Blackbird ArchiveThe Common Swallow, David Caudle
The play takes place in a small town on the Wabash River dividing southern Indiana and Illinois. A Sunday in summer, the present day.
Act One: Scene 1: A bridge over the Wabash. Mid-afternoon. Scene 2: A park along the river. Late afternoon.
There will be a ten-minute intermission.
Act Two: Scene 1. A roadside. Evening. Scene 2. A motel room on the Illinois side. Dusk. Scene 3. A home in town. Late evening. Scene 4. The motel and the home. Night. Scene 5. The park; the motel parking lot; the home. Late night. Scene 6. The bridge over the Wabash. Dawn.
Six actors portray eleven characters and two voice-overs.
1. JIM, 19, a gangly, eccentric, troubled youth. Gay. Recently homeless. 2. CORINTHIA, 50s, a sweet, awkward woman. BABUSHKA, non-speaking, an old crone. OPERATOR (A voice-over) MELINDA, 40s, Jim's mother. 3. KAREN, 42, a big city girl from a small town on a final visit home. 4. TRIPP, 39, Karen’s underachieving brother who never left home. 5. ABRA, 20, a pampered young woman and drug dealer. RED, 24, a working-class, emotionally-abused, young wife. MARCY (A voice-over) 6. POLICEMAN, late 30s. PORTER, 40s. Jim's father. EDDIE, late 20s, Abra's slacker henchman. (Off-stage voice only)
