The Lunch Shift at Bookbinders

During the Fringe Festival, the Brick Playhouse presented The Lunch Shift an on-site theatrical exploration developed specifically for the Fringe, at Old Original Bookbinders, Philadelphia's landmark restaurant located at 2nd and Walnut Streets. The Lunch Shift is a series of four plays which depict four days in the lives of Meghan and Doug, coworkers at an upscale Philadelphia restaurant, and the broad mix of customers they serve. Attendance was small at the beginning of the week, due in part to the fact that the first play was performed on Tuesday, one day before the Fringe actually began. But thanks to publicity on WHYY's Radio Times, the Channel 10 news team, and word of mouth, Friday's performance was completely sold out. Congratulations to all the actors, directors, and playwrights who participated.

The Lunch Shift

• New Rules - Tuesday, September 16
  by NG McClernan, directed by Jonathan Morein
  Doug is supposed to enforce the new rules, one of which is "no flirting with the customers." What happens when one of the customers is Meghan's Destiny, and a 4 on the Klein scale? Will Doug become violently jealous? What about Eric?
  
  
• Aurora Paisley's Magic Elixir - Wednesday, September 17
  by Carolyn West, directed by Mark Cofta
  The fear of one person is the hope of another... but is Milk of Magnesia really part of the formula for eternal youth? What is the difference between a character, an eccentric and a weirdo and what will Doug and Meghan do about them?
  
  
• Side Dishes - Thursday, September 18
  by Joe Paprzycki, directed by Jeff Jerome
  Will Sunflower get some bread and an Old Milwaulkee without causing her sister Brittany to die of embarrassment? Will Melissa get her lava lamp? Will Doug learn the identity of the mysterious Hugh?
  
  
• Just Desserts - Friday, September 19
  by Dan West, directed by Corrina Burns
  Can a famous rock star, a homeless man, a hellfire woman, a concert promoter and an embittered dangerous loner have lunch at the same time without getting Doug and Meghan fired? Will Meghan finally get her big break?