POLITICOS, a play in one act by Paolo Mazzucato, explores the corruption of good intentions with politics and the desire for power. It was first performed in the New Works and New Genres Series at the Organic Theater in Chicago, Illinois, in 1988.

 

In the play, we meet two friends, Weber and Ash, living in a desert wasteland. They both seek to better their circumstances by campaigning for elected office, but after encountering a cast of odd characters, from a legless beggar in need of help, to a rich man in need of a favor, they come to see that their initial noble motivation for change has been corrupted by self-interest and the allure of power. Only an ultimate act of sacrifice will open their eyes.