The Interview JFK: A Stage Play about a 1963 Secret Presidential Town Hall Meeting: JFK Trilogy, #1

By Alan Marshall

In August 1963, a powerful Washington, D.C. think tank invited President John F. Kennedy to a top-secret town hall meeting. Their stated purpose was to ascertain how much candor Americans could accept from their President, speaking off the record about the true state of the nation's affairs. It did not take President Kennedy, who was accompanied by Attorney General Robert Kennedy, long to realize that the moderators of this event, a conservative pundit, saddled at the last minute alongside a liberal firebrand who just finished law school, had brought two large political axes that they intended to grind upon his presidency. On this long, hot summer night, JFK, with less than three months to live, is forced to defend and justify his presidential decisions and actions, while also being hounded about his private life and personal morality. No reporters, no recordings, and no holds barred.

• Language: English
• Publisher: 3MB Publishing
• Release date: Jul 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9780965829960

Book preview

CAST OF CHARACTERS

John F. Kennedy    U.S. President

Robert F. Kennedy   Attorney General

William F. Barkley   Co-Moderator

Nancy Burke   Co-Moderator

Heather Aubrey   Research Assistant

Ruth Greenberg   SNCC Activist

Celia Ray Barbour   Audience Member

Hank Weston    Audience Member

Vaughn McDowell   JFK Impersonator 

Marilyn Monroe Impersonator Entertainer

ACT I

PROLOGUE  ~  WHO AUTHORIZED...THIS?

SETTING: A large open space within a secure area of the D.C. Armory. A set has been created that has three comfortable seats for Barkley, Nancy and JFK. Two additional chairs and a table have been set to one side for Heather and RFK.

AT RISE: William F. Barkley and Heather Aubrey walk on to the set of where the interview with President Kennedy will take place. The atmosphere and mood is hectic, but upbeat.

––––––––

HEATHER AUBREY

Mr. Barkley, here is the final draft of your opening remarks.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Heather, how many times have I asked you to call me Bill?

HEATHER AUBREY

I’m sorry, Mister.....Bill.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

(lightly)

Don’t apologize...Just do it.

HEATHER AUBREY

Of course, Bill.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Except when they get here.

HEATHER AUBREY

The audience?

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Of course not! I don’t care what they think. They, as in those damn Kennedys.

HEATHER AUBREY

Of course, Mr. Barkley.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Didn’t I tell-

HEATHER AUBREY

(lightly)

I was just practicing! But...Bill...there is something I need to-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

The goddamn liberal media has given those charlatans a free pass. Did you hear what Peter Lisagor of the Chicago Daily News said about the televised presidential press conferences?

We are there as props. We throw him softball questions & laugh at his jokes. We should join Actors Equity!

HEATHER AUBREY

About 65 million Americans in 21 million households watched  that first televised press conference. Perhaps they should join. Now, Bill...

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Well we’re playing hardball tonight. So hard that I’m going to make Jack Kennedy cry like it’s the Bay of Pigs all over again.

Kennedys don’t cry? Oh, yes they do.

HEATHER AUBREY

There is one thing I-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

I know what you’re thinking...this is all top secret...no reporters...blah, blah, blah. Who’s going to know?

(pause)

Well, I’m going to know. And he’s going to know!

(Barkley notices three chairs on stage.)

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Why are there three chairs? And why is it so damn hot in here?

HEATHER AUBREY

That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. There is-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

It’s for Bobby, isn’t it? What the hell are they trying to pull? They are scoundrels...treacherous scoundrels, of the first magnitude.

HEATHER AUBREY

I’m sure they are, but-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Rumor has it that LBJ is being dumped from the ticket next year and replaced with Bobby. And then Bobby will run in ’68 & ’72 and then...well, you guessed it...Teddy in ’76.

(scornfully)

All hail the Kennedy Dynasty.

HEATHER AUBREY

(firmly)

The extra chair is not for the Attorney General.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Then who the hell is it for?

(Nancy Burkes enters.)

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

And who in God’s name are you?

NANCY BURKE

I’m Nancy Burke...your co-host.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

My what? Heather, what the-

HEATHER AUBREY

Bill, I’ve been trying to tell you-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Miss Aubrey, how many times have I asked you to address me as Mr. Barkley?

(Barkley looks in the direction of Nancy.)

Who authorized...this?"

HEATHER AUBREY

The William Sager Foundation.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

It was Priscilla Sager, wasn’t it? I bet that rich old bitty just wants to stick it to me.

NANCY BURKE

(to herself)

In your dreams.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

(to Nancy)

I beg your pardon?

NANCY BURKE

Oh, I was just thinking out loud about how it’s always been a, uh...dream of mine to work alongside a living legend, like yourself.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Has it really? Perhaps there’s hope for you, after all.

(to Heather)

I’m just curious, Miss Aubrey. Exactly, how long have you known about this?

HEATHER AUBREY

Oh, not long.

(to Nancy)

Miss Burke, I prepared this report for you on the off chance that it might be helpful tonight. 

(Nancy takes a moment to kook over the report.)

NANCY BURKE

This is quite extensive...and impressive. I’m embarrassed to admit that I may have misjudged you.

(Barkley waves his hand.)

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Yes, well join the club of those fools, yours truly among them, who grossly underestimated the omniscience of dear Miss Aubrey.

HEATHER AUBREY

(embarrassed)

Oh stop it, Bill! I mean, Mr. Barkley...and that goes for you, too, Miss Burke. It’s just a few bits and pieces of research and a handful of possible questions, based on your personal and political leanings and social ideology. That’s all.

NANCY BURKE

That’s all? This is so much-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Let me have a look at that. This is pretty damn comprehensive, even by your otherworldly standards. So, when exactly did you learn about this co-host business?

HEATHER AUBREY

(shyly)

Last week.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Last week? Well why on God’s earth didn’t anyone think to inform me?

HEATHER AUBREY

They actually thought about it, but assumed you would throw a-

NANCY BURKE

Tantrum?

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

A tantrum? Why, they are lucky I don’t just-

NANCY BURKE

-Quit?

HEATHER AUBREY

They assumed that too, Mr. Barkley. But I assured them-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

-You assured them?

HEATHER AUBREY

-that you would not squander the chance to give the President a big piece of that brilliant mind of yours. Now, why don’t I get you a scotch-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

-On the rocks.

HEATHER AUBREY

Of course, Mr. Barkley. Miss Burke?

NANCY BURKE

Water, please. Thank you.

HEATHER AUBREY

My pleasure. Now, you two need to get acquainted, but you better make it a quickie because King Arthur will be riding in on his white stallion any minute!

(Heather leaves to get the drinks. Bill and Nancy do not speak as they sit and review their notes.)

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

You’d think with all that money Priscilla Sager is hording that she could at least have the damn air conditioning working.

NANCY BURKE

Have you ever met President Kennedy?

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

I have a nationally syndicated television show on which I interview the most influential people on the planet and I have never felt the need for a co-host. Much less a...how old are you?

NANCY BURKE

Twenty five.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

My God.

NANCY BURKE

Perhaps the foundation thought that adding an additional perspective would enrich the discussion.

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Enrich the discussion? How could you possibly-

NANCY BURKE

-Mr. Barkley, you were a 23 year old student at Yale when you enriched the national discussion about higher education by publishing your first book entitled-

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

That was different. I was-

NANCY BURKE

(annoyed)

- A man?

WILLIAM F. BARKLEY

Yes....I mean, no...Listen, young lady why don’t you do yourself...and me...a big favor and step aside with a degree of grace before you embarrass yourself? You are obviously outside your depth.

NANCY BURKE

(angrily)

And you, Mr. Barkley, are obviously-

(Heather bursts in.)

HEATHER