DNA: Desperately Nutty Ancestors
Eddie Poe is a direct descendant of Edgar Allan Poe and hoping to follow in his illustrious ancestor’s flaky footsteps. He gets his chance when his girlfriend Lucy, a personal assistant to a very wealthy woman, tells him someone has stolen her boss’s very expensive jewelry. Fearing she’ll be the prime suspect, Lucy begs Eddie to help her by attending a conference for people with famous ancestors. The attendees turn out to be a comical cross-section of world history with the descendants of Henry VIII, Molly Brown, Joan of Ark, Michelangelo, Davy Crockett, and others jockeying for center stage. When Eddie and Lucy spot fashion maven Ivana Trembell, descended from Ivan the Terrible, wearing the jewelry, they try to question her but the poor woman drops dead from poisoning. Eddie’s frantic efforts to uncover the truth, thwarted at every turn by the dynamic gene pool in which he’s been swimming, finally lead to a most surprising ending!
Productions
Behind The Scenes
Playwright Craig Sodaro Talks About
DNA: DANGEROUSLY NUTTY ANCESTORS
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS PLAY?
We hear a lot about DNA these days, from news about crime to news about health. And now people can have their DNA tested to see what their own background really is. I thought this concept would make a great comedy if we could meet descendants of some famous (and exciting) characters from history.
Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OR LINE IN THE PLAY? WHY?
I am partial to the character of Lou, especially when he finds out his own background. Since he’s in hospitality, he floats around almost unnoticed but always with that pain in the neck. It’s fun to find out what’s really giving him the pain!
Q: WHERE DO THE CHARACTERS COME FROM?
Most of the characters in DNA are what I consider extensions or exaggerations of the historic personalities involved. In that sense I had a template to work from. However, other characters, such as Eddie and Lucy just developed as I thought about the play and began to write it. They’re not based on anyone I know, but probably contain bits and pieces of people in my life.
Q: WHAT DID YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE IN THIS PLAY?
I hope that audiences will laugh a lot and have a good time. DNA can be a very serious and profound topic, but here I hope to throw it in a comedic light.
Q: ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
If you choose DNA, I hope you have a great time putting the show together!