The Place Where the Geese Have Been by Toph Whitmore

Modern business can be innovative. Creative. Dynamic. But it can also be really, really dumb.

THE PLACE WHERE THE GEESE HAVE BEEN is an award-winning two-act stage comedy that aims its rapid-fire satire directly at the absurdities of the corporate world. Newly-minted MBA Peter starts what he thinks is his dream job at management consulting firm Rossi•Greylag. He meets new boss Linda, whose people skills include bullying, taking credit for others' work, and sleeping with clients. Peter's associates Christine and Edmund also welcome him to the company...by setting him up as the fall guy. What could possibly go wrong with that arrangement? Not the big client presentation, which will surely run smoothly and not lead to an explosion that subsequently releases hazardous chemicals and triggers widespread power outages. Right? Right?

Between cushy business-class flights, Michelin-star meals billed to the customer, and client meetings that devolve into violence, Peter seeks out the counsel of his mother Valérie, a hockey goon who leads her league in penalty minutes; Ellie, the company receptionist who fights forest fires in her spare time; and Diane, a colleague who finds joy in firing people.

In a corporate environment that prioritizes efficiency over humanity, what will Peter sacrifice to get ahead? His conscience? His dignity? Some semblance of a personal life? As pressure builds, he'll have to figure out how to do what's right...for himself, for the client, for the firm, and maybe even for love.

Keywords: Farce, Satire, Workplace Satire, Office Satire, Corporate Satire, Corporate, Business Satire, Comedy

First act performed as a staged reading at McLaren Comedy Festival (finalist in comedy playwriting competition); Midland Community Theatre; Midland, Texas; August, 2025

Genre: Comedy, Absurdist/Farce
Acts: 2
Run time: 90 minutes
Content notes: Contains adult themes, bullying, swearing

Cast size: 9 - 20 actors
Male roles: 9
Female roles: 8
Other roles: 3
Casting notes:  THE PLACE WHERE THE GEESE HAVE BEEN can be performed with as few as 9 actors and as many as 20 (or more depending on size of company).
To reduce cast size, double characters KYLE THE INTERN, DIANE, GORILLA/JACOB, SECURITY GUARD, VALÉRIE, COLIN FROM CLEVELAND, RICARDO, RACHEL, INTERCOM VOICE, FIREFIGHTERS, and/or JENNA WITH R•G TRAVEL. Offstage character voices/video calls can be prerecorded.