Homeloss

3+m, 2+w
1m 20s; 1w 20s; others of either sex and various ages

Homeloss follows the lives of young married couple Akers and Martha Eapes from their eviction to their deaths. Only Akers and Martha are speaking characters; many others populate their story, but only in scenes and vignettes in which they do not speak. It is expected that each of the non-speaking actors will essay multiple roles, and that stage crew may be recruited for the roles that require lifting and moving of furniture. These non-speaking roles include a landlord, a locksmith, movers, bargain hunters, trash collectors, homeless persons, druggies, a john, gay men, and a newlywed couple.

Akers is addicted to drugs, and it is his reckless spending in search of his next high that results in the eviction. Martha has a minimum-wage job, which she loses soon after the eviction. They are homeless for the next few weeks of their short lives. Akers succumbs to a drug overdose; Martha is shot as a house invader after she loses touch with reality.

The dialogue of the play is liberally interspersed with monologues for Akers and Martha. Akers waxes poetical in describing his drug-induced euphoria, both before and after death, while Martha's monologues show her mental deterioration. The play ends with them both speaking from the afterlife.

A simple set is needed for Homeloss, with just lighting, a rolling door and a rolling section of shrubbery used to set various scenes. Many furnishings are required, though, including a pop-up pup tent and a one-bedroom bungalow's worth of furniture. The furniture is moved onstage and then offstage in the first couple of scenes, then returns in the last scene. Consequently, a spacious backstage area is needed for furniture storage.

Music plays a large part in Homeloss, acting as background music for the non-dialogue sequences. The play is a perfect vehicle for a synergistic musical score provided by a local rock band.