Death by Lightning Monologues & Audition Scenes

Characters: Franny, Charlie

Franny attempts to convince her brother Charlie to admit himself to a medical facility for his mental health. They reflect on their shared childhood and the guilt Franny feels for leaving him alone with their father, while Charlie reveals he has always performed for her happiness.

Characters: Charlie

Charlie delivers a passionate defense of his status in society, arguing that America was built by outcasts and rogues. He asserts that in this country, even a man dismissed as a drain can rise to influence millions or even become president.

Characters: Franny, Charlie

After seven years apart, Charlie reunites with his sister Franny, expressing his desire to reform his life and abandon his old habits. He pitches a grandiose plan for a new newspaper called The Daily Theocrat, while Franny offers him a stable clerkship and breaks the news that his old flame has left for Colorado.

Characters: Conkling, Jim

Senator Conkling attempts to intimidate and manipulate Jim into abandoning his political principles and his support for Sherman. The scene escalates from a false offer of a high-ranking government position to a dark, personal threat involving Jim's past and his family.

Characters: Franny, George

Franny and George argue over whether to continue supporting Franny's troubled brother, Charles. While George highlights Charles's history of deviant behavior and cult involvement, Franny remains steadfast in her loyalty, citing their difficult childhood and her brother's inherent fragility.

Characters: Jim, Crete

Jim informs his wife Crete that he has been asked to deliver a convention speech that challenges the party's support of Ulysses S. Grant. Crete fears the political and personal repercussions of returning to the spotlight, while Jim reflects on his own expendability within the party machine.