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Denude - a one act play

Opening in a surreal changing setting during the Vietnam War, Soldier Menses confronts his insecurities and past traumas as he interacts with the ghost of Trappist, who reveals their tragic history across multiple wars. FIVE awards. "Denude," a one-act play is initially set in a Vietnam-era jungle, and follows soldiers Trappist and Menses, two soldiers trapped in a foxhole. Trappist, seasoned and philosophical, tries to connect with Menses, a fearful newcomer. As tensions rise and danger looms, Menses's panic leads to a tragic escalation, culminating in Trappist's death. Afterward, a surreal sequence unfolds where Trappist appears as a ghost, revealing their intertwined past lives and hinting at a cycle of reincarnation plagued by Menses's unwitting role in Trappist's deaths across different wars. As Menses faces mortality, Trappist guides him towards an ethereal realm, prompting a poignant reflection on life's mysteries and the inevitability of death. The play delves into themes of war's psychological impact, existential introspection, and the blurred lines between reality and the afterlife, offering a haunting exploration of human mortality and the eternal search for meaning. It also offers several options for its ending and orientation.

Written by:
Format:
Stageplay
Genres:
Posted:
07/08/2023
Updated:
04/06/2025
Author Bio:
JZ Murdock is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and author with a passion for compelling storytelling across multiple genres. His true crime biopic, The Teenage Bodyguard, has won 13 prestigious screenwriting awards, while my screenplay Gray and Lover: The Hearth Tales Incident has earned 4 screenwriting accolades. As a published author in horror, sci-fi, and non-fiction, his book Death of Heaven won the 2024 New York City Big Book Award for Horror.

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