Challenge Grant

1w, 5+ either
1w 25-45; 5 either 30-50, 0+ either 18-60

Quiller Penn, the artistic director of a non-profit theatre, has hired a problematic team for the theatre's season opener.  When their approach results in a cease-and-desist order from the publisher, the theatre's sponsors pull out.  It's up to Quiller, Shay Lessing (managing director), and R.C. Grant (technical director) to salvage the production and the theatre.

To the rescue comes Condor Cates, an assistant to magnate Mel Flynn, who offers the theatre a challenge grant.  But is the motivation for the grant genuine support from a new company in town, or a ploy to take over the theatre's building?

The speaking cast consists of the three directors, the two people associated with Flynn Industries, and Suzi Shore, an actress at the theatre who provides comic relief.  Non-speaking members of a set crew may also appear, since the setting is a stage on which the set for the season opener is being constructed.

Challenge Grant is a comedy with bite, pitting various factions against one another in the running of a theatre company located in an undeveloped city center.  Figuring out what the factions are is part of the fun of the piece. Fun also comes from the shenanigans onstage as a show is being readied for production.