Gracie's Diner

	Gracie's Diner was first performed at the Phyllis Robertson Memorial
Amphitheater in Ritzville, Washington on June 16-18, 23-25, 2000. The play
was directed by Miles Athey and Grace Collins and performed by the Ritzville
Community Theatre before 600 patrons.
	Gracie's Diner is a two act (four scenes each) play requiring a cast of 9
women and 11 men (two of the male roles can be played by the same actor).
The play is 2 1/2 hours long.

          The quiet town of Whisper is nestled in the middle of what was, 40 years
ago, one of the Pacific Northwest's most active logging and milling industries.
Once a small city of 6000 residents, Whisper has withered with the depletion of its
timber resources to a population of less than 1000. The remaining residents,
surprisingly, still represent all walks of life . . . white collar, blue collar, and multi-
stained retired collar. 
          Colorful characters abound in this small community and their lives are
closely intertwined. The social hub for most of them is the Gracie's Diner. Its
popularity over the years stems from three facts. First, its owner of 30 years,
Gracie Pope, is admired for her grit and never-say-die attitude in spite of the area's
consistent economic decline. She is a survivor. Second, Gracie is a natural born
therapist, an absolute necessity during a severe depression. Third, the only other
decent eatery is 35 miles down the road. 
          Other than a steady population decline, Whisper has seen few changes and
even fewer noteworthy events in the past decade.  It has been a peaceful commun-
ity void of growth of any kind, energy of any kind, and pain of any kind.  But, as in
any microcosm, a time comes when unpredictable events occur at breakneck
speed.

		Two Egg Omelet


        Two Egg Omelet was first performed as a dinner theater at
the Circle T Restaurant in Ritzville, Washington on June 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2003.
The play was written and directed by Miles Athey and performed by the Ritzville
Community Theatre.
          Two Egg Omelet is a one act (five scenes) play requiring a cast of 5 women
and 8 men, however several roles can be gender reversed and four roles (two
male and two female) can be played by the same actor). The play is 1 hour 15
minutes long if run continuously.

          The not so sleepy town of Ritzville sets in the heart of wheat and cattle
country. Its residents represent all walks of small town life. Colorful characters
abound in this interesting community and many of them frequent the very popular
eatery, the Ritz Deli & Bakery.  Its popularity stems from the quality food and service
but, most of all, the two proprietors, Olivia and Dotty, whose affable spirits and
sharp wits constantly keep the customers on their toes. 
          Still, the success of the Deli is an amazing phenomenon, especially when
you consider that neither of its owners had previous restaurant experience.  In
fact, the only real sustained work experience for either of them was in dentistry
...Olivia as the practice manager and Dotty as the receptionist at the same clinic.
          The play starts with a mysterious phone call from Olivia to Dotty, chronicles
a series of high and low points in their venture, and ends with a surprising turn of
events!

		Checkmate!


        Checkmate was first performed as a dinner theater at the Circle T
Restaurant in Ritzville, Washington on April 21-23, 28-30, 2006. The play was co-
written and co-directed by Miles Athey and Harry Schafer.  Both men were also the
two lead characters in this play which was described by numerous attendees as
"the funniest stage play ever." "The Odd Couple is the only play rivaling Checkmate
for laughter," commented one of the patrons. The play was performed by the
Ritzville Community Theatre.
          Checkmate is a two act (two scenes each) play requiring a cast of 4 women
(one is a walk-on with no lines) and 6 men (three have speaking roles and three
have no lines). The play is 1 hour 20 minutes long if run continuously. 

          The best way to describe Checkmate is to recount the opening narration
of the play by Louie n' More, a-cowboy-turned-reporter for the Tombstone Epitah,
who is chronicling the medical wizardry of Doc Pain.

	          "Welcome to Strawberry Gulch, Kansas. There weren’t never
	no strawberries grown here so most folks recon’d the name came
	from the strawberry colored saddle sores on the rear ends of the
	cattle wranglers.  It weren’t no laughin’ matter. Many a cow poke
	had his days shortened by near a decade cause infection set in.
  	Why it got so bad that Doc Pain declared it the “Strawberry Plague
	of ‘36.” Strawberry Gulch was on the map after that. Some hifoluting
	east coast reporter showed up one day in May of ‘36 and got the low
	down on the plague from Doc Pain hisself. It were the story in the
	Boston, Mass. paper, The Tea & Rum Record, thet started a stam-
	pede of medical types to Strawberry Gulch just to study under the
	wizardry of Doc Pain. Guess they all thought if they could be a part
	of the cure of the latest scourge of the West they’d be in high demand
	wherever the next “Strawberry Plague” outbreak occurred.
		After several years, no cure was in sight. So, most of the
	doctor wannabees left the area with not much gained for all the time
	spent with Doc Pain. But there was one enterprising Southern
	Gentleman, Harry Snoot, that figured out a fortune could be made
	‘cause of this tragic paradox. Given that several hundred cow pokes
	in the area had contracted the plague, and given that no cure was
	in sight, these unfortunate souls were of no working value to anyone.
	So, after extracting an exorbitant fee from each of the cattle barons,
	as a token of their concern for the future of their fallen employees,
	Harry Snoot built the Lordy Be Rest Home. The name came from an
	expression uttered by Doc Pain after one cowpoke dropped his
	trousers, “Lordy be, look at that, a strawberry on each cheek!”
		We now take you to the Lordy Be Rest Home in Strawberry
	Gulch. The date is May 12, 1861, exactly 25 years to the day after the
	Tea & Rum Record published the story about the discovery of the
	“Strawberry Plague.” By the way, just one month ago, under the leader-
	ship of General Pierre Beauregard, the Confederate Army attacked
	Fort Sumter, which was right outside of Charleston, South Carolina.
	The Civil War, which Harry refers to as “The War Of Northern
	Aggression,” has begun, not just in the East, but also here at the
	Lordy Be Rest Home!."

This is the homepage for Miles Athey's stageplays