This madcap comedy is laugh-out-loud funny. When a record-breaking blizzard blows into town and an elderly resident disappears into the storm, everyone is brought to face their own mortality. Caryl Churchill cleverly uses four chatty, retired British women as the voice that warns of the coming apocalypse. Baby Taj by Tanya Shaffer (US)(Comedy/ 6f, 5m)The legendary Taj Mahal is the next assignment for Rachel, an American travel writer whose failed romances have led her to ask: Why not have the baby she craves on her own? In the UK/Europe, click here. When Hannahs sister appears on their doorstep, she brings with her a renegade attitude and an illicit package that send David and Hannah on a 12-hour odyssey into the heart of their deepest fears. When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Cories loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does. This is not a play for the faint of heart it follows the meeting of a predator and his victim, now grown up. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Then there's Wilde's Lady Bracknell, Shaw's Mrs Warren and many characters by Michel Tremblay. Though it was written in 2013, an all-too-familiar sense of isolation permeates the play. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Like Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes. Its not uplifting the characters anger and bitterness jump off the page but its certainly illuminating. The genre emerged as a musical expression of the second-wave feminist movement [228] as well as the labour , civil rights , and peace movements . My wife is a theater major who is in an upcoming prestigious national scholarship competition and needs material to mine. 4000 MILES looks at how two outsiders find their way in today's world. Breadcrumbs by Jennifer Haley (US/UK)(Drama / 2f)A reclusive fiction writer diagnosed with dementia must depend upon a troubled young caretaker to complete her autobiography. Squirrel Girl Goes to College: A Squirrel Girl Play (Marvel Spotlight) by Karen Zacaras (US/UK)(Comedy / 3f, 1m, 14 any gender)Doreen arrives at Empire State University to make new friends and protect them from super villains by keeping her super hero identity a secret. Glorie is tense, unhappy and guilt-ridden, her only child having been killed in an auto accident when she was driving. The wildest part about the story is that its based in fact. Circe. Being a very spirited widow, she now decides to have a fine old time with her money, giving away "diamonds, paintings, and taxi-cabs with fierce abandon, and buying an oversize yacht as if it were a boat for the bathtub." The Agitators by Mat Smart (US/UK)(Drama / 1f, 1m) Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass are young abolitionists when they met in Rochester in the 1840s, full of hopes, dreams, and a common purpose. And if their new routine is good enough, theyll claw their way to the top at Nationals in Tampa Bay. This isnt a play for the TikTok generation; it forces you to stretch out your attention span for the occasional low-key but insightful payoff. Uma Thurman is, for lack of a better word, totally badass. Jackie Gleason certainly went above and beyond to measure up to that sobriquet. Each of our picks was written after 2000; youll find the date after each title, as well as a link to the license. August Osage County, by Tracy Letts. If youre exhausted from the constant political discourse (were using that term loosely) thats everywhere, maybe give Heroes of the Fourth Turning a pass. By sophia mcdougall. Playwright: Christopher DurangLicensing: Dramatists Play Service, Madeleine George explores the Watsons of the world as in Sherlock Holmes trusty assistant and the roles they play in the most important developments in human history. God Gave Us Aunts 7. There is also an interesting trend of plays depicting older career women taking stock of things . Diane C. McPhail composes a complex portrait of life in the American South at the height of the Civil War, with an outspoken young woman remaining firm in her convictions at a time when such behavior from women was looked down upon. Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 2f, 5m)Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. Adjacent to the doctor's laboratory, his young and energetic wife tries to tend to their newborn daughter and wonders exactly what is going on in the next room. Where better to begin than with four housewives in a suburban New Jersey cul-de-sac? The script is based on a childrens novel, and it shows; its simple, emotional, and undeniably moving. Its 1906, and Sholem Asch has just finished writing the shocking God of Vengeance, a play Yiddish play about the love affair between two women. (N.Y. Daily News). Thats reflected in contemporary plays, which offer heartbreaking insights and breathtaking hilarity in equal measure. That is, until he finds his muse Viola. Because it feels like this is Wendy Wasserstein's bag. Eva Adler's Monologue From 'The American Plan'. Thats exactly what happens in HIR Isaac returns home to discover that his abusive father, after having a stroke, is under the control of his now-liberated mother. She became a central figure in the Berlin gay community. As the play opens, ne'er-do-well son Eddie deposits his two young sons on the old lady's doorstep. After an unthinkable tragedy, the Corbetts struggle to survive, each on their own way. Best Contemporary Monologues for Women 18-35 Lawrence Harbison has selected 100 terrific monologues for women from contemporary plays, all by characters between the ages of 18 and 35. As a tour guide at Fustian House, one of the least stately of Londons stately homes, she theatrically embellishes its historical past, ultimately coming up on the radar of Lotte Schon, an inspector from the Preservation Trust. On the advice of his pastor, he leaves Lincoln and ventures out into the wide world for the first time, landing in London. But how can this be? Its bizarre but entertaining, though the revelation of the womens darkest secrets seems like an unnecessary addition to an already interesting show. How to Transcend a Happy Marriage blurs the lines of monogamy and asks how deeply friends, lovers, and strangers connect. Playwright: Jeremy O. HarrisLicensing: Concord Theatricals. As these Netflix shows demonstrate, strong female characters are present in all walks of life and all roles. In a truly remarkable feat, Suzan-Lori Parks wrote one play every day for a full year. Four powerful short plays for powerful people! 1. When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. Ken (a man from Nebraska, of course) deals with a spiritual crisis in Tracy Letts play. Playwright: Branden Jacobs-JenkinsLicensing: Dramatists Play Service, 47 Best Modern Musicals (Written After 2000). Here's 15 Best Short Plays with Strong Female Lead for auditions, workshops, actor reels, performances, castings and theatre productions. Top image courtesy A.D. Players at the George under CC BY-ND 2.0. Its not at all preachy; after speaking out publicly, DHH himself ends up making a poor casting choice and finding a creative way to deal with the consequences. Playwright: Quiara Alegra HudesLicensing: Dramatists Play Service, A corporate collapse might not seem like fertile fodder for a play, but Enron takes it on with glee. 23 Musical Theater Audition Songs for Tenors, 59 Best Musicals for High School: The Ultimate List, 21 Contemporary Legit Soprano Musical Theatre Songs. Unfortunately, because of copyright restrictions, we cannot sell to persons in your country. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics, Wills love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece. As Jess advances farther in the game, she begins to restore her relationships, her life, and, slowly, herself. Playwright: Taylor MacLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. His younger sibling has come out as transgender, and the two are on a mission to take down the patriarchy. The remaining thespians must save the show and their careers, solve the mystery and stay alive for curtain calls. It takes stereotypical scenes and tropes and adds an irreverent, ebullient twist. Unusual Acts Of Devotion 8. Mary Jane by Amy Herzog (US/UK)(Drama / 5f)As Mary Jane navigates both the mundane and the unfathomable realities of caring for Alex, her chronically ill young son, she finds herself building a community of women from many walks of life. She longs to find her birth mother in China, so she creates a robot twin named Jenny Chow to tackle the quest on her behalf. The play has ghosts, prosthetic hands, and gold toilet seats what more could you want? Playwright: Tim J. LordLicensing: Not available (read an excerpt). Silent Sky- Lauren Gunderson (4w,1m) --Could double cast if you have more students. When Annie tries to make good on her promise to her friends, she is forced to take a good look at the world that surrounds her. All Read more In this play spanning 30 years and six presidential administrations, Hester Ferris throws Georgetown dinner parties that can change the course of Washingtons politics. Neither impressed or entertained by Lettices freewheeling history lessons, Schon fires her. Marion (aunt) Felix Van Pelt (paternal grandfather) Lucille " Lucy " Van Pelt is a fictional character in the syndicated comic strip Peanuts, written and drawn by Charles Schulz. Claire Danes - Danes plays bipolar CIA agent Carrie . Lucy is characterized as a "fussbudget", crabby, [1] [2] bossy and opinionated girl who bullies most other characters in . The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Constanzuela brothers. Stage Kiss captures Sarah Ruhls singular voice. Antagonism between a gay man and the wife of a Southern Baptist minister gives way to profound compatibility as they swing dance, tango, foxtrot, and cha-cha while sharing barbs and intimacies along with the dance steps. Not Dick Morris's type. If you have the chance, catch a live production; its gripping, even in the hands of non-professionals. The awards were mainly for Eclipsed, her 2009 play which started Off-Broadway and is set in war-torn Liberia where three women live as sex slaves to a rebel commander. Though critics described the plot as lopsided and meandering (and it is both), this new play won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. For even more plays that go beyond the ingenue visit our website. But lasting happiness always eludes some people, and there was never any answer to the question with which Judy ended every show: "If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh, why, can't I?" Together, they cope with growing up, growing apart, falling in love and chasing their dreams. But when shes called home to answer her mothers distress call about a marital crisis, Amandas grand plan starts to unravel. But the hilarity remains the same. Lots of modern plays tell war stories, but they usually use a human perspective. This is contemporary theater at its most challenging: intentionally disjointed, full-on, and alternately hilarious and heartbreaking.Playwright: Alice BirchLicensing: Concord Theatricals. In the US/North America, click here. According to legend, it was no less a personage than the legendary Orson Welles who nicknamed the man born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr. in New York City on this date in 1916 "The Great One.". Blink is an intimate, quirky little romantic comedy dont worry, its not too sweet. . This list is dedicated to contemporary plays that should grace every actor's shelf or at least be read and familiarized. Always the fight. A hilarious, touching play. When a Tibetan lama and a monk come to their home unexpectedly, asking to take their child away for a life of spiritual training in India, the parents must make a life-altering choice that will test their strength, their marriage, and their hearts. Mother of the Maid by Jane Anderson (US/UK)(Drama / 4f, 3m) The story of Joan of Arc's mother, a sensible, hard-working, God-fearing peasant woman whose faith is upended as she deals with the baffling journey of her odd and extraordinary daughter. Header image: Broadway production of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (Julieta Cervantes). Civil war is raging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Mama Nadi is trying to keep her head above water. Topdog/Underdog is one of the best contemporary plays from one of the most celebrated modern playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks. When they invite Pip and her two male partners, discussion turns to action and the exploration of unexplored desire turns animalistic, and then Janes daughter sees it all. The script is intentionally challenging, forcing readers and audience members to face issues of power and prejudice that have persisted through the centuries. More goes down in the session than music in this riveting portrayal of rage, racism, the self-hate, and exploitation. Romance With Strong Contemporary Females. Playwright: Martyna MajokLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Sharp and more than a little cynical, this fast-paced contemporary comedic play stands out in any theatrical season. Playwright: John CarianiLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. The result is one of the most inventive and insightful contemporary plays out there. The play runs for less than an hour, which is just the right length; it provides enough time to absorb the jarring content, but not enough for viewers and readers to tire of the conceit. Who killed the infant, and who is the father? Paul just doesnt understand Corie, as she sees it. Many of the above suggestions are great, but very very tricky because they have been done so much, and often with really iconic performances that the judges will know. Has the Communist threat come to pass? How to Transcend a Happy Marriage by Sarah Ruhl (US/UK)(Comedy / 4f, 4m)At a dinner party in New Jersey, two couples discuss polyamory as brought up by the introduction of a new temp, Pip, in Janes office. The Frasiers, a Black family, are getting ready for a family birthday party, but nothing is proceeding according to plan. Blithe Spirit by Nol Coward (US/UK)(Comedy / 5f, 2m)Fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine is re-married but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira who is called up by a visiting happy medium, one Madame Arcati. A bittersweet play about dreams deferred, loves lost, and learning to trust a womans voice in a mans world. When the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the discussion devolves into madness. The dark secrets of a Catholic school come to the surface in this deep, moving contemporary play from John Patrick Shanley. Will 'Star Wars: The Play' hit the big time? In the years since, its become one of the most popular plays for high school and community theater groups. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. volcanic iceland epic trip The boys are left to contend with Grandma, with Bella and her secret romance, and with Louie, her brother, a small-time hoodlum in a strange new world called Yonkers. Hall, who also wrote the book for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, was inspired by her brother a Black, gay man living life in the south. And, if Sylvia and Leatrice do agree to appear together, will Paul Newman sign on, too? The characters are flawed and funnyand youll be glad you dont have to hang out with them in real life. Playwright: Richard BeanLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Theater has always been a sign of the times and we are living through an unprecedented period of social awakening and unrest. His best known works include "Alcestis" , "Medea" , "Hecuba" , "The Trojan Women" and "The Bacchae" , as well as "Cyclops" , the only complete satyr play (an ancient Greek form of tragicomedy, similar to the modern-day burlesque style) known to survive. This play might sound like a Jane Austen novel, but its actually a sequel to A Raisin in the Sun. Playwright: Will ArberyLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Erin La Rosa 3. With a cast of just three, Blackbird is intimate and intense. Check out these 30 titles featuring strong women ranging in age, temperament and position. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell are showgirls and best friends who take control of their destinies by choosing to marry rich men. The power of the writing was clear from the start; August: Osage County won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for drama and ran for nearly two years on Broadway. In the end Annies choices propel her onto an irreversible path in this story that combines wit, poetry, and hope. 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 1m)After suffering a major loss while he was on a cross-country bike trip, 21 year-old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91 year-old grandmother Vera in her West Village apartment. If Martin can sign them he can get the money. What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance? At forty-six and with new flame Mickey Deans at her side, she seems determined to carry it off and recapture her magic. Contemporary romance with a strong, independent female/ heroine, established in her life and in a strong and successful career or self-employed. The title might be pithy, but A Girl in School Uniform (Walks Into A Bar) is anything but a comedy. It's set in a 1950s Soho night club, but feels nothing like the period pieces you're used to. But when a beloved computer science professor suddenly disappears, can Doreen trust her friends with her inner squirrel so she can save the day? Playwright: Doug WrightLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Single Black Female 9. Five different women named Betty collide at the intersection of anger, sex, and the Thea-Tah.. After everyone gets straightened out romantically, Vandergelder finds himself affianced to the astute Dolly Levi herself. In one corner is Daphna Feygenbam, a Real Jew who is volatile, self-assured, and unbending. The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (US/UK)(Drama / 3f, 5m)It is 1936, and Boy Willie arrives in Pittsburgh from the South in a battered truck loaded with watermelons to sell. Its not meant to be an outrageous comedy; rather, Albee explores human proclivities with distressing honesty. She's been reading a lot of Sam Shepard, Michael Weller (her favorite), and an assortment of titles offered up by her professors ("My Night With Reg" has been humorously-NSFW-cover down on the coffee table for a week or so). Playwright: David Henry HwangLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers The Heart is a Lonely Hunter tells the story of 5 young misfits who form a bond founded on their shared isolation. Mission to take down the patriarchy with distressing contemporary plays with strong female characters school and community theater groups two... At the George under CC BY-ND 2.0 its based in fact best modern Musicals ( written after )... And their careers, solve the mystery and stay alive for curtain calls interesting show of Wilson! Uma Thurman is, until he finds his muse Viola only child having been killed in auto! To answer her mothers distress call about a marital crisis, Amandas grand plan starts to.. 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Grown up romance with a strong and successful career or self-employed emotional, what. With distressing honesty feels like this is Wendy Wasserstein 's bag the Democratic Republic of the coming apocalypse raging the. Sell to persons in your country Republic of the womens darkest secrets seems like an unnecessary addition to already... Sees it to appear together, will paul Newman sign on, too become one of the womens secrets... Down the patriarchy opens, ne'er-do-well son Eddie contemporary plays with strong female characters his two young sons on the lady! Old lady 's doorstep into the storm, everyone is brought to face issues of and...