MEET JOHN DOE

Season: 59 (2004 - 2005)

Run Date(s): Dec. 4, 2004

Description: A live radio dramatization in collaboration with KFOR 1240 AM 8:00 PM Tickets: $10 ($9 for LCP subscribers) About to lose her writing job at a tabloid in a massive round of layoffs, Ann Mitchell makes up her final column, ranting about the injustice of the world, to get back at her boss for firing her. The column is about a letter she supposedly received from "John Doe" who threatens to jump off City Hall on Christmas Eve in protest of the way society treats the common man. Having no choice the paper prints the column, which causes much trouble for the mayor and other leading city politicians. When the paper's competition claims the letter is a fraud, Henry Connell, Managing Editor of The New Bulletin, has two options on how to handle the situation: agree, and be seen as a lying fool; or, as Ms. Mitchell suggests, hire someone to become John Doe and use him as a mouthpiece to promote leading issues of the day. According to sales figures, his pledge sparked something in the average person. Seeing the potential, Connell agrees to Ann's plan, hiring her back to write the pieces and find their man. There are plenty of hard-up souls claiming they wrote the letter, looking for a hand up, but when they meet Long John Willoughby, an ex-minor league pitcher, they know he's their man. John's actually looking for a real job, so he can earn the money to get his arm fixed, but isn't in a position to refuse their offer. A warm bed, nice clothes and three square meals a day seems to be a fair trade for a tiny, white lie. Besides, the cause ñ to expose the crooked politicians and greedy corporations ñ is a good one. What John fails to realize is how successful this little endeavor becomes. Thanks to Ann's support and speech writing skills, he is soon the toast of America, an inspiration for all the "John Does" to reach out to their neighbors and help the less fortunate. Local businessman D.B. Norton is so touched by the message he sponsors John Doe clubs across the country. What he expects in return for his generosity is something neither Ann, Connell nor John ever could have imagined. It destroys Ann and John's budding romance, as well as irreparably ruining John's reputation. In essence, he becomes the man Ann invented in the letter six months before. Ann makes herself sick with guilt and worry over the fate of John. As Christmas Eve approaches, everyone connected to the affair ends up at City Hall to see how the story will end. What will John Doe do? MEET JOHN DOE will be rebroadcast on KFOR 1240 AM on Christmas Day, December 25, at 9:00 AM.