Theatrefolk Featured Play – Scenes from a Quarantine by Lindsay Price

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!