Event

The Bloodless Jungle

State Senator Ethan St. John is a rising star in the political world who is being courted by the President and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to challenge a long-term incumbent for a critical seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Ethan agrees to undertake the run but must vest control of the campaign in the hands of H. Henderson Hill, a nationally renowned win-at-any-cost political consultant. Ethan is ahead in the polls when, J.J. Stiles, his best friend from high school, who had previously served time for sexual assault, is arrested upon suspicion of having committed another rape. Ethan soon faces mounting pressure from both the media and Hill, with whom Ethan continually engages in philosophical battles about campaign strategy, to distance himself from J.J., but Ethan is convinced that his friend is innocent. Complicating matters is a long-held secret that Sydney, Ethans wife, reveals to him. He is faced with a daunting choice: does he abandon J.J. and focus on winning the election, or does he jeopardize the campaign by supporting his friend. The play ultimately centers around the decision Ethan makes and its consequences.