A Deal in the Desert
Two married couples pool their resources to buy a diner in the middle of the desert. Excited and enthusiastic at first, they come to realize their dream isn’t turning out to be the success they wanted. Unable to afford to fix the diner’s broken sign or pave the dusty parking lot, the hoped-for customers continue to drive by without stopping. Inside the diner, with failing equipment and dwindling funds, the two couples discover they can’t even sell the building for a portion of what they paid for it. They are about to give up in desperation when a handsome, charming stranger walks into their lives. Suddenly, things turn around for them. But they soon find that there are tradeoffs on everything, and everything comes with a price. A moody, atmospheric drama filled with suspicion, tension and chills.
Productions
Behind The Scenes
PLAYWRIGHT MICHAL JACOT TALKS ABOUT
“A DEAL IN THE DESERT”
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS PLAY?
A: I’ve always loved moody, atmospheric suspense and horror. I’m a big fan of The Twilight Zone and Richard Matheson; I loved how a few well-placed words or actions could keep me on the edge of my seat.
Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OR LINE IN THE PLAY? WHY?
A: I think my favorite line is the first one the audience hears: “It all started with that damn sign.” It tells how that one decision generates everything that happens afterwards. It represents the theme of the play: Everything you do has consequences; there are tradeoffs on everything.
Q: WHERE DID THE CHARACTERS COME FROM?
A: The characters aren’t based on actual people but on types of people I’ve met in the past: average, ordinary people who are looking to get ahead in life.
Q: WHAT DID YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PLAY?
A: To cause a sleepless night from some audience members. If this play causes a little chill to run down someone’s back, then I know I’ve done my job!
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
A: I originally wrote "A Deal in the Desert" years ago as a short story. Later, I re-read it and realized it could be presented on the stage. It was a fun challenge to adapt it.