ISBN #1-60513-012-5

The Cast

	BOBBIE D. is the “it” fashion designer of the moment, creating gorgeous clothes for what she likes to term “the boobs & butt” consumer. She is in her late-20s to early-30s, robust with fair skin. While she has a keen eye for fashion and good design, she is still fairly naive as to the ways of the world. A past tragedy has forced her to live behind the tallest and strongest wall imaginable. Longing for fame and fortune, Bobbie hasn’t thought much about how to keep her secret, nor has she made time or space in her life for romance, although she wants nothing more than to be loved.
	ELKE is Bobbie’s link to reality, and the one person that she truly trusts. Instant friends from the moment they met, Elke has always been Bobbie’s support group and fan club all in one. A robust, young African American woman in her late-20s or early30s, Elke considers herself a “large and lovely ebony princess”. Her dreams are being fulfilled through her relationship with Bobbie.
	MORRIS is a functioning alcoholic and a writer. He wishes he had the guts to write his own novel, instead of working for a weekly rag. He swears he could be the next Hemingway. In his mid to late forties, his weakness is not just for liquor, but for women, especially those women who seem to bring him some measure of success. While his sights were set on Bobbie, hers were not on him, and a terrible accident ensues.
	MAUREEN is the beaten down wife of Morris. A bitter woman in her forties, she is fighting to live an normal, average life despite the twisted relationship that she has with her husband. She places no blame for the accident, but needs to make herself known, and reap whatever she can from Morris’ interaction with Bobbie. The worst part about her encounter with Bobbie is that she can see what Morris saw in the designer, but she refuses to be defeated.
	MARCIA is Morris’ other wife, and the sister to Maureen. It’s never been an ideal situation, but it’s worked out for everyone thus far. In her mid forties, she is a beautifully crafted socialite with a weakness for clothes, and she is a huge fan of Bobbie’s work. She also holds no one in particular to blame. Her only concern is knowing the truth and moving on with her life. There is so much more for her than to mourn for Morris.
	MR. McNICOL is the feisty “playtime pal” of Bobbie’s downstairs neighbor, Gracey. He is as wild as they come and not at all bashful!
	DALE ETTA is Bobbie’s eccentric mother. She is a southern belle that couldn’t care less if she’s getting older. She’s in her early-50s and has had a difficult life, but that hasn’t gotten her down or made her bitter. It has made her tough, though. She loves her daughter, and even though she wishes that she could shield her from the world, she has no idea of how to accomplish that. She shows up when it counts.
	GRAYDON is a stealthy reporter, and probably the only other person aside from Bobbie’s family that knows her secret. That makes this handsome thirty year old very dangerous. He manages to corner his prey, but Bobbie doesn’t take to being caught easily. His interest is not only in the story, but the woman. He has a cathartic interest in the truth.

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Darin Anthony, Artistic Director, The Blank Theater Co.’s Living Room Series says, “Turning Out is a very accomplished script." Chane’t Johnson, Director, Living Room Series Reading says, "There are so many layers and emotions... Turning Out gives us so much to work with, and it’s very funny."

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Author Biography
Robert Hensley grew up in rural Pennsylvania, far from the industries of fashion, cosmetics and entertainment. With scholastic honors for the talent he exhibited in drawing and writing, Robert was active in various extracurricular activities, like the Art and Drama Clubs, and had the honor of being one of the first students to be accepted into the Pennsylvania Governor School for the Arts with a focus on costume design.

“I was one of those kids who had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I just knew that I liked theatre and art, and I liked the idea of creating characters.”

Robert went on to study costume design in Los Angeles, special effects and production design in Pittsburgh, and then apprenticed as a makeup artist upon his return to Los Angeles. Like most struggling artists in the entertainment industry, Robert wore many hats while pursuing his dreams. He worked as a personal assistant, talent agent, and promotions manager for a denim line while working as a freelance designer and makeup artist.

“The entertainment industry is a tough place, but has always felt like home to me. It’s a challenge, and I love being on set for long hours and coming up with creative solutions to problems that don’t exist in real life.”

Not wanting to leave his love of the theatre in the closet, Robert became a member of the MET Theatre Company. Over time, he would design costumes (earning an Honorable Mention from the Los Angeles Garland Awards for his costume designs for Gatsby in Hollywood), create program artwork, and produce for the Company. This is where he met George Larkin, the producer of the Grimm Festival, who produced his first attempt at writing, The Dark Sisters. This is also where he met his dear friend, Chane’t Johnson, a talented actor and director who directed the short play for the Grimm Festival.

“The writers got to choose their directors, and then together, you’d choose from the available designers. The auditions were hard. Because the same people had to be used over and over, some of them were in every play, and if you liked someone, but no one else wanted to use them, you couldn’t have them. It was rough! The cast came together really well for us. I was very happy with the cast that Chane’t (Johnson) and I chose.”

The Dark Sisters was received well by the critics. It was mentioned by name in several reviews, including the Los Angeles Times. Until then, Robert had never written a play. He had never written more than an amusing essay or research paper.

Later that same year, Robert returned to Pennsylvania to explore other creative endeavors. It was with more time on his hands, and a new found confidence, that he started working on a new play. His challenge, this time, was to get beyond fifteen pages and still be interested in the subject matter. The product of his efforts was Turning Out.

“I hid it under my bed. I didn’t think anyone would be interested in the story. It took a lot of urging from Chane’t to let her read it. I knew that if anyone would be completely honest with me, it would be her. That’s why she’s my best friend!”

In the matter of a few weeks, Johnson had submitted the play to The Blank Theatre’s Living Room Series. She liked the comedy and wanted to direct a staged reading of Turning Out. The play received praise from the artistic board at the Blank and was accepted into the series.

“It was a little surreal. I knew all of these writers who were giving up time with their families and struggling to make ends meet so that they could write their masterpiece, and here I was with my play getting a staged reading in Los Angeles.”

After news that Larkin was pursuing a publisher for the anthology of plays that had made up the Grimm Festival, Robert was encouraged by Chane’t to submit Turning Out. The rest, as they say, is now history.

Robert still lives in rural Pennsylvania, but enjoys traveling for his work as an Educator for a cosmetic line. He continues to write, but mostly for the local paper as their resident Style writer. He doesn’t have a pet.