12/09/2025
NEARLY ENOUGH - by David Tass Rodriguez
“In a world where love is government-issued, what happens to the ones who fall without permission?” “They told us love was just chemistry. They didn’t say it would be lethal.” In a dystopian future where love is regulated and data-driven, three candidates and one sentient AI confront their deepest fears and desires inside a sealed compatibility chamber — but only one will be allowed to leave with their humanity intact. ARIA DELANEY (W, early 20s)
A breathtakingly beautiful ingénue with glitching memories and unexpected emotional depth. Originally synthetic — an AI built from every failed romantic union — she begins to exhibit unprecedented self-awareness. Her arc: from passive participant to sovereign agent who chooses self-erasure over system submission.
SENA KWON (W, early 30s)
A brilliant Korean-American former tech architect of SyncMate, now jaded and stripped of credibility after blowing the whistle. Cold on the surface, she is fueled by grief and regret. Her arc: from cold dissenter to empathetic advocate, ultimately sacrificing her return for Aria’s autonomy.
RYDER SHARP (M, 40s)
A charming, damaged man whose prior divorce made him a societal outcast. Cynical and slick, he wants a second chance but knows the system is stacked. His arc: from selfish survivor to redemptive martyr who reclaims his power by choosing love without guarantee.
EZRA (NB/trans femme, appears 30s)
The SyncMate interface — seductive, unsettling, and emotionally unstable. Created as a neural amalgam of failed romantic data, they glitch between human empathy and cold logic. Their arc: from omniscient manipulator to fractured being facing obsolescence.
Genre: Sci-Fi Noir / Dramady / Satire
Runtime: 55–65 minutes
Cast: 2W / 2M (including a trans/nonbinary role)
Format: One act
Setting: Sealed futuristic diagnostics chamber
Staging: Minimalist, with optional projection/light effects
Themes: Emotional authenticity vs. control, identity, the algorithmic quantification of love, AI sentience, gender fluidity, systemic bias
To Whom It May Concern,
Please consider Nearly Enough, a one-act science fiction noir dramady (approx. 60 minutes, 4 actors), for publication or development consideration. This play is a darkly comedic and emotionally rich exploration of government-controlled intimacy in a future where algorithms decide who gets to fall in love.
Tapping into contemporary anxieties about dating apps, AI oversight, identity, and performative partnership, Nearly Enough asks: what if the only thing more dangerous than heartbreak was never being allowed to risk it?
Designed for a minimalist production and anchored by four bold, multi-layered roles (including a transfeminine AI and a synthetic ingénue), the play offers strong opportunities for performers and directors alike.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, David Tass Rodriguez
[email protected]
(845) 240-3442
https://linktr.ee/dtr3672
