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Origin Story

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  4w, 3m

Nathan Alan Davis

As she works two jobs to pay down her debt, Margaret grapples with not knowing who she is or what she’s aiming for. Funny, satirical and surprising, Origin Story is an offbeat look at the quarter-life crisis and how to connect in an unconnected world.

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Origin Story

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary

Margaret doesn’t know who she is or what she’s aiming for. Forced to work two jobs to pay down her debt, she wades through office triviality at The Services Corporation by day and works the drive-thru of The Burg at night. But through co-workers and friends, Margaret’s existential muddle begins to resolve as connections are found in the most unsuspecting of places.

Funny, satirical and surprising, Origin Story is an offbeat look at the quarter-life crisis and how to connect in an unconnected world.

History
Following a 2021 workshop production at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Origin Story made its world premiere at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park on 20 May 2023.
Keywords
Performing Groups
MARGARET – W, 30s, ethnically ambiguous. Works at The Services Corporation during the day. Also works the graveyard shift at The Burg.
VAL – W, 30s, white. Works at The Services Corporation with Margaret.
ANITA – W, 20s, Tamil. Works at The Services Corporation in the HR department.
BOBBY – M, 20s, white. Works the graveyard shift at The Burg with Margaret.
DEX – M, 42. Val’s lover on Mondays.
ROXANNE – W, 40s-50s, black. A regular drive-thru customer at The Burg.
GARY – M, 50s-60s, white. A Xerox repairman.
  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting An office, a fast food restaurant, a bedroom and other locations in an American city. Present day.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes
    • Nudity/Partial Nudity

Media

“Brilliant… One of the most intriguing, fascinating plays I’ve ever seen.” – The Sappy Critic

“Humorous and oddly insightful… The existential angst of contemporary life is portrayed both amusingly and poignantly… a very skillful piece of writing, brought to life by rich portrayals of a collection of memorable characters.” – Talkin’ Broadway

“Origin Story is smartly written by a playwright (Nathan Alan Davis) who knows how to conserve dialogue to the bare minimum and, in doing so, somehow still manages to paint multi-layered characters so full of life and resonance while maintaining the individual comedic archetypes. Brilliant… after so many years of seeing a heck of a lot of theatre, I can objectively tell you that this show is spectacular on all levels.” – The Sappy Critic

Videos

  • Origin Story: A Director’s Take youtube thumbnail

    Origin Story: A Director’s Take

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

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Authors

Nathan Alan Davis

Nathan Alan Davis
Nathan Alan Davis is a playwright from Rockford, IL, now based in New York. His plays include Nat Turner in Jerusalem, Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea and The Wind and the Breeze. His work has been produced and developed by New York Theatre Workshop, McCarter Theatre, The Public ...
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