The Outsider (Smith)
by Paul Slade Smith

The Outsider (Smith) Book Cover — The Outsider (Smith) Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

120 mins Present Day Interior Set Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes

Synopsis

Ned Newley doesn’t even want to be governor.

He’s terrified of public speaking; his poll numbers are impressively bad.

To his ever-supportive Chief of Staff, Ned seems destined to fail.

But political consultant Arthur Vance sees things differently: Ned might be the worst candidate to ever run for office.

Unless the public is looking for the worst candidate to ever run for office.... A timely and hilarious comedy that skewers politics and celebrates democracy.

Press Reviews

"Funny, timely, and dare we say, entirely possible, The Outsider is a wonderfully crafted, superbly presented show... It is an insightful, witty satire about modern American politics that will appeal to a vast audience."
— Broadway World

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Dave Riley Male 30s/40s. The Chief of Staff to the new Governor. Very smart, but – despite years of experience in government – endearingly earnest and naive on the subject of politics.	male	30s	Male 30s/40s. The Chief of Staff to the new Governor. Very smart, but – despite years of experience in government – endearingly earnest and naive on the subject of politics.
Louise Peakes Female, 30s to 50s. A temporary employee hired as the Governor’s executive assistant. Personable, likable, impressively confident and entirely inept. Without knowing it, she has the air of a politician about her. The friendliness of her smile, and the confident way she looks you in the eye, would make you think, “I’d vote for her.”	female	30s	Female, 30s to 50s. A temporary employee hired as the Governor’s executive assistant. Personable, likable, impressively confident and entirely inept. Without knowing it, she has the air of a politician about her. The friendliness of her smile, and the confident way she looks you in the eye, would make you think, “I’d vote for her.”
Ned Newley Male, 50s/60s. The new Governor. A person of impressive ability, but a complete lack of confidence. A man awaiting permission to enter a room in which he is already standing.	male	50s	Male, 50s/60s. The new Governor. A person of impressive ability, but a complete lack of confidence. A man awaiting permission to enter a room in which he is already standing.
Arthur Vance Male, 50s/60s. One of the most experienced and successful political consultants in the country. His overbearing personality, and confidence in his own opinions over the opinions of others, should make him dislikable, but his ego is more than tempered by the joy – even glee – he brings into the room. He’s a showman, but his excitement is 100% genuine, and it’s contagious.	male	50s	Male, 50s/60s. One of the most experienced and successful political consultants in the country. His overbearing personality, and confidence in his own opinions over the opinions of others, should make him dislikable, but his ego is more than tempered by the joy – even glee – he brings into the room. He’s a showman, but his excitement is 100% genuine, and it’s contagious.
Rachel Parsons Female, 30s. A TV reporter. She has the looks to be an on-air correspondent – though, if television had never been invented, she still would have been a journalist. Straightforward and honest, and inquisitive by nature. She’s seen enough of life – and politics – to be cynical, but she’s more apt to make a wry joke.	female	30s	Female, 30s. A TV reporter. She has the looks to be an on-air correspondent – though, if television had never been invented, she still would have been a journalist. Straightforward and honest, and inquisitive by nature. She’s seen enough of life – and politics – to be cynical, but she’s more apt to make a wry joke.
A.C. Petersen Male, 30s to 50s. A TV camera man. A working man, and – for most people – the guy you didn’t notice was there. Which is fine with A.C.; he has a low tolerance for idiocy and would rather not interact with anyone. His near-silence doesn’t make him seem unfriendly, just a bit of a mystery.	male	30s	Male, 30s to 50s. A TV camera man. A working man, and – for most people – the guy you didn’t notice was there. Which is fine with A.C.; he has a low tolerance for idiocy and would rather not interact with anyone. His near-silence doesn’t make him seem unfriendly, just a bit of a mystery.
Paige Caldwell Female, 20s to 40s. A professional pollster. A smart confident woman with a professional’s view of politics: she sees it as a series of contests to be won.	female	20s	Female, 20s to 40s. A professional pollster. A smart confident woman with a professional’s view of politics: she sees it as a series of contests to be won.