Overview
Synopsis
What would you do to keep from being the villain in the history books? In the Big Cherry town council meeting, full of backstabbing, personal agendas, and pet peeves, The Minutes explores small town politics and the real-world effects of trying to rewrite history. When Mr. Peel returns to his town council meeting after missing the previous week for his mother’s funeral, he is shocked to find that Mr. Carp has been removed from the council. Unable to get an answer out of any other councilors as to why Mr. Carp has been removed, Peel makes it his mission to uncover the mystery of the missing councilman. As the play goes on, it becomes clear that this is not just a run-of-the-mill corruption scandal – something much darker is woven into the fabric of Big Cherry. This one-act comedy from playwright Tracy Letts is an excellent dark comedy piece for an ensemble cast.
Show Information
- Book
- Tracy Letts
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 1
- First Produced
- 2017
- Genres
- Dark Comedy, Comedy
- Settings
- Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- A town council meeting room in Big Cherry, November, Present Day
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Diverse Cast, Ensemble Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
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|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Emma Houlahan
Canadian vocalist and actor now based in London.