Fearless In Development Spring 2025
The Gravediggers Union
Written by Brian James Polak
Directed by Kevin T. Houle
Synopsis
A group of people work at a cemetery in the fictional Ashworth, New Hampshire… some wishing they were elsewhere, others perfectly happy to be miserable where they are. They all work together digging holes and passing the time. When the Walmart of cemeteries opens across the street everybody begins to worry about losing their jobs. So they plan to put on a play to raise money to buy the cemetery themselves. The only problem is nobody goes to plays anymore…
Where
Open Book, Room 203, 1011 Washington St S, Minneapolis, MN 55415
When
Monday, July 7 at 7:00 pm
Tuesday, July 8 at 7:00 pm
Cast
RONNIE – Ross Flores (he/him)
BOBBY – Isabelle Hopewell (she/her)
RICKY – Robin Carlisle (they/them)
MIKE – Sam Buegler (he/him)
JOHNNY – Bill Sikorski (he/him)
STAGE DIRECTIONS – Christopher Taykalo (he/him)
About the playwright
Brian James Polak is an award-winning playwright born and raised in New Hampshire. His plays have been presented at venues and schools around the country, and have been published by Smith & Kraus, Talon Review, Commonplace Books, NoPassport Press, Next Stage Press, and Canyon Voices. When not writing plays, he can be found working as the producer and host of American Theatre magazine’s “The Subtext,” a podcast about what makes playwrights tick. He received his MFA in Dramatic Writing from the University of Southern California, School of Dramatic Arts.