Randy Hunt
Inside Man
In late 2019, I was approached by friend and fellow actor Danielle Bannister about a potential collaboration. Not only is Danielle an actor, but she is also a best-selling author, with over 20 books in her repertoire, cover genres such as: Romantic Suspense, Romantic Comedies, Fantasy, Young Adult, and Short Stories. Danielle had approached me because she was interested in writing a book that takes place in a world very familiar to her and myself: the theatre. Here's a synopsis of her book, Waiting in the Wings:
Eva Shaw loves her job as an administrative assistant at The Red Curtain Theater Company. She spends her days daydreaming about playing pretend alongside the lead actor, Adam “Those-Abs-Are-To-Die-For” Rice. Adam is the envy of all as he commands the stage and his leading ladies.
Life is good for Eva as she watches the drama of the theater unfold from behind the safety of her admin desk…until she’s asked to star opposite Adam in their new production.
Thrust into the spotlight with the hottest actor around, Eva doesn’t know what to do. Sure, they have chemistry on stage, but her experience doesn’t hold a candle to the pros acting alongside her. And it shows.
Taking pity on Eva, the Stage Manager, Owen, helps her to get a handle on what it means to be a performer. He’s surprisingly supportive and completely adorkable. The more time they spend together, the less she’s thinking about how perfect an Adam and Eva love story would be. Should she forget about the man who used to get her all hot and bothered for the dorky, but lovable Owen?
Waiting in the Wings is the first stand-alone novel in The Red Curtain Romance series. If you like love triangles, forced proximity, and fish-out-of-water romances, then you’ll love Dani Bannister’s contemporary romance with a hint of heat.
Buy Waiting In The Wings and fall in love with the world of theater!*Includes excerpts of an in-book script written by Maine playwright, Randy Hunt.
Danielle was looking for a play script that the characters -- actors -- in her book would be rehearsing in order to mount a production of the play. She asked me if I had a play that I might be willing to allow her to use, which would include putting snippets of the play manuscript within her book. At the time, I had only written a number of short plays (ten minutes or so). I sent her a handful of those scripts and told her that was all I had. A day or two later, after doing some thinking, I told Danielle that this might be a good opportunity for me to finally take some time to write a full-length play. After a brief discussion, we both realized that this was a perfect plan. By writing my play from scratch, I could include elements in my play that would help drive her storyline. It was a very unique and fun partnership, and one that I couldn't be more pleased with in the end.
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Nick Wells is being released from prison after serving 12 years for a DUI that resulted in manslaughter. Now 32 years old, Nick leaves behind his cellmate, Trent, to begin the process of acclimating back into society. Nick's parents, Fox and Carol, give Nick a temporary place to live, though Fox isn't happy about it due to their strained relationship. Nick's sister, Janine, welcomes her big brother with open arms, thankful to have her ally and friend home once again. Janine's best friend, Tina, literally joins the party as Nick returns home. Sparks fly between Nick and Tina, and they pursue a quickly budding romance. As the days go by, Nick struggles to find a job before Fox kicks him out of the house for good, while also trying to adapt to life after prison with his newfound freedom. |
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Inside Man is the story of one man’s journey to find redemption after a tragic accident landed him in prison for manslaughter. |
If you are a member of the National New Play Network's "New Play Exchange", you can read a copy of Inside Man by clicking here.
Inside Man - Writing/Creation/Production Timeline
- 12/28/2019 - Writing begins!
- 2/16/2020 - Rough first draft completed
- 3/18/2020 - First read-through with test group #1
- 4/14/2020 - Second draft completed
- 7/29/2020 - Third draft completed
- 7/29/2020 - Second read-through with test group #1
- 11/1/2020 - Fourth draft completed
- 11/12/2020 - First read-through with test group #2
- 4/21/2021 - Fifth draft completed
- 7/31/2021 - Sixth draft completed
- 11/11/2021 - Inside Man released on NPX (New Play Exchange)
- 11/15/2022 - Dani Bannister releases her book Waiting in the Wings!
- 10/15/2023 - Seventh draft completed -- this is the version that the world premiere cast will be using!
Inside Man - Future Timeline
- January 4-7, 2024 - World Premiere of Inside Man at Schoolhouse Arts Center (Standish, Maine)
Final Thoughts
I have submitted Inside Man to several play festivals around the U.S. and the world and continue to do so as opportunities arise. If you are interested in staging a production of Inside Man, please contact me at