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The Doctors Dilemma ScriptThe Doctors Dilemma script is a mystery dinner theater written for 7 actors, 6 men and 1 woman. You are purchasing the entire script to copy for each of your actors and director, a prop list, costuming suggestions and clues. You have the rights to perform this play as often as you wish without additional fees or royalties. Wes T. Gate, a private investigator is depressed. He seeks help at Psychoanalysts, Inc. While there, he meets the doctors and assists the secretary Violet Now who is missing an important folder. This fun spoof on psychologists needs 7 actors who are wiling to memorize and rehearse before the event. This script provides lots of over the top acting for your performers. Like all of the dinner theater scripts provided on this site, the entire evening takes about 2 hours depending on how quickly the dinner and dessert are served. A buffet is fine for this as well. The first act of The Doctors Dilemma is presented here so you can decide if this script is appropriate for your event. The first and third acts are the shortest. The second or main act gives the details that the audience will need to choose the perpetrator of the crime.
The Doctors Dilemma Script Act 1 Scene: The Waiting Room (Secretary enters and goes over to her desk. She takes just a few minutes to finish typing, then the phone rings.) Fiolet: Psychoanalysts, Inc. How may I help you? (listens, then looks in book) Yes, ma’am. I have you scheduled for tomorrow at 9:00. (pause) We’ll see you then. (she goes back to typing, when Wes enters cautiously. He looks around then walks up to the desk. Fiolet doesn’t acknowledge him) Wes: Excuse me. Fiolet: Oh, I’m sorry. I’m working under a deadline. May I help you? Wes: I hope so. I’ve been really depressed lately. I thought maybe I should talk to someone. Fiolet: Of course, sir. We have some fine psychologists in this office. I’m sure we’ll be able to help you. (give him a clipboard, pen and paper) Just fill out this form and I’ll see who is available this morning. I’m afraid you’re just a little early. None of the doctors are in yet. Have a seat and we’ll be with you shortly. (she goes back to typing. She finished and pulls the paper out of the typewriter, puts it into a file folder and puts it on her desk. Dr. Duall enters) Ken: Good morning, Fiolet. Is my grant proposal finished? Fiolet: Dr. Duall. Yes, I just finished it. Here you go all ready for your signature. (hands it to him) Ken: Good. (takes it) I’ll just look it over. I’ll be presenting it to the Academy tomorrow. Then, I’ll have the money for extensive study in the field of Agoraphobia. Fiolet: Well, the proposal is interesting. (lowering voice and talking confidentially), but are you sure that you can cure people of the fear of leaving their homes by classical music and ... peanut butter? Ken: My dear, Miss Now. You know that I am the greatest psychologist of this century. Why, I’ve cured many famous, and might I add, wealthy patients. It is well documented that food affects one’s health and mental health should be no exception. Now, who have we here? (puts folder on desk on top of a pile of other folders) Fiolet: A new patient, Dr. Duall. Ken: Excellent. (goes back to Wes) I’m Dr. Ken Duall. Wes: Dr. Duall, my name’s Wes T. Gate. Ken: (Takes his clipboard) Let's see what’s troubling you. (Both sit down) (Dr. Stan Daround enters. He goes over to the desk) Fiolet: Good morning Dr. Daround. Here are your phone messages. Stan: Thank you, Fiolet. (quickly looks through them) Why is Dr. Duall sitting in the waiting room? (he picks up the pile of file folders - looks through them) Fiolet: He’s talking with a new patient. Stan: Telling him what a great psychologist he is, no doubt. He really shouldn’t be here when Bob gets here. Could I have my appointments for this morning too, please? (Fiolet. turns to front of desk and picks up several more pieces of paper, while Stan takes several of the folders and puts the rest back. After Fiolet gives him the papers, he exits out other door) (Dr. Sessive enters. He goes to the coat rack and takes off his hat. He puts it on the top of the rack. Then, he goes to the table and pours himself a cup of coffee. As he walks to the desk, he sees Wes and Dr. Duall. He is momentarily shaken, but goes over to the desk. He picks up the folders, then lays them down on the table in 4 piles, one folder at a time, like he was dealing cards. Then he picks them up and puts the piles back on top of one another, starting with the first pile. He then straightens the pencil holder on the desk and says:) Bob: Good morning, Fiolet. How are you today? Fiolet: Just fine, Dr. Sessive and you? Bob: Never better, never better. (He looks through the folders and takes several) Fiolet: Here are your phone messages. Your appointments are already written in your book in your office. Bob: Thank you, Fiolet. I do admire efficiency. (He picks up the trash can then looks at Wes and Ken as he exits with it) (Dr. Manny Peoples enters and strides up to the desk) Fiolet: Good morning, Dr. Peoples. Manny: Good morning. My messages? Fiolet: Right here, Dr. (Manny walks over to the table for coffee) Your 3:00 canceled and rescheduled for next week. Manny: Okay, thank you. (he gets coffee) (Dr. Hank Shuss enters) Fiolet: Good morning, Dr. Shuss. Hank: Oh, Good morning. (looks around) How many of my appointments canceled today? Fiolet: I don’t think any, but I’ll check. Manny: Hank, how about a round of golf this afternoon if you’re finished with patients. Hank: Oh, I don’t know, I think It’s going to rain. Manny: Don’t be ridiculous. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. (crosses back over to desk and looks through files, while Fiolet. is busy with the appointment book. He pulls out several) Well , maybe another time then. I think I have reports to finish anyway. (he hurriedly exits) Fiolet: Dr. Shuss, none of your patients canceled, in fact you have a new one coming later this morning. Hank: A new patient. Oh dear. (wrings hands nervously) I hope his case isn’t too difficult. (he absentmindedly picks up a few folders, then exits) (Ken has finished talking with Wes by now. He stands and shakes his hand) Ken: So you see, although all of the psychologists in this practice are highly qualified, I think you’ll agree that I am senior partner for obvious reasons. Well, I must review my grant proposal before I start seeing patients. Good luck. (he goes back to the desk and looks through the file folders) Fiolet, where is my grant proposal? Fiolet: I gave it to you when you first came in. Ken: Well, it’s not here. What did you do with it? Fiolet: Dr. Duall, I gave it to you. (begins to look around her desk) I wonder if one of the others picked it up by mistake? Ken: This is terrible. If I don’t have that proposal I’ll never get the grant for my study. Fiolet, you'll just have to type it over. Fiolet: (Looks where trash should have been) But Dr. Sessive already took the trash to the incinerator. I don’t have your notes anymore. Ken: What!!! This is terrible. Oh what should we do? Fiolet: (pushes intercom button) Dr. Daround, could you please come to the reception desk please. (continues to page doctors by name while Duall paces and mutters) Dr. Manny Peoples to reception, please. Dr. Sessive, please come to reception. Dr. Shuss, reception desk please. Stan: What’s going on here? Manny: You paged me? Bob: This isn’t my normal routine. What’s wrong? Hank: There’s an emergency. I just know it. Something terrible has happened. Ken: You can say that again. Which one of you took my proposal? all: (expressions of confusion) What? What are you talking about? I didn’t take it. Fiolet: Doctors. I’m sure Dr. Duall didn’t mean that one of you took it on purpose - perhaps by mistake. Hank: Oh this is terrible, just terrible. I knew something bad was going to happen today. I don’t know where it is, but you’ll probably never find it. (exits muttering about the situation) Bob: I didn’t take it. I have my routine every morning, now if you’ll excuse me. (exits) Stan: Sorry, Ken. I don’t know anything about it. (exits) Manny: This is tough news old boy. (pats his shoulder) If I can be of any help, let me know, but I don’t have it. (exits) Ken: Well, one of them took it. And I’m going to find out which one. (looks at Fiolet.) And if you want to keep your job, you better start looking too. (storms off) Wes: Wow! He’s having a rougher day than I am. (hands clipboard to Fiolet.) Can I make an appointment now? Fiolet: I’m sorry about all that. Of course. (glances at clipboard) You’re a private investigator? Wes: Well, yes. Fiolet: Oh, please. Could you help me find that grant proposal? Wes: Oh, I don’t know. I just came here as a patient. Fiolet: Please. You heard Dr. Duall. If I don’t find it, I could lose my job. You have the experience. Wes: Well, I guess I could help. Fiolet: Oh thank you, thank you. Wes: Okay, first we need to check the files that the doctors took with them. After all, one could have picked it up by mistake. Fiolet: I’ll show them to you. Then I better call all the patients and tell them not to come in until after lunch. Right this way. (exit) At this time the audience should have dinner and read the clues for Act 1 of the Doctors Dilemma script that were left on their tables. If you like the first act of The Doctors Dilemma script, you can purchase the entire script plus costuming ideas, prop list and clues. If you perform "The Doctors Dilemma" script, please contact us and let us know. We'd love to hear how you used this script. |
