Wage Warfare
If you've ever had a job, or wished you hadn't, this office comedy is for you. Even on a good day, tensions run high in the customer service department of The Treasure Chest because of two female coworkers who can't stand each other, and a third who is constantly stuck in the middle. But when a chance for a promotion suddenly appears, all three women find themselves fighting for the job, although they don't all fight fair. Will the promotion go to daydreamer Hope, saintly Bonnie, or snarky Louise? A madhouse free-for-all of schemes, sabotage and unlikely alliances erupts, unseen by their idiotic boss. This story is a ridiculous farce ... but then, so are a lot of offices!
Productions
Behind The Scenes
Playwright Scott Haan Talks About “Wage Warfare”
Q: WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE THIS PLAY?
A: It was inspired by 16+ years of working in an office. Employees come and go, but the same personality types and conflicts seem to keep coming back, with different names and faces. I find it absolutely hilarious…when I’m not banging my forehead against the wall, that is.
Q: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OR LINE IN THE PLAY? WHY?
A: I love Louise’s dialog. She says the snide things out loud that most of us are too polite to actually verbalize. Ironically, one of my favorite moments is when she doesn’t say a word: her solution to the non-regulation beverage container.
Q: WHERE DID THE CHARACTERS COME FROM?
A: They are amalgams of different quirks, characteristics, and mannerisms from people I have worked with over the years, mixed with a healthy dollop of my own fevered imagination. Let’s just say these characters were “loosely inspired” by real people, and leave it at that. Hopefully that will keep me from falling victim to a lawsuit, or possibly a homicide.
Q: WHAT DID YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS PLAY?
A: I tried to capture a taste of what it’s like to work in an office, while depicting the types of co-workers you might encounter there. And from the feedback I’ve gotten, it seems I have succeeded, and that these people are fairly universal. I have loved hearing comments like, “Did you have a camera in my office?” But above all, my goal was to write a show that would be a lot of fun for performers and audiences alike.
Q: DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
A: I’m very proud of this script, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone (from co-workers, to friends who participated in the very first table read, to the cast and crew of the original production, to the great people at Eldridge) who helped to shape it and launch it into the world. I hope you enjoy it!