Munched is a two act drama (for four actors) about a mother convicted of
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy and
the daughter she lost contact with twenty-five years ago.
MSBP (Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy) is a psychological disorder in which a
caregiver
deceives a doctor into treating her ward for an illness that she herself induced
(think poisoning, smothering, feces in an open wound...) in an effort to receive
the attention, affection, and status of being a hero.
After twenty-five years, Marybeth Paxton, who was convicted of MSBP, has finally
been released from prison. Despite the existence of a very
disturbing and widely publicized hidden surveillance video, which helped convict
her in both the courthouse and the court of public opinion, she maintains her
innocence.
Her daughter, Katie, -- a wise-cracking, Star Trek-loving underachiever -- has
recently unearthed a box of letters which her mother wrote to her during the
trial. In one disturbing letter Marybeth pleaded with Katie, "If you tell
them about Flip Wilson, we'll be together again soon. I promise!"
Thus the aggravating and ridiculous mystery of "Flip Wilson!?" begins:
compelling Katie, to finally seek the gory details -- transcripts, interviews,
videos -- of her famous "sickness" and Marybeth's notorious trial. The
final, terrifying step for Katie is through Marybeth's front door.
Begun in 2000, Munched had its first public reading at the Magic Theatre with
Chloe Bronzan and Suzzane Voss directed by David Ford. By 2004 Munched had
doubled in size becoming a play for 4 actors and it received yet another staged
reading at the Magic, this time with Amy Resnick, Trish Mulholland, Sheri Matteo,
and Calum Grant, and was directed by Carla Zilber-Smith.
In 2005 it premiered in the The Fritz Blitz in San Diego with Kathi Diamant,
Jeannine Marquie, Monique Gaffney and BrianTaraz , directed by Emily Cornelius.
Awards, Grants: Munched has twice been the recipient of the Theatre Bay Area CA$H
Grant (2002, 2003) and was awarded the Tournesol Grant (2004). In 2006 Munched
received the MacDonald Playwriting Award at a ceremony at KPBS in San Diego hosted
by Pat Launer. And was selected as "Best of" the Fritz Blitz.
