Passengers (Paperback)

Collection of Scenes / 2m, 2f / Exterior Four actors, a man and woman in their mid to late twenties and a man and woman in their mid to late forties, play seventeen characters in eight short scenes that take place in a small mid-western bus station. The scenes, which segue fluidly from one to another without stopping, vary from comedic to poignant and are tied together in the last scene. Scene 1 - Jane and Walter, a disillusioned man and woman, meet in the station. As they converse, they are convinced they are dead. Scene 2 - Frank, one of life's eternal losers, encouraged by his wife Clara, plans to turn his life around by successfully robbing the bus. Scene 3 - Fred, a successful businessman, meets Maureen, an old high school classmate of his, who is now a bag lady. They have a rousing time together recalling the good old days. Scene 4 - Ernest, an innocent bystander, suffers outrageous consequences when he refuses to get involved in a bogus incident that was set up to reprimand people who refuse to get involved. Scene 5 - Mrs. Evans, a recently widowed woman, whose husband was accidentally killed while attending a circus out of town, awaits his ashes. At the same time she is returning the body of the clown that was sent to her by mistake. Scene 6 - June, a not too bright young girl in a wedding dress, who was just about to marry a man who can give her everything, decides instead to run off with her old boyfriend, Bobby, who can give her nothing. As they converse while waiting for the bus, June realizes what a stupid thing she's done. Scene 7 - Mace, a bus driver, asks Laura, the woman behind the ticket counter to join him in his retirement. Although she knows they would be perfect for each other, she has to turn him down. Scene 8 - Four characters from the above scenes find themselves waiting for the final bus of life.