A Moment's Pause

Book By: Tim Mogford
Play #: 2175
Pages: 24 pgs
Cast: 4 w

Ellie is at a party and wanders off to find the bathroom. The room she walks into, however, is not what she expected at all and she soon realizes that she can’t get out. Worse, she is quickly surrounded by three mysterious figures who seem to hold her life in the balance. One condemns her, one defends her, and the third seems to be a judge of some kind. Ellie must persuade the judge that the “moment’s pause” she took before making one crucial decision justifies a second chance. This compelling and powerful piece offers four varied and meaty roles in a play sure to strike a chord with all audiences.

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Productions

EDMONTON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS 2 Performance(s)
EDMONTON, CANADA 4/22/2024
HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
HOOVER, AL 2/2/2024
BRISTOW PUBLIC SCHOOLS 3 Performance(s)
BRISTOW, OK 10/5/2023
LAPORTE SCHOOL 306 1 Performance(s)
LAPORTE, MN 11/19/2021
OLA HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE 1 Performance(s)
MCDONOUGH, GA 12/11/2019
BILLINGS HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
BILLINGS, MO 11/22/2019
SOUTH PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
MINOT, ND 11/7/2019
BILLINGS R-IV SCHOOL DISTRICT 1 Performance(s)
BILLINGS, MO 3/15/2019
WARROAD PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST. 6 2 Performance(s)
WARROAD, MN 1/23/2018
WARROAD PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST. 6 3 Performance(s)
WARROAD, MN 1/21/2018
ELWOOD JR SR HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
ELWOOD, IN 11/11/2017
ELWOOD JR SR HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
ELWOOD, IN 9/21/2017
BLOOMBURG ISD 1 Performance(s)
BLOOMBURG , TX 4/20/2017
BLOOMBURG ISD 1 Performance(s)
BLOOMBURG , TX 4/1/2017
BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
BLUE SPRINGS, MO 2/15/2017
BLOOMBURG ISD 3 Performance(s)
BLOOMBURG , TX 2/6/2017
RIVERHEADS HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
STAUNTON, VA 11/21/2015
RIVERHEADS HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
STAUNTON, VA 11/4/2015
EAST LONGMEADOW HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
EAST LONGMEADOW, MA 5/1/2015
GLENDALE HIGH SCHOOL THEATER 1 Performance(s)
SPRINGFIELD, MO 2/20/2015
REITZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
EVANSVILLE, IN 1/23/2015
GEORGE WALTON ACADEMY 1 Performance(s)
MONROE, GA 10/23/2014
REITZ MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
EVANSVILLE, IN 10/11/2014
HEDGESVILLE HIGH THESPIANS 1 Performance(s)
HEDGESVILLE, WV 5/20/2014
FLOODWOOD DRAMA 1 Performance(s)
FLOODWOOD, MN 1/25/2014
CHEYENNE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 2 Performance(s)
CHEYENNE, WY 11/21/2013
NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL 3 Performance(s)
SALINAS, CA 11/17/2011
TOLL GATE DRAMA CLUB 2 Performance(s)
WARWICK, RI 10/22/2011
BLACKSTONE-MILLVILLE HS 1 Performance(s)
BLACKSTONE, MA 5/6/2011
KIDDP PRODUCTIONS 4 Performance(s)
CALGARY, AB 4/20/2011
ELWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL 1 Performance(s)
ELWOOD, IN 2/25/2011
CHATHAM HIGH SCHOOL SADD 2 Performance(s)
CHATHAM, MA 2/15/2011
RANDOLPH COUNTY SCHOOL 3 Performance(s)
CUTHBERT, GA 11/15/2010
ELCHO SCHOOLS 2 Performance(s)
ELCHO, WI 11/12/2010

Behind The Scenes

Playwright Tim Mogford Talks About

“A Moment’s Pause”

 

This play was written to showcase the acting talents of four young female actresses, both individually and as part of an ensemble. Since it was written for a keynote presentation in a large exhibition hall, I also wanted to make the piece possible to present without complex lights or set or costumes (though there is much you could do with all of them). I wanted to strike a chord with young audiences, without boring them; suggest rather than instruct; guide rather than dictate.

The characters are superficially types – the accused, the judge, the defense and the prosecution, but I wanted to add the mysterious elements of live theatre to the mix. Why can’t she get out? How can they come in? How do they know all about her? And so forth.

Next, the characters all have depth, I hope. The accused resists the terms of her own trial but keeps a key secret; the defense is passionate but frustrated; the prosecution’s motivation is not simply to condemn, but use the resources thus freed up on to rescue another. Even Bridget, the “judge,” makes it clear she wants Ellie to succeed. In this way, if the audience begins to recognize a friend, a teacher, a parent then so much the better.

Finally, it struck me that the “moment” we try so hard to achieve in live theatre, the pause in the action where great change takes place within and among people, is an absorbing metaphor for real life. All of us really do come to moments in our lives when one decision or reaction can make the difference between one future and another. When Ellie – unknowingly I think – says the name of her sister Becca as her “trial” reaches its peak, I hope the audience will feel, as the characters do, the sudden recognition and significance of this “moment.”