Its an intense, uncomfortable look at the way women are treated, both in this sort-of futuristic place, but also in our modern world. But at what price? What does your wife do? Playwright: Bruce NorrisLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Playwright: Taylor MacLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Playwright: Lynn NottageLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Then comes Act 2 the action begins again, this time observed and commented on by a group of white characters. Despite the fact that a single woman ruled England at the time of Shakespeare, the Elizabethan society was patriarchal. Unfortunately, because of copyright restrictions, we cannot sell to persons in your country. Running barefoot in the park would be a start. The Roommate by Jen Silverman (US/UK)(Dark Comedy / 2f)Sharon, in her mid-fifties, is recently divorced and needs a roommate to share her Iowa home. 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. As the assembled widows await the announcement of the society's prize-winning quiche, the atomic bomb sirens sound! Licensing, publishing, recording & producing company comprising R&H Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark & The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection. (N.Y. Daily News). The premise of The Hot Wing King is simple; Cordell is out to win an annual hot wing competition in Memphis. The storytelling is abstract, so it requires some concentration; get a sense of the vibe here. . Poverty is a popular topic for modern playwrights in Sweat, Lynn Nottage follows this trend, examining the lives of a group of struggling blue-collar workers in Reading Pennsylvania. Omnium Gatherum not to be confused with the Finnish death metal band of the same name is a fast-paced, funny play. My sister just played the lead in 'Other Desert Cities'. She challenges the. 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. The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder (US/UK)(Comedy / 4f, 4m)Meet George and Maggie Antrobus of Excelsior, New Jersey, a suburban commuter-town couple (married for 5,000 years); the two Antrobus children, Gladys (perfect in every way, of course) and Henry (who likes to throw rocks and was formerly known as Cain); and their garrulous maid, Sabina (the eternal seductress), who takes it upon herself to break out of character and interrupt the course of the drama at every opportunity (I dont understand a word of this play!). The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is based on the Mark Haddon novel of the same name, gives readers a peek into Christophers ultra-logical view of the world. After premiering at the Edinburgh International Festival, this play went on to win the Olivier award for Best New Play and the Tony for Best Revival of a Play. The characters are flawed and funnyand youll be glad you dont have to hang out with them in real life. Robb Since 1995, Nora Roberts, writing under the pseudonym of J.D. Women's music (or womyn's music or wimmin's music) is the music by women, for women, and about women. For even more plays that go beyond the ingenue visit our website. Legends! Dialogue and diction. If you have the chance, catch a live production; its gripping, even in the hands of non-professionals. She runs a brothel that takes in women who have been ruined by soldiers. I particularly like. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. In the end Annies choices propel her onto an irreversible path in this story that combines wit, poetry, and hope. Modern playwrights are dogged in their exploration of bleak, unpleasant material, but in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Christopher Durang offers us a respite. What is the cost of revealing your true self in a time of trouble? Sharp and more than a little cynical, this fast-paced contemporary comedic play stands out in any theatrical season. As someone who spends a fair amount of time complaining on the internet that there aren't enough female heroes out there, this may seem a strange and out of character thing to say. 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. B. Thompson (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 2f)A two-woman show with rapid-fire comic vignettes that explore the lives of thirty-something African American middle-class women in urban America as they search for love, clothes, and dignity in a world that fails to recognize them amongst a parade of stereotypical images. This debut play from playwright-of-the-minute Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem, The Ferryman) is a dream for a university aged actors. Definitely a lot to chew on in that role. Grace & Glorie by Tom Ziegler (US)(Comedy / 2f)Estelle Parsons and Lucie Arnaz starred on Broadway in this charmer set in the Blue Ridge Mountains. And if their new routine is good enough, theyll claw their way to the top at Nationals in Tampa Bay. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. By Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore (US/UK)(Comedy / 3f, 7m)A cast of has-been actors plan to revive their careers in "Drop Dead!," a potboiler murder mystery directed by "Wonder Child of the Broadway Stage" Victor Le Pewe. She is also the esteemed winner of a BAFTA for Random, (2010) adapted for Channel Four from its run at the Royal Court. Indecent traces the life of the play through history, jumping from the first performance in Berlin to the 1923 Broadway premiere, when the ensemble is arrested on charges of obscenity. The script is nuanced and heart-rending, offering an in-depth look at privilege of all kinds. 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. The genre emerged as a musical expression of the second-wave feminist movement [228] as well as the labour , civil rights , and peace movements . Role of women in The Merchant of Venice. A young girl, Mick Kelly, stands out from her companions as she chooses to search for beauty to fight her loneliness, unlike the others. August Osage County is one of the most bracing and applauded contemporary plays in recent history. Letts infuses the script with subtle, brilliant insights a few scenes in, your laughter will be tinged with heartbreak. 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. Check out More Plays & Musicals for Strong Leading Women or browse the Concord Theatricals website in the US or UK. After killing her father (a prominent Nazi) with a rolling pin, von Mahlsdorf went on to survive some of the most difficult decades in recent history. Women playwrights have always been an important creative force in Scottish this was a woman writer breaking taboos and removing her female characters repetition and fragmentation to show the women's dislocation from modern world. These monologues are from published plays and movies as well as from both contemporary and classical time periods. As she attempts to care for and comfort the cantankerous Grace, the sophisticated Glorie gains new perspectives on values and life's highs and lows. Her memory is jogged by the fact that she and her four siblings are in their fathers hospital room during his final moments. 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.". When the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the discussion devolves into madness. The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Appreciating the Density of Shakespeare in Real Time. Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (US/UK)(Drama / 1f, 1m)Winnie is embedded waist-deep in a low mound under the blazing sunlight and is awoken by the sound of a bell. By Janet Allard (US)(Comedy / 6f)In this breezy "NASComedy" the fast lane is stalled to a screeching halt by the arrival of a woman driver on the NASCAR scene, and egos get bruised as Holly "Legs" Nelson starts stealing the show, driving so fast some think she's cheating. Metamorphoses by Mary Zimmerman But it was all about to change. Drama, drama everywherebut not a play in sight. The club is run by a gang of misfits, who . Claire Danes - Danes plays bipolar CIA agent Carrie . She describes her role as a socialist Zionist, her emigration to Palestine in 1921, the birth of her two children and the breakup of her marriage. Not Dick Morris's type. In 1859, an Irish playwright wrote a play (The Octoroon) about slavery in the United States; An Octoroon tells the story of a modern playwright trying to rewrite the original show. If youre looking for witty contemporary plays to read, its hard to do better than Becky Shaw. Always irascible but now increasingly erratic, Gladys is a cause of concern to her daughter, her son-in-law, and her grandson, from whose point of view this poignant memory play is told. Playwright: Richard BeanLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. The true magic of this play happens in the staging, which utilizes puppets with cage-style construction. Check out these 30 titles featuring strong women ranging in age, temperament and position. Posted: 3/30/09 at 12:41pm. The Children's Hour has many female roles, and only two for men. However, what Bridget saw as a unique opportunity to stay with her favorite Nana in New York for the summer quickly turns into an experience shell never forget. As el lector reads Anna Karenina, the workers boring world is torn asunder, and their passions and tribulations come to a head. Push through the discomfort, and its not hard to see why this play was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2009. Write Her Like She's Human. The script is based on a childrens novel, and it shows; its simple, emotional, and undeniably moving. 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). Eve Dallas 2018 Books: Dark in Death and Leverage in Death by J.D. Ariane Lange 4.. Grace, a feisty 90-year-old cancer patient, has checked herself out of the hospital and returned to her beloved homestead cottage to die alone. Check out these 30 titles featuring strong women ranging in age, temperament and position. He wants to sell an old piano that has been in his family for generations, but he shares ownership with his sister and it sits in her living room. Playwright: Paula VogelLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. God Gave Us Aunts 7. 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. 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? Bunny 10. Okoye "Black Panther" (2018) Image via Marvel Studios. A play that focuses upon realism is called a _____ play. The fight must go on. Pia, from the New Zealand movie Whale Rider. Playwright: Rajiv JosephLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Vrooommm! (Isnt theater grand?) A bittersweet play about dreams deferred, loves lost, and learning to trust a womans voice in a mans world. You might even learn a thing or two; Prebble manages to make complicated concepts feel more accessible. When Franklins mother arrives, full of disapproval, conflict ensues. This Dora Milaje General is a symbol of . In fact, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002. Is the subject matter one that deserves to be enshrined in play? The young lover is equally certain she really wants to marry him. The Zimbabwean-American writes stories about strong women and has won an Obie, Outer Critics Circle Award, Sam Norkin Award and a Tony nomination for the work she's done. Youll meet Andre, a wealthy older art collector, and his much younger lover and protege, Franklin. These are the best contemporary plays from the best contemporary playwrights of our time. In The Daylight 5. You've put MetaFilter on the road to Revival! Wrights Pulitzer-winning play celebrates von Mahlsdorfs remarkable life she dressed in drag and collaborated with the Stasi to survive in a sensitive and ultimately affectionate manner. 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. 18. This bittersweet comedy of manners is a tribute to the grandeur of Southern style and a musing on what a smart woman might really want toward the end of her life. For those of you that don't know, Juliet is the leading lady of William Shakespeare's famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. A wisenheimer beyond her years, this super engaging pregnant teen made smart-aleckyness an art form. In this play spanning 30 years and six presidential administrations, Hester Ferris throws Georgetown dinner parties that can change the course of Washingtons politics. Its a clever conceit, though some pairings are more fun than others. Unfortunately, because of copyright restrictions, we cannot sell to persons in your country. The ingenue has her time and place, but women's stories extend beyond tales of young innocents. It is a charming tale about what happens when lovers share a stage kissor when actors share a real one. Playwright: Branden Jacobs-JenkinsLicensing: Dramatists Play Service, 47 Best Modern Musicals (Written After 2000). Quinn, a former soldier in the Irish Republican Army, receives a menacing visit from an IRA leader. Join Backstage to access jobs you can apply to right. Though it was written in 2013, an all-too-familiar sense of isolation permeates the play. Playwright: Tracy LettsLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Single Black Female 9. When her deceased husbands insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Zealand movie Whale Rider on by a gang of misfits, who all kinds ; get a sense of permeates... 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