Oregon Fever
a compelling American play in one act
by David Rush

About the Play: Joshua Blanchard is poised to leave Kansas to head west on the Oregon Trail, in l835. On this climactic day, several events happen to change his and his family's life: his youngest son dies, his daughter decides to marry and stay at home, and he has an important confrontation with his wife. All of these crises reflect the hardship of life on the prairie, and the human cost of breaking new territory, both in your soul and in your life.

Time: 1835
Place: Interior of a small prairie cabin on the Iowa plains. Spring. 1835. The room is nearly bare, since the occupants are very soon going to be leaving: a table, a few chairs, etc. Scattered around are bales, boxes, bundles, and other signs of moving day.

Cast List:
Isaac Shurtleff, mid-20s, a farming lad.
Naomi Blanchard, about 15
Joshua Blanchard, pioneer/ farmer, late 30's, Naomi's father.
Emma Blanchard, his wife
Henry Metcalf,
Rebecca Metcalf .... neighboring farmers.

From the Play:
Naomi: You gotta stop being afraid of folks, Isaac.
Isaac: I ain't afraid of folks.
Naomi: Every time you come around here, you get tongue-twisted and stuttery.
Isaac: I ain't afraid of folks in general; only your Paw.
Naomi: Paw? He's an old coon hound!
Isaac: He always growls and mutters when he sees me. I swear, he just walks into the room and I start quaking like pudding.
Naomi: He's trying to rattle up your fence is all.
Isaac: I don't think he takes much to me. I think he looks at me and figures he's seeing a fool. One of these days I gotta find a way to change his mind.
Naomi: It better be soon, Isaac; you're gonna have to ask him for permission, you know.
Isaac: I know. And I'm ready. I practiced a speech all day yesterday.

About the Playwright:
David Rush’s plays have been on stages in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and various schools and theaters around the country. He has won several awards, including Jeff's for LEANDER STILLWELL (a civll war drama), THE PROPHET OF BISHOP HILL (based on a true event), POLICE DEAF NEAR FAR (about the shooting of a deaf man by a policeman), PRAIRIE LIGHTS (a holiday musical about the orphan train) and others. He has also won several midwest Emmy awards, the Los Angeles DramaLogue Award for new work, and various grants. He is a resident member of Chicago's Stage Left Theater, and a Resident Writer Alumnus of Chicago Dramatists. He heads the playwriting program at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois.