STRANGER ON THE BUS
By Ed Shockley

ABOUT THE PLAY

An originally researched award winning dream play commissioned by Children's Theatre of Charlotte, exploring the history of race relations in the region and the landmark desegregation case, Swann v. Charlotte/Mechlenberg Board of Education. The play is suitable for all ages and features an expandable cast of 12-50, depending on the amount of double casting and ensemble size. it runs about two hours.

Production Still

Charlotte Children's Theatre production playbill. Voted Best New Play by Creative Loafing Magazine.



SYNOPSIS

Two families assemble in the hospital room of an unconscious young Afro-American girl injured in a public school riot. Suddenly the realistic world melts away as Jim Crow, a giant trickster bird, emerges signaling our entrance into the world of dream. Events in Charlotte history from World War Two through the first successful use of busing for racial integration all appear in wildly exaggerated imagery as the two families struggle to maintain friendships through the many tests.

WWII joins the young women of the two families in lifelong friendship. It also alters the perspective of the men as Afro-American soldiers rescue wounded white soldiers on the beaches of Normandy. Jim Crow, however, continues creating conflict upon their return to America. Segregated buses, lack of employment opportunities, and legalistic tricks all presented in slapstick fashion challenge the spirit of togetherness until Thurgood Marshall appears as a western sheriff and shoots down the Plessy Gang.

First person interview and meticulously researched historical characters weave through the story and ultimately establish the model desegregation program.

Reviewl

Review of the original production.


Liberty, the wounded girl, awakens and returns us to the reality of the post-integration school system. Everything was not resolved in 1971, and this Afro-American child was attacked by her Afro-American peers for "acting white." The play resolves with a hopeful future but without the simplistic quality of a fairy tale. Jim Crow is still alive and filled with venom, waiting for an opportunity to strike and continue his war against harmony.

READ AN EXCERPT

To read the beginning of Stranger on the Bus as a PDF, CLICK HERE.

If you are unable to read PDF files, CLICK HERE to download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.


TO ORDER

To request free perusal materials and a production contract for Stranger on the Bus, go to our online order page by CLICKING HERE.

Amateur rights for Stranger on the Bus are $80.00 for the first performance and $60.00 for subsequent performances. These prices include the right to print as many copies of the script as your production needs. Professional rights should be negotiated directly with the playwright, who can be reached by email at: edshockley@edshockley.com.
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