The Play

HEIST by Arun Lakra is a Two Act play which toggles between present day and flashbacks.

Running time is 50 + 45 minutes.

Age 12+

A cinematic, twisty mystery heist-whodunnit conceived and developed for the stage, HEIST is Oceans 11 for the theatre. A criminal mastermind reassembles his squad to heist a diamond from the lair of an international jewel thief... 

• MARVIN - The Boss - 30-40 - Male
• RYAN - The Gilligan - 30-40 - Male
• ANGIE - The Mary-Lou - 25-35 - Female
• KRUGER - The Popeye - 40-50 - Male
• FIONA - The Geek - 18-25 - Female
• THE SPIDER - The Target - 55-65 - Female

Heist was commissioned in 2021 by Chad Rabinovitz at Bloomington Playwrights Project (Indiana) and had a Workshop Production in May, 2022 in Bloomington, Indiana, Directed by Chad Rabinovitz.

This play received further development through the Citadel Theatre (Edmonton) through it’s 2021-22 Playwrights Lab, Directed by Mieko Ouchi.  

Heist was also supported by the Blacklist x Warby Parker Writers Vision Grant (2023). 

Heist had its World Premiere at Vertigo Theatre (AD: Jack Grinhaus) Calgary, AB in 2024 directed by Haysam Kadri.

Subsequent Productions:

• Grand Theatre (AD : Rachel Peake) - London, ON, 2025, Directed by Haysam Kadri
• Citadel Theatre (AD: Daryl Cloran) - Edmonton, AB, 2025, Directed by Haysam Kadri
• Arizona Theatre Company (AD: Matt August) - Tucson/Tempe 2025-26, Directed by Matt August

In the full-scale version of the play, there are several scenes incorporating aerial sequences, requiring wires, harnesses, and actors dropping from the grid. If these technical elements are not possible, there is another smaller-scale version of the script available.

The feel of Oceans 11. Upbeat jazzy music during the heist sequences. Suspenseful sound during flashbacks. Pace should be quick and urgent. Lasers, drones, sensors, fog, flashing lights, high-tech toys, aerial acrobatics, on screen graphics, rapid-fire sound cues... all conspire to create a “cinematic” feel.

At the conclusion of the play, the message “To Be Continued...” appears on screen. At this point, there is an opportunity to offer to the audience, through a QR code or an emailed message, access to an audio recording, After-Heist. This is an entirely optional and separate add-on, a 15 minute radio play, which continues where the action on the stage leaves off. 

The idea is that audiences can listen to After-Heist on their way home. Surprising new twists will be revealed that shed new light on what they’ve just experienced in the theatre. This recording would be licensed and recorded by producing theaters, ideally using the same cast from the stage play.