Issue Based

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Commence by Christian Kiley is a gift to the Class of 2020. It is intended to be performed in a video conference call or meeting, and is specifically geared toward actors who are not in the same physical space. A group of students have an online meeting with their principal while they’re all under quarantine. They want to regain normalcy and recoup what they’ve lost as seniors: prom, school play, graduation. But nothing is normal. Everyone is losing things. It’s a scary and uncertain time, like a fire has destroyed memories that haven’t happened yet. Why did we publish this play? Christian sent us Commence as a response to his experiences teaching in the virtual world/classroom and the response(s) from his students. It’s a play about trying to find normalcy when nothing is normal. My favourite image in the play is “It’s like a fire has destroyed memories that haven’t happened yet.” This play is specifically written to be performed on an online platform, so teachers don’t have to worry about adapting the script. It’s ready to be virtually performed as is. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? This play is a gift to the Class of 2020. I know that a one-act play will never make up for what this talented group of students lost during the COVID-19 quarantine but I felt compelled to do something for them. In many ways, this is a farewell to many of the seniors I have taught for three, four years. I still haven’t had the chance to see them, have a proper goodbye, and cheer them into their bright futures. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Commence is about appreciating life’s culminating moments and not complacently allowing them to slip away. When you have earned something and don’t get it, you have a right to seek it out. Commence! 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The series of moments that take place during the makeshift graduation ceremony. These moments allow for coordinated and organic blocking and physicality. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Be fully in the moment, even when you aren’t speaking. Many low status characters, especially in video conference plays, seem to be adrift, rather than being connected. Listening, reacting, and letting moments impact you, your character are critical parts of the experience. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It looks at students coming to terms with losing something they have spent most of their lives working toward. As a teacher, it is the energy I felt on March 13 (when we were told we would be engaging in distance learning). It is my perspective on the journey I was on with the seniors I mentor and teach. 6. Do you have any tips for those who are performing this play online? Don’t be afraid to connect to the real feeling of this play. When it was first announced that we were transitioning to distance learning, there were a wide range of responses. Tap into the range of emotions that you are feeling, they are all useful in this play (and in your work as an artist and actor). Because it is a video conference call, that most likely will be produced as a video conference play, the circumstances of the play line up with the circumstances of the life situation perfectly (or imperfectly but in a relevant way). Get your copy of Commence right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * The vignette-style play, Scenes from a Quarantine by Lindsay Price, can be easily performed using an online platform and has a variety of scenes to address all student skill levels. Did you know COVID-19 likes to be known as Co? And what if Romeo and Juliet missed their marriage by one day because of a stay-at-home order? Would they still make it? You know all the people in Scenes From a Quarantine. The person who thinks quarantine is going to be easy. The person whose life changed overnight. The person who thinks hairdressers are an essential service. The person who just wants to use class meetings to talk. Why did we publish this play? As everyone knows, in-person productions stopped in the middle of March. It’s impossible to predict when they’ll start again. At the time, we didn’t think we’d move into this genre, but as more and more teachers talked about their online performances and were looking for shows that could be produced online, we knew we had to provide some options. The first thing we wanted to do was provide plays that were specifically written for an online platform. That way, teachers don’t have to figure out how to adapt something – they can present the play as is. We also wanted something that addressed our present situation in a theatrical manner: What if COVID was a character in a scene? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to write an online specific play, and they always say write what you know! It’s all pandemic, all the time. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Pandemic Theatre. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? My favourite visual is seeing the four horsemen of the apocalypse having a Zoom meaning. Because meetings are hell, especially Zoom meetings! 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Don’t neglect physical character work. Just because your actors may be sitting in a chair staring at a camera, doesn’t mean they can’t act with their upper body. Focus on the facial expressions of their character. How does this character do their hair? 5. Why is this play great for student performers? The characters are both familiar (they’re going through what students are going through) and theatrical (What if COVID-19 was personified as a character?). 6. Why is this play great for online platforms? This play is written to be performed on an online platform. No need to figure out how to adapt scenes to fit, it’s all done for you. Get your copy of Scenes from a Quarantine_ _right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Wellness Check by Christian Kiley is an flexible-gender, issue-based drama intended to be performed in a video conference call or online meeting. Three characters struggle with wellness in uncertain times. A teacher tries too hard by calling themselves “Friendly.” A high achieving student has memorized the wellness check questions but isn’t doing so well. An underachiever needs to improve their grade, which is kind of hard with nine suspensions. Why did we publish this play? Christian sent us Wellness Check as a response to his experiences teaching in the virtual world/classroom and the response(s) from his students. It’s character driven and a window into our current world – always a great combination for theatre, whether it’s online or in person. This play is specifically written to be performed on an online platform, so teachers don’t have to worry about adapting the script. It’s ready to be virtually performed as is. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Thankfully, we have started using phrases in our schools like “engaging in self-care”, “mental health awareness”, and even the title of this play as a way to make sure heart, body, and mind are all ready to learn by having periodic wellness checks. We have ignored our wellness for far too long. I want to support students as they find meaningful, positive ways to take care of themselves and then exude that energy, benefiting the world around them. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. We all need to be mindful of our wellness. In a world that is often in a state of chaos and a myriad of uncontrollable factors, we need to focus on our ability to function and thrive. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The characters as they struggle, wrestle with their anxiety, anger, and depression. This can be expressed in each actor’s physical choices and help to avoid the talking heads that could be the default in a video conference style play. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? To be in a small cast play, with people you trust, exploring the vast expanse of the human psyche can be an amazing experience. Let go, have fun, connect with yourself and the other actors. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? As an adult I have made the mistake of thinking that students don’t have real problems. The longer I have taught, connected with students, observed them in their day-to-day lives, the more appreciation I have for the real struggles students grapple with each day. They are brave, strong, and resilient. This is a chance to illustrate that to the adults who have not seen that side of our youth yet. They will! 6. Do you have any tips for those who are performing this play online? It boils down to the challenges of a virtual play. How do you add in the magic of live theatre for something that feels artificial? Move, connect with your breathing, your physicality, react to what is being said (Are you shocked, enamored, angered, curious, entertained? Let it pour out of you.). Get your copy of _Wellness Check _right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Sweep Under Rugby Lindsay Price is a great conversation starter for both actors and audience. A great piece for actors who want to tackle something outside their comfort zone. Sweep Under Rug envisions a future where struggling families are placed in the “Bobby Sue” program. A “Bobby Sue” is a guardian of sorts, someone who warns against missteps and guides its owners along the “appropriate” path in life. But what happens when people want to think for themselves? Why did we publish this play? Sweep Under Rug is a futuristic “what if” issue play. There’s a lot to unpack and a lot for students to explore onstage and off. There’s costume design, and character specific language. There’s a very specific set and script analysis. It has a small cast, so it doesn’t get done as often as other plays, but it’s important to have plays that present a challenge, a question to answer, and provide a lot to discuss. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I love looking at issues and exploring them in a theatrical manner. Issue plays must be theatrical. I also love “what if” ideas. “What if” in the future the poor were segregated and monitored by an in-house robot? What does that look like? The play was inspired by some friends who work with refugees and those below the poverty line who want to get out from under their situation but stigma and government red tape hold them back time and time again. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. What if a group of people were told what to do every step of their lives and what if they didn’t want to be told what to do anymore? 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The Bobby-Sue is a characterization of the red-tape holding back those below the poverty line. She is a government placed robot and represents the control and the lack of individual choices of the other characters. She must be a huge presence! 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Each character speaks in a specific manner. Spend time analyzing their language. How does the language represent who the character is and what they’re going through in this situation? 5. Why is this play great for student performers? This play takes place in the future, the characters are affected by a specific situation, and that situation also affects character language. There’s a lot here for students! A great character study, a great analysis piece, and a great “what if” discussion starter. Get your copy of Sweep Under Rug right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Floating on a Don’t Care Cloud by Lindsay Price is a powerful and emotional issue-based play that is a theatrical and vivid personification of drugs. Jamie Peel is a pothead. He lives in his own world, a bubble, a cloud that calls his name and reaches out to him. His sister TJ has watched him slowly drift away and doesn’t know what to do. Is she overreacting? Is it in her imagination? Should she tell somebody what she sees? Will Jamie ever talk to her again if she does? Will everyone see her as a snitch? Is it just pot? An emotional tightrope between a sister and a brother and what really happens in the world of teenage marijuana use. Why did we publish this play? This play takes an issue and makes it theatrical. The theatre has to come first. Our stance on issue plays is that it’s not the job of the play to solve the issue, or point a finger. It’s the job of the play to show characters dealing with, struggling with, sometimes failing within an issue. This way the play ends and the conversation begins. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Issue plays are important to me, not because they provide answers but because they ask questions. I think of the final moment of this play as the beginning of the conversation that should happen afterward. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. An emotional tug of war between siblings and what happens in the world of teenage drug use. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The Cloud! It turns drug use into characters and allows Jamie to interact with others as he sinks deeper and deeper into addiction. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Don’t go all slow with the Cloud. That will drag the pace of the play. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Personification is a wonderful theatrical element that all actors, let alone student actors, should explore.

darklight by Lindsay Price is not only a fantastic vignette play for high school performers, it’s also an opportunity for discussion, community and communication on a topic that is happening to them and around them every day. darklight examines depression and anxiety in teens. Characters fight their inner thoughts, search for their truths, and have surreal conversations with death. Some fail, some find hope. This is a relevant and necessary issue to explore. We were thrilled to learn about the incredible interpretation of darklight from Freeport High School in Freeport, Maine. Director Natalie Safley and the school’s talented thespian group were able to take the play and really make it their own through the creative use of their lighting and set design. As you can see from the production photos, a picture really does speak a thousand words… and in this case, many, many more!

Virtual Family by Christian Kiley is a look at a soothing world where complete dependency on technology takes away all ills. But is everything really perfect? Plus, three endings to choose from! Who needs to go outside when you’ve got a screen to show you what outside should look like? Who needs to do chores when laundry can be folded at the push of a button? And who needs a real family, anyway? Isn’t it better to talk through text messages and receive preprogrammed communications from your parents? Sure it is. Live safe and sound in the Virtual Family, a soothing world where complete dependence on technology is the name of the game. When technology takes away all your ills, conflicts, and concerns, you become a happier human being. Right? Kelly McCabe from Barrington Enrichment Summer Theatre had an amazing time with their intern-directed production of Virtual Family. The gifted student performers from the theatre group in Barrington, RI were able to bring a true theatrical experience to their entire group: “One of our interns directed this piece as his senior project. The group as a whole, campers, staff, audience, and even the director of the library whose space we used were all very impressed with the piece. The simplicity of the presentation allowed for a very striking piece. The 3 possible endings was exciting, and allowed for interesting discussion when deciding what we wanted the final tone to ultimately be.”

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Power Play by Lindsay Price is a dramatic play for your high school performers that is sure to evoke discussion and dialogue. A gunshot is heard. Which of the five characters did it and why? Was it the Goth girl? The football star? The super-intelligent geek? High school violence is a hot media topic, but it is too often simplistically portrayed by putting teens into tidy categories and pointing at the outsider. Power Play explores the realities and the stereotypes of high school violence – not just the brutal shock of the school shooting, but also verbal harassment and bullying. Violence is about power. So is high school. NOTE: This play requires the onstage appearance of a gun. Why did we publish this play? This play has absurd moments, vivid characterization, and a powerful message: school violence happens everyday and as the title suggests, it’s all about power. It’s a topic that needs to be talked about, and theatre is a great way to initiate that conversation. This is one of our more graphic plays because you can’t whitewash or dumb down violence, though many administrators would like to. We have many plays that we’re happy to adjust lines or cut lines but I knew from the beginning that this play would have to stand as is. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Violence, all types, physical, verbal and emotional is prevalent in school environments – it happens every day. I wanted to not only show characters going through it but how they deal with it. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Violence is about power. So is high school. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The contrast between the intense realism between the five characters and the exaggerated absurd nature of the presentation moments. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Don’t forget the humour. No one wants to watch intense anger or sobbing, or yelling for 30 minutes straight. Dramas need variety and humour is the way to set up your intense moments for the most dramatic impact. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s an unfortunately, relatable and current topic. The play also gives students the opportunity to do some really detailed character and physical action work.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Chemo Girl and Other Playsby Christian Kiley is an incredible dramatic collection of plays that can be performed as a full night of theatre or as a cutting for competition. A collection of plays that examine the impact of cancer as seen through the eyes of teenagers. Characters deal with the difficulty of saying the word cancer out loud, the difficulty of admitting a friend or family member has the disease, and the difficulty of finding the energy and the attitude needed to fight. Why did we publish this play? We are incredibly proud to publish Chemo Girl and Other Plays. Not only do we respect Christian Kiley as a writer, we love that he trusted us with this particular work as it comes out of his own fight against cancer. Christian has fully theatricalized “the C word” and examines the impact of cancer through the eyes of teenagers – that’s a perspective we don’t often see with this disease. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? In May of 2012, I got really sick and was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I wanted to do something meaningful, powerful even, while I was undergoing chemotherapy. I started writing “Red Rover” and I realized that I had a story to tell. One that I hoped would give people insight into the experience of battling cancer and maybe even inspire people to fight. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Chemo Girl and Other Plays is a look at the resiliency people, particularly young people, have in fighting cancer. We are strong, stronger that we know, and we have to dig deep to find the courage to overcome life’s biggest challenges. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? I have been amazed with the artwork, photographs, and moments in productions that I have seen of Chemo Girl and Other Plays. I love this question because my answer can change based on a production I have not seen yet (a version of the play that has yet to be produced). My favorite image in the collection of plays is when Camille swims down to attempt to cut the red wire. This is an image that exemplifies the bravery and resiliency required to overcome one of life’s biggest challenges. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? I know this is true for Theatre in general too, but, push the limits, explore your imagination. Experiment, explore, and say yes to creative ideas! One of the things I am most proud of with this play is that it relies almost entirely on the actors individually and as an ensemble to create the world of the play. It is a great challenge for a group of dynamically talented actors to rely on themselves. Embrace the challenge! 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It hands the issue, the fight, over to talented young people. They are the ones that very soon will have their hands on the wheel that guides the direction of our future, our planet. For me, Jasmine Hamming (the very talented student director) guided the production of Chemo Girl (2012) so beautifully when I was out, not at school, receiving treatment, and returned to see the product, I honestly said what I honestly felt, that I could not have done a better job. I was honored and humbled that a student could convey such love and respect to a mentor/teacher in such a profound way. In the handful of productions of Chemo Girl and Other Plays that I have seen in Southern California (and they have been high-quality productions), I have been struck by how much the experience has meant to the students. Our young people want to fight for noble causes, they want to make the world better. This play is my small contribution to the myriad of possibilities available for artist-students to fight the good fight.

The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note by Lindsay Price is an incredibly theatrical high school play that runs the full gamut of emotions. Jake finds a suicide note in his mailbox. He doesn’t know who it’s from, or to whom it is addressed. His friends speculate, joke, and lose interest while Jake becomes obsessed. He goes on a crusade to find the author of the note. Instead, he stumbles upon a secret he never wanted to know. This play explores how a group of teenagers publicly and privately deal with the issue of suicide. It is honest, straightforward, and also humorous. There is a great balance between ensemble, character, and monologue work. Nancy Reimer from New Town School District in New Town, North Dakota was thrilled to share the journey and the success that her drama team experienced with their productions: “I want to tell you first-hand what an inspiration the play has been to my team! It brought out the talents and skills that I knew my students had. We competed in the Region 9 One Act Play competition and my team was able to do a complete award sweep. We took 1st place, plus every actor also received a superior actor as an ensemble, and I received the director of the year award. We then performed at the state competition on against some very polished teams with elaborate sets. We knew we had our work cut out for us. With a simple set of just boxes, we brought home the North Dakota State Class B One Act Play Runner-Up. My actor that played “Ken” also brought home a state Superior Actor Award. This was a first in our school’s history and in my career as a coach. TIPS: Keep it simple and focus all direction on character development, emotion and interaction with other characters! Let the play convey the message! This is a true ensemble piece and timing is crucial.”

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * Just Girls Talking by Robert Wing is a fabulous drama for female performers. If “doing the right thing” could destroy a life, would you do it? “You’re the push of a button away from changing two lives. Mine and yours. You can’t do it. You won’t do it.” What starts as a meeting to finalize frivolous graduation ceremony details ends with one young woman faced with a life-changing decision. Five girls on five different paths hit head-on in a collision of values that leaves the viewer asking: What would I do? Why did we publish this play? Do you like plays that start in one direction and take a left turn? Do you want great parts for girls? We do and that’s what drew us to this play. Fabulous character-driven parts for girls. Your audience will talk about Just Girls Talking long after they leave the theatre. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? After years and years of teaching, I am still often stunned by the things my students say – and the things their parents do. Though this play is pure fiction , it is topical, given the recent headline-making college admission scandal in the United States involving wealthy parents who buy places for their children at top universities.. So, why did I write about it? Because I have seen it happen, not in the way it unfolds in the play, but I have seen it. Wealth buys access. It’s unfair, and anti-democratic, and it infuriates not only teachers, but hardworking students too. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Sophocles said it best: “ There is a point at which even justice does injury.” The characters in J.G.T. are poised at that precise moment where “doing the right thing” could destroy a life and they have to decide if it’s worth it. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The image that comes to my mind appears in the final moments in the play when Amanda is trying to get the phone away from Molly. Both actors are in a desperate state: Amanda wants to preserve her power and Molly is struggling with her unexpected (and not entirely wanted) power. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Though it is a one act play, give this piece a good, long rehearsal window. Allot time during production to discuss the concept of justice, and make sure the actors understand the complexity of these characters. There are depths to them all, even to Amanda that need to be fully understood to inform the actors’ choices. Take your time with this play. There’s very little in the way of setting and costuming to worry about – spend your time living in the characters’ heads. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Students will be familiar with these characters. On the surface, they fall into the timeless categories of young adult depiction: smart kid, sassy kid, rich kid, etc. Easy enough. Students and audiences will find this familiar, if not predictable. They are lulled into what they think is going to be a traditional teen angst narrative – and then an entirely unexpected depth is revealed and, hopefully, audience members leave the theatre asking themselves, “What would I do?”

Hoodie by Lindsay Price is one of our most popular middle school plays that asks all of the tough questions that middle schoolers deal with every day. Middle schoolers face a tornado of questions every day. What do I wear? What if I wear the wrong thing? What is she wearing? What do I look like? Stop looking at me! Hoodie examines image and appearance in the vignette style and poses what may be the most difficult question of all – Do I stay in the clump or do I stand alone? Dorothy Lance and the incredibly talented group of student performers at Clark Lane Middle School in Waterford, Connecticut put on an evening of entertaining theatre for cast, crew and audiences alike: “Our show is over and was a great success. As a first act, we did Quippage, The Big Lie and Santa Runs a Sweat Shop, featuring my four graduating eighth graders. Great little plays for developing a character in a short piece. The second act was Hoodie, and got all the attention. Parents, students and staff had nothing but great comments. I had the clump in pale gray T shirts, dark jeans and white sneakers. Characters in scenes added small accent pieces to their costumes. What I liked best was that, including all four plays, I had 21 students playing more than 50 characters-a challenge for all of us. Thank you for your wonderful writing. Your understanding of the adolescent mind and personality provides an entertaining and insightful evening for all.”

Sadness. Hopelessness. Irritability. Anger. Hostility. Angst. Doubt. darklight by Lindsay Price examines the important and relevant issues of depression and anxiety in teens. Characters fight their inner thoughts, search for their truths, and have surreal conversations with death. Some fail, some find hope. This is a relevant and necessary issue to explore. Rachelle Kinn and the skilled student performers of the Century High School Theatre Department in Bismarck, ND challenged themselves and their audience as they shared the important messages in the play: “darklight is a great play about a topic no one want to talk about. It was a challenging and rewarding play to direct. Rehearsals were not always fun, but the students tackled a subject they could relate to. The topic is heavy, but it resonated with everyone in our audience. We performed darklight for the state play contest, and we took first place! TIPS: It is important to have fun during rehearsal. Since the topic is serious and takes a toll on emotions, students need to laugh. We tried to start or end with a game or dance to break up the seriousness of the message. The lines can be delivered many different ways, so we worked hard to have each vignette portray the emotions a little differently since everyone copes with anxiety and depression differently. We reminded ourselves every rehearsal what our purpose was with the production–that there is hope even in the darkest of times.” Congratulations, Century High School!

Clowns with Guns (A Vaudeville) by Christopher Evans takes a theatrical and absurd look at the repeated and seemingly endless cycle of school violence. Step right up! Step right up! It’s the SCHOOL-SHOOT-O-RAMA! And the question everyone’s asking is “Am I walking out alive today?” Clowns with Guns takes a theatrical and absurd look at the repeated and seemingly endless cycle of school violence. It happens, everyone is terribly upset, things continue on as normal, it happens again. This story is mean. There are guns. The play puts school shooting violence out in the open and forces all of us to do the same. Read the play with this knowledge. Director Lisa Rowlands was eager to share the powerful experience that the student performers at Neath Little Theatre in Neath, United Kingdom had with their production of Clowns with Guns (A Vaudeville): “A fantastic piece. It was such a powerful play that genuinely had the entire audience thinking and even more importantly talking about the subject matter afterwards. Even though the play takes place in the USA it has implications in the UK that were definitely understood by the audience. TIP: Definitely include the cast as much as possible. The production evolved throughout rehearsals with youth members becoming more and more engaged as their understanding of the play grew.” Great job, Neath Little Theatre!

Box by Lindsay Price is a middle school vignette play with flexible casting. It can be expanded for a large cast or reduced to a cast of 10 with doubling, and has excellent small scene and monologue opportunities. Sometimes we choose the way the world sees us. Black box – indestructible. Jewelry box – plain on the outside, shiny on the inside. Sometimes our box is defined by others – our parents, our friends, our enemies. A box built by others can feel small, confined, impossible. How do we handle the boxes imposed upon us because of our gender? Our race? From peer pressure? From parent pressure? Do we have to live with our box for the rest of our lives? Can we change? Michelle Wilson and the fantastic drama group at Davison Middle School in Davison, Michigan were able to share “all the feels” with their performance of Box. Cast, crew and audience members were all left with the incredibly unifying message that we’re all in this together: “I have done Box several times with my 7th and 8th grade Introduction to Theater students (public school). I love the play. A fun fact is that the scene with groups A B and C always makes a parent cry–because of all the students on stage (with each other) yelling “I am alone!” It really shows how alone we feel in our culture, even though we are surrounded by people who feel alone. TIPS: I had a grandparent of one of the students make me 6 heavy duty plywood boxes with these dimensions (2 of each): * 2 ½ feet high, 2 ½ feet wide, 1 ½ feet deep * 3 ½ feet high, 1 ½ feet wide, 1 ½ feet deep * 5 ½ feet tall and 2 feet wide and deep They are heavy, so the students have to work together to move them, but we use them all the time for improv, and have used them for many productions of Box. They are so strong, students could jump up and down on them and they wouldn’t break.”

Variable gender-casting. Flexible cast size. Excellent small scene and monologue opportunities. What more do you need? Box by Lindsay Price is a relatable middle school vignette play that you don’t want to miss. Sometimes we choose the way the world sees us. Black box – indestructible. Jewelry box – plain on the outside, shiny on the inside. Sometimes our box is defined by others – our parents, our friends, our enemies. A box built by others can feel small, confined, impossible. How do we handle the boxes imposed upon us because of our gender? Our race? From peer pressure? From parent pressure? Do we have to live with our box for the rest of our lives? Can we change? Director Bri Wehman had nothing but great things to say about her student group’s production of Box. The talented team from Wilson Middle School in Plano, Texas allowed their student directors to take themselves and their audience on an extremely relatable middle-school journey: “Teachers, parents, students… you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who isn’t touched by this script and its characters. We used BOX as a student-directed play for my advanced 8th graders. It has its challenges, it’s touching, and it’s very real-to-life. I cannot recommend this enough to any director or group considering it. TIPS: Embrace the use of your ensemble!”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Letters by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt is an excellent and challenging Reader’s Theatre script for high school and middle school student performers. For many wars, letters home were the only form of communication between soldiers and their loved ones. Letters is thought-provoking and character-driven. It’s not hard to see Marie, Jim, Caleb, Sarah, Harriet and Robert reaching out with pen and paper. Why did we publish this play? What’s great about the script is its focus on the characters. Each character expresses specific emotions about their place in their particular war. The play also has oral elements such as overlapping speech, unison speech, and repeated patterns. The words speak for themselves. A thought-provoking piece. Why is this play great for online platforms? Because this play is set up as Reader’s Theatre, it’s easy to transfer to an online platform. The montage sections can be presented in a gallery setting and will take a little practice to get the timing – but they would in a traditional production too. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted a way to allow students to remember the past in a theatrical way. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Remember the human face of war. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The letters. Even though it’s readers theater, try to have the type of letter each of these characters would have as a prop. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Reader’s Theatre doesn’t mean you can’t act – each character should be brought to life as much as possible, even though you have a script in your hand. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s a chance for students to put a face to the past and also connect to history. Experiencing history is always better than just reading about it.

Pressure by Lindsay Price is not your average “teen angst” play. It’s theatrical. It’s character driven. Some of the teenagers succeed with dealing with their pressure, and some don’t. That’s the way life works. Four teenagers struggle with life. Alex is a refugee. Tera is faced with an unpopular decision when all she wants to be is popular. Penny is getting up at five in the morning just so she can accomplish all she has to do in a day. And Kyle can’t live up to his parents’ expectations. It is the week before the prom and for these four characters, everything is coming to a head. This play is candid and uncompromising, with no easy answers or neat and tidy endings. The script is ideal for groups who have varying degrees of ability. There are parts for both novice and advanced actors. David Heywood and the students from Black Hills High School in Tumwater, WA didn’t feel the pressure when it came to their production of Pressure. Student director, Logan Hyer-Long shared thoughts on the group’s interpretation of the play and the successes and challenges of bringing one’s own ideas as a student director to a production: “Copyrighted in 1997, Pressure’s themes still resonate with today’s teenagers. Typically a phrase like “still resonates” would be used in reference to a classical piece of literature (or something at least written more than 22 years ago), but nowadays, society is changing quickly and drastically. This play was written before social media. Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even Myspace had not been injected into teen culture at this time. The clear theme of this piece is pressures, but when I read it I knew it was missing today’s biggest one: social media. I was not initially drawn to this play, but when I saw the part of “The Mob”, I started to envision the possibilities: Incorporating phones as light sources that only revealed part of an actor; having a sound that is both random and cacophonous; people moving in patterns, with the same motions, but never crossing paths. All of these ideas reflected my opinions of social media. The Mob started to turn into a metaphor for the world that happens on our phones: incomplete, chaotic, and impersonal. While the general narrative can be seen as taking place in the pre-digital-age, our direction of “The Mob” is our way of incorporating the digital era. We suggest as you watch scenes from Pressure to ask yourself, “Would this interaction happen in person today?”. Or try, “Would this monologue instead be a post to social media?”. How would this narrative be different if people had not reached out to someone else? In some instances, how would it be different if someone had? In general, how would this story be different in 2019? Unfortunately not all of my ideas made it into the show. Some ideas made it, but did not happen how I had hoped. Others made the cut, but changed as rehearsals went on. Art is seldom complete; artists simply decide when their work is ready enough to be presented. I find it hard not to cling onto the frustrations throughout this process. This is what Alex and I have created. We created something, and that alone is something anyone should be proud of.”

More and more students are dealing with issues surrounding depression and anxiety. darklight by Lindsay Price helps start a relevant and meaningful dialogue and lets students know they are not alone in their struggle. darklight examines depression and anxiety in teens. Characters fight their inner thoughts, search for their truths, and have surreal conversations with death. Some fail, some find hope. This is a relevant and necessary issue to explore. Director Karah Janssen and the skilled student group at Marie Murphy School in Wilmette, Illinois were able to tap into and share the strong social messages in darklight, while allowing themselves to be challenged by the themes and the material: “The middle school I teach in has many mature, skilled actors and this show gave them a challenge both in scene work and in ensemble work. We felt good about doing a show with a relevant, meaningful social message, not just doing fluffy “middle school” material. There was a bit of hand-wringing on the part of my administration — we had support from our counseling staff for cast members, if they needed it (they didn’t) and for the student audience, if they needed to talk afterwards. (There was one student who did.). It prompted fantastic, meaningful discussions in classes after the school saw the play, and got featured in two local papers. It’s a risk for my age level of students, but it was very worthwhile. A few tips: Don’t skimp on the quality of lights/sound. It made a huge difference in overall quality. Also, be creative with set design. You can do anything you want, which is really rare.”

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * A Box of Puppies by Bill Houck is a collection of four short plays that all take a look the fragility and resilience of being a teenager. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. We can all relate to feeling small in a big world. The characters in A Box of Puppies share their insecurities, their frailties and their coping mechanisms with that big bad world. This collection holds four short plays. Each are fresh, honest, and true. You know each of these characters. Perhaps they mirror your own insecurities and frailties. Each play can be performed independently, or perform all four together for an outstanding competition piece. Why did we publish this play? The characters in these plays and monologues speak so clearly in the teen voice. That’s what we want for our plays. We also want characters who ask the same questions of themselves as any teen in the audience would – In every one of these plays characters ask “What’s wrong with me?” When we see our own questions verbalized by someone else, it lets us know we’re not alone in our struggles. Another important reason why we needed to publish this collection. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: My sister is a physician. She told me school age kids were developing serious back problems because their backpacks were so heavy. I surveyed a few of my students – What did they have in their backpacks? Why did they feel a need to carry all those things around? Is it really that hard to haul all that stuff around (it is!) So I created a play that put all these different things into one backpack, carried by one overloaded kid. DIATOM: Another play inspired by real life. There’s a lot of tedium in waiting for the bus. It’s amazing what young people will do to fill the void. The bit with the kid wrapped in foil who runs down the street in front of one of those traffic-calmer radar signs to figure out how fast he can go? It’s true. I had a couple of kids who did this. I have also always liked that word “diatom.” HUGE HANDS: This was inspired by a prop. When one of the first Hulk films came out (I think it was the one Ang Lee directed) there were these fun “Hulk Hands” that were sold everywhere. You slip your hands into them, then hit things. The hands roared, made smashing sounds, and said “Hulk smash!” I recommend them to anybody who is feeling stressed. They’re very therapeutic. About the same time, there was a wide ranging discussion in educational circles, especially educational theatre circles, about bullying. I thought the hands would be a great symbol for the helplessness that bullied people feel. Instead of trying to get permission from Marvel to use the name “Hulk Hands,” I changed the title to “Huge Hands.” Since then, Disney purchased Marvel, and thanks to the success of all the Avengers movies, you can still find big green hands online and at stores everywhere. ONE BEER TOO MANY: Many years ago I found myself with some free time between events at the California Thespian Festival. I pulled out a notebook and started with what had been drilled into me: Write what you know. This is probably my most personal play. I relate to the Skip. I relate to the Skip’s father and mother. I relate to Skip’s English teacher, and even that self-righteous Drama teacher. Who are all these people? They’re all me. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: Beware the burdens you place on people who only weigh 112 pounds. DIATOM: Even tiny creatures are important. HUGE HANDS: There’s a ferocious courage that hides inside. ONE BEER TOO MANY: It’s a play about alcoholism, but not completely. It’s also about what we do to the creative spirit of young people. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: Little kid. Big bag. DIATOM: Two kids in a big empty space. HUGE HANDS: The important thing about the hands is that Sparky really believes in them. Sparky and his Huge Hands. ONE BEER TOO MANY: This can be done entirely in a sad pool of light, but I always imagine it with flashbacks. Projections would work. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? CONSTANTLY, INCESSANTLY, ALL THE TIME: Get the biggest, most cumbersome backpack you can find. Use real props. DIATOM: Allow Robin and Dale to create their universe. HUGE HANDS: You can do this show with a huge cast. Create a world for Sparky with as much detail as possible. ONE BEER TOO MANY: This one too, is a one character play, but you can add a large chorus to fill out the other characters. It also works well as a solo piece 5. Why are these plays great for student performers? These plays have all been written with the student performer in mind. Whenever possible, I use gender-neutral names. With very few exceptions, all the characters in all these plays could be played by anyone. That, and the flexible cast size, makes them useful for classroom use and character work. You know what I’d really like to see? It would be great if somebody put together all four of these plays and performed them under the title “A Box of Puppies“. What if all these kids went to the same school? What if all their stories intersected on one crazy day? Stranger things have happened.