Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce

by Kate Danley

FULL LENGTH Workplace Farce

"Devil Wears Prada Meets Weekend at Bernie's"

FULL LENGTH Workplace Farce

"Devil Wears Prada Meets Weekend at Bernie's"

-WINNER - 2025 New Comedies Festival, B Street Theatre
-WINNER - Best Dead Body Choreography, DASH Awards, Burlington Players
-Finalist of the B Street Theatre's 2025 New Comedies Festival
-Finalist, New Works Northwest Festival 2025, ACT Contemporary Theatre
-Nominated for two OFFIES (Off West End Awards)
-Nominated for two BroadwayWorld UK / West End Awards
-Semifinalist Hart NPI
-Semifinalist Eugene O'Neill National Playwriting Competition
-Semifinalist 46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival

Grace and Amy, two outrageous admins, are living for the crumbs of their soul-sucking jobs. But when calamity strikes and their boss chokes on an oatmeal raisin cookie, it sets off a domino-effect of destruction that brings down the corporate house.

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Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce

Recommended by

Faith de Savigné: Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce by Kate Danley

“

Working for Crumbs is a fun, fast-paced, satire of management clichés spewed by demanding bosses in a cutthroat setting of office politics. The main focus is the friendship of the inventive and hardworking duo of Amy and Grace. They keep you guessing whether they will succeed in leaving their degrading jobs as the bodies pile up and the cookies crumble.

Working for Crumbs is a fun, fast-paced, satire of management clichés spewed by demanding bosses in a cutthroat setting of office politics. The main focus is the friendship of the inventive and hardworking duo of Amy and Grace. They keep you guessing whether they will succeed in leaving their degrading jobs as the bodies pile up and the cookies crumble.

”
Annette Trossbach: Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce by Kate Danley

“

This is a laugh-out-loud comedy with delightful twists and unexpected turns. Things go wrong for two lowly office workers who just WISH they could make it up the next rung of the ladder (and want it without tearing each other down), and then they make it worse… and worse… and worse. An absolute delight!

This is a laugh-out-loud comedy with delightful twists and unexpected turns. Things go wrong for two lowly office workers who just WISH they could make it up the next rung of the ladder (and want it without tearing each other down), and then they make it worse… and worse… and worse. An absolute delight!

”
Leonard Madrid: Working for Crumbs - A Dead Body Farce by Kate Danley

“

NON STOP COMEDY
From the first line to the last line, this play has you laughing. This is an old-school farce set in the modern age. Anyone who has had a job will appreciate it.

NON STOP COMEDY
From the first line to the last line, this play has you laughing. This is an old-school farce set in the modern age. Anyone who has had a job will appreciate it.

”

View all 20 recommendations

Character Information

Actors should be strong physical comedians, preferably with a background in clowning, commedia, or improv. Lean into the lazzi!

The roles of Molly and Vivianne can be doubled if needed.

Grace

female, 20s-40s, a secretary. Must be a strong physical comedian. Background in improv and commedia preferred.

Character Age

20s - 40s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
Amy

female, 20s-40s, a secretary. Should be a strong physical comedian, preferably with a background in improv or commedia.

Character Age

20s - 40s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
Helen

30s-50s, a villain for today. A total Karen. Vice-president, social climber, power woman, loves Peru (in a cultural appropriation sort of way.) Physically demanding role. Should be a strong comedian, preferably with a background in improv or commedia.

Character Age

30s - 50s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s
- Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
  
  White
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
Molly

overly-friendly, passive-aggressive secretary; reeks of too much perfume; kiss-ass

Character Age

20s - 40s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
  
  White
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
Vivianne

president of the company, a power woman

Character Age

40s - 60s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
WATERMAN / JANITOR / AC GUY

a man of all trades and a million faces. He proves the point that it is the uniform that shapes people's perceptions of others.

Character Age

20s - 40s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Male
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man

Development History

Type Workshop, B Street Theatre, Year 2025
Type Workshop, Organization Theatre 33, Year 2023
Type Reading, Organization Vashon Repertory Theatre, Year 2022
Type Reading, Organization Mary Rogers Room - Dramatists Guild, NYC, Year 2020
Type Reading, Organization CreateTheater, New York, Year 2020
Type Reading, Organization Ignition Arts, Lyric Theatre Oklahoma, Year 2019
Type Reading, Organization Women’s Theatre Festival of North Carolina - Occupy The Stage, Year 2019
Type Workshop, Organization Curtis Theatre with Project LaFemme - Page to Stage Playwright’s Festival, Brea, CA, Year 2019
Type Reading, Organization Seattle Playwrights Salon, Year 2017

Production History

Type Professional, B Street Theatre, Year 2026
Type Community Theater, Organization Spotlighters Theatre, Year 2025
Type Community Theater, Organization The Burlington Players, Year 2025
Type Fringe, Organization The Space, Year 2023
Type University, Organization FHU Theatre, Year 2023
Type Community Theater, Organization Grande Prairie Live Theatre, Year 2019

Awards

2025 New Comedies Festival

B Street Theatre

Winner

2025
New Works Northwest

ACT Contemporary Theatre

Finalist

2025
2025 New Comedies Festival

B Street Theatre

Finalist

2025
46th Bay Area Playwrights Festival

Playwrights Foundation

Semi-Finalist

2023
OFFIES - Nominated for Best Production and Best Director

Off West End Awards

2023
11th Season - 2019 slate of shows

Brelby Theatre Company

Semi-Finalist

2018
Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative

Moss Hart and Kitty Carlisle Hart New Play Initiative

Semi-Finalist

2018
Women Are Funny Award

Stageways

Semi-Finalist

2018
Eugene O'Neill Theater Center National Playwrights Conference

Eugene O'Neill Theater Center

Semi-Finalist

2017

Genre

comedy,

commedia dell'arte,

dark comedy,

farce,

movement/physical,

political,

satire

Subject Matter Keywords

physical comedy,

office,

funny roles for women

Length

90 minutes to two hours

Cast Size

5—6

Age of Intended Audience

ages 18 and up

Narrative Attributes

Centers Female Characters

Reviews

Kevin T. Baldwin, METRMag

“
The laughs are relentless
”
Marielle Sabbag, Vocal Media Geeks

“
I was exhausted from laughing!
”
Burlington Buzz

“
Be prepared to laugh out loud—a lot!...Along with the crazed energetic humor and hilarious physical comedy that we associate with the Marx Brothers, there are also some delicious, delicate moments.
”
MD Theatre Guide

“
Danley leaves no crumbs in this jam-packed, lively, and riotous comedy. “Working For Crumbs” is outrageously fun.
”
LouReviews

“
Danley’s play pushes up the ridiculous and gives us a sense of catharsis; after all, who hasn’t wanted sweet revenge beyond the meetings and SMART objectives?
”
Everything Theatre

“
Laughs until the last line of dialogue...If you are looking for a ‘Carry-on’ style comedy, an entertaining, surrealist theatre experience, or to simply have a laugh, Working for Crumbs is a must see.
”
OC Weekly

“
A quick-witted farce in the style of commedia...their attempt to hide the truth results in a true comedy of errors.
”
Daily Herald Tribune

“
A whimsically deadly spectacle.
”