Mystery of the Pirate’s Cave
A Rip-Roaring Comedy
By: H. L. Liptak

About The Play:
With ghosts, Vikings, mermaids, flappers, bootleggers, and, of course, pirates, Mystery of the Pirate’s Cave employs enough action, adventure, betrayal, and romance to make it a huge hit with audiences of all ages. The legend of Captain Jedediah York and his encounter with the mysterious Lady Bianca is a story that will intrigue any audience and draw them into the question of free will versus determinism cleverly disguised as a quest for ghostly treasure. As the story romps through three centuries Anemone, the ageless mermaid, ties everything together to demonstrate the universality of that timeless question, “What about me?”

Cast List:
Gender Breakdown;
11 male actors; 16 female actors with doubling
Up to 20 male roles and 22 female roles without doublin

Time: 90minutes
Place: A mysterious pirate cave, of course, in the late 1600s, 1920s and present

From The Play:
Act I
Prologue
The Scene
 
(Curtains open on pirate’s cave. Fog, lights come up slowly. Voice begins)
 
Narrator: The cave. A cavity inside the earth. Whether carved into existence by the slow, gradual action of water, or ripped open by the violent upheaval of tectonic displacement, caves have served humankind in various capacities since time immemorial. But caves are ambiguous spaces. A cave can offer protection and shelter, but it can just as easily trap and imprison. At certain times great concentrations of energy, powerful enough to create illness and death or bestow healing and strength, have been known to coalesce in specific geographical locations. Such a place is called a vortex. Legends and folklore are full of the stories of the strange and miraculous things that happen when a cave is opened up at the location of a vortex.
 
This is one of those stories.
 
(Lights out.)
 
Scene 1
 
( Rowdy pirates enter through audience singing, carrying huge treasure chest. Lights up as they go onstage. Try to open chest, dance around singing pirate songs and sea chanteys, First Mate enters.)
 
Domingo: Avast there, ye stumbling sons of a sea monkey! The Captain will be coming soon and he'd best not find you lolly-gagging about like a bunch of moonstruck landlubbers. (All exit, muttering, except for Dom, Bloodbrine, Peso and Trevor)
Bloodbrine: Avast yourself, Saldana! We're only celebrating our good fortune! There's not a man jack of us who ever laid eyes on so fine a treasure haul as this!
Peso: And without so much as a scratch to the crew! There'll be no need to deduct even a farthing for to pay off a wooden leg or a glass eyeball!
Domingo: Tis fortunate indeed that Captain Jed's name strikes such fear in the hearts of those cowardly Spaniards!
Peso: No such thing! I'll wager tis the sight of the Merry Widow's flag flying from the mizzen mast that got us such an easy prize.
Domingo: Or maybe just the sight of you, Peso, struck them numb with terror.
Bloodbrine: Peso has the right of it! And that there chest must be full to the top with pieces of eight, so heavy she is! I'm off to the Dry Tortugas and The Painted Pony grog shop when I gets my share!
Domingo: Predictable.
Trevor: Aye! The Painted Pony! A few of these doubloons will buy a fine present for that pretty little senorita who waits for me there.
Peso: That's the only reason any senorita would wait for you, Trevor. Pretty or otherwise. (All laugh)
Trevor: Well, at least I’m worth more than a peso, Peso!
Peso: (pulling his knife) I'll wager my worth with a knife against your doubloons anytime.
Trevor: Easy, bucko! I was just having a little fun!
Peso: No one has fun at the expense of Peso Perez. How I got my name is none of your affair. It had best not be referred to again or it’ll be a short walk and a sudden stop for someone.
Domingo: Get the men to stow this treasure safe and sound or it will be the cat for you all. (Peso goes out and quickly returns with the crew bringing larger gold and silver articles). And as for what's inside that chest, the Captain will be the one to look into that mystery, not you.
Trevor: Now hold fast just a minute, Domingo Saldana! This is a democracy this is!
Bloodbrine: Seeing as how we've each of us signed the Articles of Piracy we’ve a right to know just what exactly is in this here chest! The Captain will grant us that.
Trevor: Or we'll know the reason why!
 
(All mutter in agreement)
 
Domingo: Hold your tongues, ye scallywags! (draws his sword half out of the scabbard) Doubting the Captain's honor, are ye? Who'll be the first to taste my sword for that piece of insolence?
Trevor: Oh, stow it, Dom! We all know the Captain is our duly elected leader—(laughs evilly) --until someone better comes along! Right, maties? (Peso sees the Captain approaching and whispers in Trevor’s ear so he changes his tone) But for now, what say you all to a cheer for the bravest, fiercest pirate whoever sailed the seven seas! Huzzah for Captain Jedediah York!
All: Right ye are! Huzzah for the Captain! Aye! Huzzah for Captain York!
 
(Captain York enters.)
 
York: Did I hear my name, gentlemen?
 
(More cheers and shouting until Captain York motions them to be quiet.)
York: Now what is all this shouting about? Not enough treasure?
Bloodbrine: Can there ever be enough treasure, Cap'n?
York: A valid point, Bloodbrine. What shall we do then? Set sail for more?
 
(Mutters and growls from the men.)
 
Trevor: I'm thinking the men might like a short bit of time to enjoy this booty first, Cap'n, seein as how we worked long and hard for it
Domingo: (Sarcastically) And here I was thinking it was like taking candy from a baby. A brief leave is an excellent idea, none the less, don’t you agree, Captain?
York: A quick voyage to the Dry Tortugas for a dram of rum and a dance with a pretty girl or two? What say ye, men?

(All at the same time)
 
Trevor: That's it, Captain!
Peso: The very thing! Huzzah!

About the Playwright:
H. L. Liptak...Born in Japan with a brief sojourn in the Midwest and several years in New England and Spain, I still consider myself a Southerner with roots that reach back three hundred years in South Carolina where I finished my formal education. Nowadays I reside in Southern California with my husband and English Bull Terrier. About ninety miles southeast of Hollywood in a wonderful private school I teach middle schoolers history, speech, art, and drama- although no true middle school student has to be taught drama! Each year my students and I produce a full length play about history, or the future, or just life in general. It’s important that all sixty students are given time on stage so the casts tend to be large ensemble affairs which provide great opportunities for learning discipline and teamwork. After writing, directing, costuming and producing eight of these plays and having three of them published, I am gratified to think that I have added a little more depth to the body of dramatic work for this energetic and enjoyable age group.