Ghosts of the Gilded Stage
Synopsis
Facing the end of his life, veteran actor Alban Matthews sorts through a trunk of costumes, props, reviews, and ghosts from a lifetime in the theatre. Each object opens another room of memory, from first roles and old superstitions to artistic wounds, queer survival, failure, triumph, and the peculiar grace of learning how to leave the stage.
Characters
Alban Matthews
A veteran actor, no longer young, with theatre in his bones and approximately six months to live.
Staging & Technical Requirements
Single stage space. Key elements include a ghostlight, faded theatrical trunk, Victorian parlor chair, small side table, clothes rack, donation box, rubbish bin, skeleton key, and assorted small costume and prop pieces. Lighting and limited music or sound support the shifts in memory.