Guilt by Association

Guilt by Association

SYNOPSIS

20-MINUTE TWO-HANDER. In 1950, a pleasant father-son evening of window shopping for cars turns serious when the son mentions his best friend is considering suicide. The friend is being bullied at school because he’s thought to be “queer.” This triggers a painful memory from the father’s days in the army in World War II. Their conversation results in mutual revelations that change their relationship going forward.  

CHARACTERS (2M)

JIM--Age 35, James’s father

JAMES--Age 15 going on 16, Jim’s son

SETTING

September, 1950. Open back porch of a small house, early evening. 

PUBLICATION

Included in Baker's Dozen: 13 Gay Plays and Monologues (Next Stage Press, 2023).

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM READERS ON NEW PLAY EXCHANGE

Ian Donley: “The language used in this piece provides a vivid image of how living in 1950 was but also feels contemporary in how it addresses the stigmatization queer people have experienced (and continue to experience) in America. Baker's script is filled with rich and emotionally charged dialogue, making the work required of the actors simple. Definitely a good character piece to have on your list!”

Rachel Feeny-Williams: “We had the privilege of reading this play as part of our Sunday evening play reading and its a wonderfully powerful piece that won't fail to touch an audience. Sexuality is a complicated issue, even now, but in the 50s it was so much more. That's what Don explores in this piece as father and son discuss the complex and heartbreaking issues that can come with sexual discovery. Having read many of Don's pieces its apparent he has a gift for writing powerful scenes and I think this would be a gift to two performers.”

Scott Sickles: “You can practically see the Norman Rockwell color palette. Underneath its jovial tone, a father and son have a serious conversation about friendship, masculinity, and public perception. Baker takes us on an unpredictable journey through territory as familiar today as it was then. The characterizations and dynamics are both timeless and fresh, giving actors a lot to work with. A gently powerful piece.”

Morey Norkin:  “Don Baker has an uncanny knack for transporting readers/audiences to a particular time and place. Here he takes us to 1950 America and, not unusual for the era, a father-son chat about cars, beer, and girls. But as the topic of conversation shifts to the son’s best friend, father and son connect on a deeper level of understanding, perhaps in a way that would not have come easily in that era or even today for that matter. Heartwarming and hopeful, and some of Baker’s best, most beautiful writing. That’s saying something! Please read!”

Bruce Karp:  “Baker has written a play so dense with details, feelings and emotion that I was shocked it was only a five-page play. Excellent character development, tension, and dialogue. The turnaround at the end of the play was surprising and well-earned. Well done!”

Christopher Plumridge:  “I mirror what Morey Norkin says in his recommendation, Baker has a gift for bringing the reader or audience effortlessly into a chosen time, and you can practically see yourself sharing a beer with father and son. As their natural conversation moves along, deeper feelings emerge. This is where I was taken by surprise, I expected father to be dead set against the matter at hand, but no, this playwright is far sharper than that. This is an excellent two hander with real depth.”

Paul Donnelly:  “This particular father-son evening leads to difficult revelations that are ultimately moving and life-affirming. Both father and son are vividly drawn and their situation is compelling.”

Christopher Soucy: “What would we do differently when given a chance? Have we learned enough to pass on the lessons of our own doubt and heartache? Baker gives us a hopeful scenario where a father tries to be there for his son in earnest. There is warmth and hope in this piece, as well as pain and anguish.”

Andrew Martineau: “I love father-son plays that explore a range of emotion, especially when they explore extreme awkwardness due to societal norms that have essentially created unnecessary, unhealthy tension and repression. Don Baker moves from beat to beat in this short play with amazing skill in writing well-crafted dialogue and character motivation. I love Jim's war stories that lead us to see how he can have empathy for his son's boyfriend's desperation, despite his lack of initial understanding of the relationship. Beautiful writing!”

Stephen Redmon-Byrum: “A poignant, but also heartwarming short play. The dynamic between father and son is so healthy and warm, even in the moments when that warmth feels difficult between them. Your heart will break, but you'll also feel the hope that things can be better. All it takes is someone to stand up before it's too late. The characters live and breathe effortlessly. A wonderful work from Donald E. Baker!”

Philip Middleton Williams: “There comes a time in many father-son relationships when it grows beyond parent and child and becomes man-to-man. This play does it with the awkward yet caring feelings that both men have for each other and a respect for their own experiences. Donald E. Baker has shown in his full-length plays that he can give us such strong characters, and now he brings those dimensions to this short but meaningful moment of honesty, love, and learning.”

John Kelly: “A superbly powerful look at an issue from over a half century ago that still is of vital importance today. Gay bullying and gay bashing have, if anything, gotten worse in the years since this encounter is to have occurred. A must read - moving, significant, poignant. The list of descriptors could go on and on. Read this play! Now!”