THE
THIRD
CHAIR
A PLAY BY RICHARD EHRLICH
Three chairs. Two people.
70 minutes • 2 actors • Real time
Available for production
Available for production
A PLAY BY RICHARD EHRLICH
Three chairs. Two people.
After a school board meeting turned toxic, two neighbors are sent to mandatory mediation. The mediator never arrives. Locked in a library meeting room, they must decide for themselves: Can neighbors disagree about everything and still refuse to make each other into enemies?
SAM and ALEX have been sent to mediation after a contentious school board meeting where their conflict turned personal. SAM called ALEX's position "destroying the town." ALEX called SAM "dangerous." Now, locked in a small library meeting room with rules but no enforcer, they face each other across a table and confront what they've done.
The mediator never shows up. No one is coming to save them. Over seventy minutes of real-time dialogue, they peel back their certainties to reveal the fear beneath. They discuss the book that started it, the granddaughter who asked hard questions, the complaint that brought them here, and the cost they'll both pay when they leave.
THE THIRD CHAIR speaks directly to the political fracture we're living through. This isn't a play about resolution—it's about the harder work of staying human to people whose politics terrify you.
Runtime: 70 minutes, no intermission
Cast: 2 actors (any gender combination)
Setting: Small library meeting room
Technical: Minimal - two chairs, small table
Budget: Low
SAM (late 50s-60s): A longtime community member who values stability and tradition. Not a villain—genuinely believes they're defending their community.
ALEX (late 40s-60s): A neighbor who believes in transparency and trusting young people with difficult truths. Not self-righteous—exhausted by conflict.
15 scenes unfolding in real time
The room. The waiting. The silence.
SAM and ALEX arrive at the mediation room. The mediator hasn't shown up. Uncomfortable silence. Neither knows how to start.
The choice to engage—or not.
They discuss whether to wait for the mediator or try to talk. Testing boundaries, establishing ground rules.
What actually happened.
The school board meeting. Each tells their version. Both versions are true.
The book. The questions. The words.
The banned book. ALEX's granddaughter's questions. Defining terms. How neighbors became enemies.
Someone chooses vulnerability first.
A genuine concession. An apology without conditions. The emotional pivot.
Fear, cost, clarity, choice.
What they're actually afraid of. The cost of the conflict. Seeing each other clearly. The choice to stay or leave.
The third chair stays empty.
The hour is up. The mediator never came. They've chosen humanity over victory. And that's exactly what they needed.
THE THIRD CHAIR speaks directly to the political fracture we're living through. This isn't a play about finding middle ground or splitting the difference. SAM and ALEX don't resolve their political disagreement. They don't compromise their values. But they refuse to let their conflict make them into enemies.
This is a play about civic courage—the choice to stay human to someone whose politics terrify you.
• Theaters committed to civic engagement and contemporary work
• Audiences willing to be challenged
• Directors who love intimate character work
• Communities seeking dialogue about polarization
• Educational institutions teaching political theater
Institutional Failure: When systems meant to help us break down, we must find our own way.
Civic Courage: Choosing humanity over certainty.
Community Fracture: How neighbors become enemies, and whether that can be reversed.
The Cost of Certainty: What we sacrifice when we refuse to question ourselves.
Richard Ehrlich is a playwright, composer, and author whose work explores neurodiversity, mental health, family dynamics, and civic dialogue. His plays include the musicals ALL AT ONCE!, TONIC: Finding Euphoria, and THE BREATH: Coming Home, as well as the dramas THE WEIGHT and THE THIRD CHAIR.
A retired pediatric dentist and member of the Dramatists Guild of America, Richard brings decades of experience working with families to his intimate portraits of human connection and conflict.
THE THIRD CHAIR is available for licensing to professional, community, and educational theaters.
Richard Ehrlich
Email: rdedds@hotmail.com
We provide comprehensive support including:
• Full script and production materials
• Playwright availability for Q&A sessions
• Marketing materials and graphics
• Discussion guides for post-show conversations
• Educational resources for student productions
Visit: richardehrlich.net