Breaking News
It’s fifteen minutes to air and everything at Channel 7 is falling apart. The lead anchor is drunk and heartbroken, the weatherwoman quits to chase storms (and romance), a llama has escaped, the teleprompter is fried, and somewhere out there a criminal known as the Sour Cream Bandit is smearing dairy on suburban homes. At the center of the chaos is Callie, an overworked local news producer who’s juggling a live broadcast, a high-stakes job offer from a flashy new A.I.-driven news network, and a relationship that might not survive one more breaking story. As the show spirals from one disaster to the next—rogue bats, choking hosts, panicked interns, and a very confused traffic reporter in a helicopter—Callie has to decide what kind of news, and what kind of life, she really believes in.
Fast-paced, joke-packed, and full of opportunities for physical comedy and sight gags, Breaking News is a newsroom farce with a surprisingly big heart. With 20+ roles (and plenty of doubling options), it showcases a large ensemble of anchors, producers, interns, reporters, camera crew, critics, and one very stressed animal handler. Underneath the absurd mayhem, the play digs into timely questions about A.I. versus human storytelling, the pressure to “go viral,” and what happens when your career dreams collide with real people and real feelings. It’s a smart, contemporary comedy that lets audiences laugh at the madness of modern media—while rooting for one producer to keep her integrity, her job, and maybe even her happily-ever-after, live on the air.
Duration: 40 Min
Roles:
17F, 6M (Can be done with fewer actors with doubling. Many roles easily gender-flexible)
Performance Group: Middle School, High School
Setting: Newsroom, Outside House, Various Flash Locations
