Cow Dung Dust (full length)

By Rick Padden

970-593-0130

rpadden1@yahoo.com

“Cow Dung Dust” brings an unlikely mixture of hitchhikers together in the back of an 18-wheel cattle truck going 80-miles-an-hour through the desolate stretches of Route 66 – all with reason to keep moving, all somewhat captured by circumstance and all oddly connected. Events along the way make it the ride of a lifetime and present intriguing choices for the group.

Characters:

7 Males

2females

ANDY: Male, 27-35, traveling the entirety of Route 66

DRIVER: Male, 25-60

NONAME/DUKE: Male, 40-50, former business tycoon, now down-and-out

GYPSIE: Female, 20-25, sleazy and mistrusting troublemaker

LIZ: Female, mid-30’s, waitress on her way to a custody hearing (for her son) in California

KATHY: Female, 14-15, Liz’s idealistic daughter

DENNY: Male, 17, naïve young traveler out to see the world

BRAD Male, 18, traveling with Denny; comes from a hunting family

ROLAND: Male, 40-45, businessman whose Porche has broken down.

Approximate run-time: 1 hour and 40 min.

Set and Costuming

The entire play takes place next to and inside of an 18-wheel cattle truck trailer — viewed from the side with the downstage side mostly open to the audience. The front and rear portions of the truck trailer are obscured by fencing. Bales of hay may be used, sparingly, for seating. The cab of the truck need not be visible.

The set is comprised of simple road-side scenes, and the raised cattle-truck-trailer itself, with lighting providing scene changes, and punctuated for the audience by large, red, over-stated truck taillights, mounted above or to the side of the stage. The taillights come on whenever the truck stops. Truck motion may be conveyed through sound, light or wind.

Early 1970s costuming.

Production History

This play has had a staged reading in Berthoud, one in Loveland and one in Denver at The Bug Theater (having been selected for reading as part of The Colorado Theatre Guild’s New Venture series.