Doctor Cover

Highlights

Medium Cast

Female

Male

90 mins 1980s Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle) Interior Set Period Costumes American Comedy

Synopsis

Farce / 5m, 3f / Int. Rob Brewster's parents are very, very proud of their son the doctor.

What they don't know is that Rob has used all the money they gave him for medical school to live on as he as has pursued his fledgling writing career.

Inevitably, Rob's day of reckoning comes when his parents arrive for a visit.

Quickly, he enlists the help of his secretary to be his nurse and his roommate Jimmy to round up his actor friends to pretend to be patients.

Complications ensue when Jimmy decides he is such a good actor that he can impersonate all the patients, with the help of a trunk of costumes and bad dialects!

The authors have written some zany farces but this one may just be their zaniest.

It is great fun to perform, and great fun to see.

"Wonderful... wacky comedy... will undoubtedly become standard dinner theatre fare across the country... contains more wit than is usual in sex farce."

- Asbury Park Press

Press Reviews

"Moliere, move over! Wonderful... wacky comedy... This fast-paced farce will undoubtedly become standard dinner theatre fare across the country... contains more wit than is usual in sex farce."
— Asbury Park Press

"Sight gags for sore sides!"
— Newsday

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Jimmy Carmichael late 20s, early 30s; a starving actor by way of being an atrocious actor; is so earnest and dedicated that you want to see him succeed; best pals and roommates with Rob	—	20s	late 20s, early 30s; a starving actor by way of being an atrocious actor; is so earnest and dedicated that you want to see him succeed; best pals and roommates with Rob
Max Blake mid-20s, dumber than the dumbest dumb blonde; also a brunette; lives in her own world of logic, but she tries, works four times as hard as anyone else and is still behind; adorable and sexy, child-like and fragile, but very strong-willed and manipulative underneath	female	20s	mid-20s, dumber than the dumbest dumb blonde; also a brunette; lives in her own world of logic, but she tries, works four times as hard as anyone else and is still behind; adorable and sexy, child-like and fragile, but very strong-willed and manipulative underneath
Robert Brewster Iii 50s, an overbearing, pompous millionaire; has time only for crippling businesses and chasing women, too busy for his wife and son; reeks of money, dresses impeccably	female	50s	50s, an overbearing, pompous millionaire; has time only for crippling businesses and chasing women, too busy for his wife and son; reeks of money, dresses impeccably
Janet Brewster 50s, a scatterbrained society wife; loves her son but never sees him nor speaks with him; subservient and repressed, hasn't used her mind in years; looks the typical dowager	female	50s	50s, a scatterbrained society wife; loves her son but never sees him nor speaks with him; subservient and repressed, hasn't used her mind in years; looks the typical dowager
Chuck Murdock 30s, the jack ass from next door; psychotically jealous of his ex-wife, who dates Jimmy, but is nevertheless a buffoon; a tennis pro	female	30s	30s, the jack ass from next door; psychotically jealous of his ex-wife, who dates Jimmy, but is nevertheless a buffoon; a tennis pro
Maureen early 30s, a nymphomaniac; was married to Chuck but left him for obvious reasons; possessive and jealous, currently trained on poor Jimmy; totally innocent and naive, tries to please; a beautiful blonde with great legs	—	30s	early 30s, a nymphomaniac; was married to Chuck but left him for obvious reasons; possessive and jealous, currently trained on poor Jimmy; totally innocent and naive, tries to please; a beautiful blonde with great legs
Uncle Harold the ultimate hypochondriac, a big fat sweating man in his late 50s; an obvious case of nepotism, being Robert's Vice President; wears a bow tie	male	50s	the ultimate hypochondriac, a big fat sweating man in his late 50s; an obvious case of nepotism, being Robert's Vice President; wears a bow tie
Rob Brewster early 30s and simply gorgeous to look at; a struggling writer, fast-talking and oozing with charm, convinced he is the only sane man left on earth	male	30s	early 30s and simply gorgeous to look at; a struggling writer, fast-talking and oozing with charm, convinced he is the only sane man left on earth