Scripts-Aloud

Rick Regan

5.0 (3)
PERFORMING ARTS

Scripts Aloud brings drama right into your ears. By using text-to-speech software, theater scripts go from the page into drama, every week. Typically 10-minute scripts are presented in each episode. It's like having a Theater Festival - right on your phone!

5H AGO

Lucky One Day

"Lucky One Day" What happens when you go from a happy, hard-working couple to multi-millionaires overnight? In "Lucky One Day," we follow Sherman and Kelly through a series of wild windfalls that turn their world upside down. From a sweepstakes win to a multi-million dollar lottery jackpot, their lives change in an instant. But a year later, the dream has turned into a nightmare. Their new life of luxury in a Chicago high-rise is filled with bitterness and regret. Join us as we explore what happens when the money runs out and the love disappears. Action and Plot"Lucky One Day," tells the story of Kelly and Sherman, a couple who unexpectedly become wealthy. The play is divided into three scenes that trace their relationship's dramatic shift over the course of a year. In the first scene, the couple celebrates a series of incredible windfalls: Sherman gets a promotion at his engineering job, his debut novel is accepted for publication, a movie studio offers to buy the film rights, and he wins $10 million in a sweepstakes. To cap it all off, he wins a $35 million lottery jackpot with a last-minute ticket. Kelly and Sherman are ecstatic, their joy culminating in a wild celebration that ends with them running off to the bedroom. Scene two takes place one year later in their new high-rise apartment in downtown Chicago. The couple is now estranged and hostile toward one another, constantly bickering and insulting each other. Sherman spends his days playing video games and "day-trading crypto-currencies," which he seems to be losing money on. Kelly, meanwhile, is living a frivolous life of luxury, going to the casino with her sister Connie, and their dates, dressed in designer "cheerleader ensembles". The scene escalates into a heated argument where they insult each other's lifestyle choices and question the foundation of their marriage. In the final scene, a devastated Sherman reveals that his book and movie deal are on hold due to a plagiarism claim. He confesses to Kelly that he is unhappy with his life and offers her half of the remaining money, stating he wants her to be happy and find someone better than him. Kelly initially refuses the money and professes her love for him, but he transfers $15 million to her account anyway and decides to leave, taking only his laptop and the Rolls Royce. The play concludes with an enraged Kelly destroying Sherman's video game console with a baseball bat, cursing his name, and then declaring her happiness without him. Themes The Corrupting Influence of Wealth: The most prominent theme is how sudden, immense wealth destroys the lives of the main characters. Instead of bringing them happiness, the money makes them miserable, turning their initial love into resentment and hostility. It strips away their purpose, leading Sherman to abandon his passion for writing and his engineering career for video games and day trading. Similarly, Kelly's life becomes one of leisure and superficiality.Loss of Identity and Purpose: Both Sherman and Kelly lose their sense of self after winning the lottery. Sherman, a former engineer and aspiring author, becomes a day-trader and video game player. Kelly, once a hard worker, now fills her days with empty pursuits like tennis and gambling. The money frees them from their old lives but leaves them with nothing meaningful to replace them with.Failed Dreams and Reality: The play presents a stark contrast between the couple's initial dreams and their eventual reality. In the beginning, they have tangible successes—a promotion, a book deal—but these are eventually revealed to be fragile and fleeting. The lottery win, which seemed like the ultimate dream come true, ultimately unravels their lives.The Breakdown of Communication: The couple's relationship deteriorates into a series of sarcastic remarks, crude insults, and misunderstandings. They are unable to connect on a deeper level, and their conversations are filled with thinly veiled accusations and bitterness.

26 min
1D AGO

I want to Taste the Melons of the Women who Sell Fruit by the Sea

In this episode, we present Rick Regan's one-act audio drama, "I want to taste the melons of the women who sell fruit by the sea" . Set in a quiet California restaurant, the play captures the first night out for a married couple after months of pandemic lockdown . Pauline, an academic, and Maurice, a travel writer, meet for what seems like a celebratory dinner, but the evening quickly unravels into a bitter confrontation. Maurice reveals he wants a divorce to take a job in London—a plan that Pauline suspects involves another woman . What follows is a raw and scathing dissection of their marriage, filled with accusations of infidelity, professional resentment, and the deep pain of feeling unseen. It’s an intimate and unflinching look at the moment a long love affair finally comes to its breaking point. Themes Marital Disintegration and Infidelity: The central theme is the complete breakdown of a long-term marriage. Maurice’s serial infidelity is the primary catalyst for the conflict. His desire for a divorce is driven by a new affair disguised as a career opportunity. The dialogue explores the deep wounds and cynicism that years of cheating have inflicted on Pauline.Aging, Desire, and Longing: The play's title is echoed in Francesca's metaphor of Maurice wanting a "ripe melon" while describing Pauline as a "dry" fence-post. This highlights Maurice's mid-life crisis and his longing for the passion and adoration of youth, which he seeks in other women because his marriage has grown stale . Francesca points out the bitterness of an aging man who can no longer easily attract the youth he craves .The Need for Recognition: Beyond the issue of infidelity, Pauline’s deepest hurt comes from feeling unseen and unvalued by her husband. She explicitly states, "It's not about sex, Mo! It's about recognition. You don't even see me. You don't know what I do" . Her final attack on the intellectual merit of his writing is a desperate attempt to assert her own value and be recognized as his equal .Authenticity vs. Artifice: The conflict pits two different ways of life against each other. Maurice is a travel writer whose life is an adventure, but Pauline frames his work as inauthentic, "overheated, purple prose of made-up middle-aged adventures". Conversely, Maurice attacks Pauline’s academic life as sterile and detached, accusing her of being a "dilettante busybody" for studying Arctic peoples from the comfort of Fresno .The Aftermath of a Shared Crisis: The story is explicitly set as the couple emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown forced Maurice, the world traveler, to be "chained to your wife," removing his usual escape. This forced proximity did not create their problems but exacerbated them, bringing years of resentment to a breaking point.

17 min
12/24/2025

12 George, The Gold, and The Gun

"George, the Gold, and The Gun" This episode is a tense, character-driven thriller set in a "Sam Spade-type" office in downtown Cincinnati. It follows two partners in a non-profit foundation whose long-standing relationship unravels over two days, exposing a web of financial deception, personal desperation, and moral compromise. Characters George: A man in his late forties with an athletic build, George is the financial mastermind of the operation. He is disillusioned with the "shell game" he has created and is determined to cash out and disappear. He views his actions as a high-stakes gamble that he won, and he feels entitled to the rewards.Bill: George's partner, who believes for fifteen years that their foundation is a modest charity genuinely helping blind orphans. He is married to George's sister, Linda. Bill is unaware of the foundation's immense wealth until the final confrontation. The script reveals he suffers from severe depression and feels the foundation is his only purpose in life.Carol: The "saucy" and pragmatic bookkeeper who is complicit in George's scheme. She is not an official employee and receives her payment once a year in one hundred gold coins to avoid taxes. She is tough and unafraid, even threatening Bill when he points the gun at her.Themes Deception and Betrayal: The central theme is the profound deception George has maintained for fifteen years. He has hidden the true nature of their business from his partner and brother-in-law, Bill. When the truth is revealed, Bill feels utterly betrayed, stating, "You're making a monkey out of me!"Wealth and Moral Corruption: The original, noble mission of helping blind orphans becomes corrupted by the immense wealth George generates. The foundation transforms into a tax shelter and a "shell game" involving lobbying politicians and covering for doctors. This is symbolized by Carol's off-the-books payment in gold coins.Purpose and Despair: While George feels trapped and seeks escape, Bill clings to the foundation as his sole source of purpose and identity. The dissolution of the charity pushes him to reveal his deep depression and suicidal thoughts, as he tells George, "Without you, I'm just some washed up nobody" and "I'd rather be dead".Escape: A driving motivation for George is the desire to escape his life, which he feels is empty despite his financial success. His intricate plan to convert his assets to gold and flee to Canada in a "George's Screw and Bolt" truck is his ultimate escape plan.

44 min
12/17/2025

10 Ladies of the Club

Episode Notes: "Ladies of the Club" by Rick Regan This short play, "Ladies of the Club", by Rick Regan, presents an intimate and revealing conversation between two lifelong friends that peels back the layers of suburban life to expose the loneliness, grief, and resilience underneath. The story unfolds on a summer evening in Joanne's comfortable suburban home as she prepares for a book club meeting. Her friend Kelly is the first and, as it turns out, only guest to arrive. What starts as a casual catch-up about Kelly's work stress and her daughter Arlene's recent pregnancy scare soon deepens into a series of raw and honest confessions. The two women discuss Kelly's separation from her husband Steve, an artist she still financially supports , and Joanne's concern for her 25-year-old son, Tommy, who has been withdrawn since the death of his father, Neil. The conversation takes a poignant turn when Joanne reveals the heartbreaking truth of Neil's final days and the profound loneliness that now fills her life. The evening culminates in a startling discovery: Joanne has prepared a full Thanksgiving dinner in August a quiet, desperate attempt to recreate a holiday she missed while grieving her husband's death the previous November. The play closes on a touching moment of friendship as Kelly comforts her heartbroken friend. Key Themes Loneliness and Grief: The central theme is Joanne's overwhelming sense of loss and isolation after her husband's death. She feels her large house is just an empty "warehouse" and that she is "slowly...decaying". Her decision to cook a Thanksgiving meal out of season is a powerful symbol of her attempt to reclaim a sense of family and normalcy that has been lost. Female Friendship and Support: The entire play is built on the intimate dialogue between Joanne and Kelly. They share the deepest parts of their lives, from marital problems to difficult confessions about a spouse's death. The play ends with a simple, powerful act of support, showcasing friendship as a vital lifeline.The Burdens of Women: Both characters carry significant emotional and practical burdens. Kelly juggles a high-stress job, her daughter's problems, and an impending divorce from a man she feels she had to mother. Joanne carried the weight of her husband Neil's long illness and decline, which left her feeling frantic and alone even before he passed away.Appearance vs. Reality: The setting is a "comfortable suburban home", which suggests a peaceful, orderly life. However, the conversation reveals immense turmoil beneath the surface. Joanne sees Kelly as a gorgeous woman who has it easy, but Kelly's life is filled with stress and disappointment. The book chosen for the club, Slaughterhouse-Five, reflects this theme, with Joanne noting its dark, comic genius in finding humor and acceptance in tragedy, something Kelly finds too heavy for a summer read.

12 min
12/10/2025

09 Guns Up!

In "Guns Up!", the starship USS Eleanor Roosevelt, commanded by Captain Chyvonne Quint, is on a mission of peace and justice. The all-female crew, who believe that "if you want to get something done, and done right...GET A WOMAN!!!", are en-route to a fleet assembly point. The Navigator, Mini, discovers a slave transport ship off their planned course. She reveals to Captain Quint that her sister was taken by slavers during the Dry Sack Rebellion and might be on board the ship5. Despite the deviation, Captain Quint changes course to investigate. The crew of the USS Eleanor Roosevelt boards the slaver ship, led by Sergeant Metzinger. They quickly seize the ship, free the captives, and impound the crew and captain. Captain Quint questions the slaver ship's commander, a man named Cody, who explains that the women are being sold as slaves by the government of Terra Firma as a form of "rehabilitation" to make a profit. He sees the women as nothing more than cargo, like "grain, guns, [and] girls". The women, who are forced to wear identical hot-pink dresses and have their heads shaved, are "crew-graded" on a scale of one to ten, and their numbers are painted on their bellies. After rescuing the women, Captain Quint leaves Cody and his crew behind, believing that they cannot fix a "bad system" but can save a few people. The Navigator's sister, Maxi, is found among the freed captives. It is revealed that she lied about being part of the Dry Sack Rebellion and was actually arrested in Terra Firma. The USS Eleanor Roosevelt then resumes its original course at top speed to make up for the lost time. Captain Quint puts the Navigator in charge of the freed women and contacts Commander Cody via radio, warning him to cooperate with the Fleet's investigation to avoid her personal intervention!

17 min
12/03/2025

28 Art School Drama

Art School Drama This episode introduces us to Josephine Webster, a 20-year-old American art student in Montreal in the late spring of 1960. As her final year of art college draws to a close, she and her friends are caught up in the cultural and political ferment of the city, coinciding with the upcoming election for the Prime Minister of Quebec. Jean Lesage, running on a platform of "Quiet Revolution," promises to shake up the province's traditional, sleepy nature. Josephine, who is half-Blackfeet, finds herself navigating the tension between the English world and the French Canadian life in Montreal. In this episode: Art and Identity: Josephine struggles with her final bronze sculpture—a figure of her late, full-blood Blackfeet father, depicted as a mighty hunter with a spear. Her instructor, Gerard Fontainbleu, both praises the "primitive art" and questions whether she has found her artistic "voice". Her friend Julie Hathaway moves beyond a "nice" presentation of her bison figures to make a statement by painting them with flags and symbols, seeking "contrast, tension and drama".Political Awakening: Josephine and Julie get drawn into the political scene, witnessing the contrast between the conservative Union Nationale protest, led by Josephine's boyfriend, Otto, and the Liberal rally for Jean Lesage. Lesage's powerful speech, arguing that the "status quo" perpetuates poverty for French Canadians and gives control of the economy to outsiders, prompts Josephine and Julie to shed their "Conservative" hats.A Love Triangle & Heartbreak: Josephine breaks up with Otto, realizing he's an "ordinary guy" who just wants a "pretty little wife". She turns to Jean-Luc, a French-Canadian philosophy student who both criticizes her need for official art world approval and shows her genuine passion and empathy after her bronze casting goes awry. However, she learns from Louisa St. Ann that Jean-Luc is a notorious flirt.The Power Shift: On the day of their graduation showcase, the newly elected Prime Minister Lesage appears and uses Josephine's bronze figure to make a political statement for the press, seeing it as the "man who looks at the English world and says 'Non!'". Lesage makes a proposition, and in the episode's final moments, Josephine, choosing ambition and the pursuit of "the top" with Julie, decides to accept his invitation, stepping through the "open door".Major Themes The Quiet Revolution: The story is set on the cusp of a major political and social shift in Quebec, represented by Jean Lesage's campaign. This political revolution mirrors the personal awakenings of the main characters.Personal and Artistic Voice: Josephine and Julie are seeking their own voices—literally, as American and Albertan students in a French-English city, and figuratively, through their art. They grapple with finding meaning beyond institutional approval and convention.The English-French Divide: The language barrier and cultural differences in Montreal are constant sources of tension, evident in the characters' political affiliations, arguments, and even the debate over art colors.Ambition vs. Convention: Josephine rejects the conventional path of marriage to Otto to pursue a life of artistic and personal ambition with Julie, culminating in her decision to meet the new Prime Minister.

43 min
11/26/2025

22 Win a Dinner with Alan Greenspan!

In this short audio drama, "Win a Dinner with Alan Greenspan," a poor man from rural North Carolina named Willie wins a dinner with former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan. Willie seeks to understand why he is poor while others are rich. The story, set in a fancy hotel restaurant in Washington D.C., explores several major themes: Socioeconomic Inequality: Willie, who hauls ice at a Perdue chicken plant, questions Greenspan about the reasons behind poverty and wealth. He highlights the stark contrast between his life and that of the rich plant manager, who lives in Norfolk.Economic Systems and Opportunity: Greenspan explains that wealth is created when individuals or companies leverage their "hard work and innovation for advantage". He suggests that a person's contribution is valued by the company and that the economy offers opportunities to grow through investments like real estate or small business entrepreneurship.Barriers to Social Mobility: Greenspan states that economic data suggests someone born into the lowest economic quartile will likely remain poor throughout their life. Willie expresses frustration with this idea, comparing his financial situation to "police cuffs" that only get tighter.Critique of Monetary Policy and Corporate Power: Willie challenges Greenspan's views on "direct payments," arguing they would not de-incentivize work, and questions why the government doesn't help all Americans. He also critiques the chicken company, stating it makes people sick and takes the town's water.The American Dream vs. Reality: Greenspan upholds the idea of America as a "beacon" of opportunity for the "best and the brightest". However, Willie's lived experience in Ahoskie, where he sees no one as "economically mobile," starkly contrasts with this optimistic view. The drama concludes with Greenspan's concession that while opportunity exists for "everybody, but sometimes not for you," which Willie sadly agrees with.

14 min
11/19/2025

27 The Daughter Problem

In the dramatic audio script by Rick Regan, The Daughter Problem, Wayne Webster, a farmer in 1956 Montana, finds his life in disarray. He and his brother Reuben spend their evenings drinking and playing cribbage, still mourning the tragic deaths of their family members. Wayne is left to care for his two daughters, Marie and Maeve, and his niece, Josephine. The script unfolds over two days, Josephine's 18th birthday weekend, revealing the challenges each character faces as they navigate love, loss, and the future. The Widow Riley character is introduced as a potential romantic interest for Reuben. She is a compassionate and wise woman who lost her husband in the war and moved to Montana to care for her mother-in-law. She works for the Sheridan County services and is a source of guidance for the Webster family. She is crucial to the drama as she helps Marie with her unplanned pregnancy and provides Wayne with a sense of peace and companionship, helping him move past the grief that has plagued him. Themes: Grief and Memory: The story is deeply rooted in the past, as the characters struggle to move on from the deaths of Wayne’s wife, Irene; her twin sister, Colleen; and her husband, Keme. Wayne is literally haunted by the ghost of Irene, who is critical and controlling in death. Reuben and Wayne repeatedly recount the circumstances of their loved ones’ deaths, showing how the past continues to shape their present. The Widow Riley shares her own grief story, helping to normalize the experience and connect with the Webster brothers. The Changing Roles of Women: The script explores the limited and expanding options for women in the mid-20th century. Maeve dreams of being a traditional farm wife, while Josephine yearns for a career as a serious artist in Montreal. Marie’s story highlights the tension between her desire for a modern career at a big bank in Toronto and her unexpected pregnancy with Ben Hair. Her dilemma is handled with care and empathy by Widow Riley, who provides support and options for Marie's future, including adoption or a safe abortion at a clinic on the reservation. Family and Community: The bonds between family and community are central to the narrative. Wayne, Reuben, Marie, Maeve, and Josephine have a complex but loving family dynamic. The community, represented by characters like the Widow Riley, provides a network of support, especially for Wayne and his daughters. Widow Riley's compassion and wisdom help the Websters confront their problems, from Marie's pregnancy to Wayne's ghostly encounters. The story suggests that while family can be a source of trouble, it is also a source of strength and comfort.

1h 11m

5

out of 5

3 Ratings

Scripts Aloud brings drama right into your ears. By using text-to-speech software, theater scripts go from the page into drama, every week. Typically 10-minute scripts are presented in each episode. It's like having a Theater Festival - right on your phone!

Creator

Rick Regan
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

16
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Rick Regan
Show Website

Scripts-Aloud