Are We All On Board?

2m, 4w, 1 either
1m 50-70, 1m 45-65; 1w 50-70, 3w 45-65; 1 either 25-55

Penny Sullivan is on a Caribbean cruise that she and her late husband paid for a year ago. She fears that if it comes out that her husband isn't on board, she'll be charged a single supplement that she can't afford. A quartet of retirees who live aboard cruise ships (a married couple and a pair of sisters) note her naiveté, along with some stock certificates she has brought on board, and plot to swindle her. A male former professor working his way to a new job in the Caribbean has some suspicions, as does the purser (who may be of either sex).

Are We All On Board? combines elements of a heist plot with comedy, farce, and hints of romance. Penny, still sorrowful at the loss of her husband, finds some peace at the end, and all the swindling conspirators get their comeuppance after a ship-wide chase. The tone of the piece, along with the age and woman-heavy weighting of the cast, make it a perfect choice for established community theatres.

The set of Are We All On Board? consists largely of the lounge of a ship, with a few distinct seating areas. Stage right and stage left are two cabins, each of which need not consist of more than a door and the suggestion of a cramped cabin. A deck area downstage is delineated primarily by lighting. Props consist of room keys, luggage, jewelry, stock certificates, a wallet and its contents, a funeral urn, glasses, two books, and a bag of ice. Costumes can help establish the feeling of a Caribbean cruise.