Among Friends and Clutter

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Among Friends and Clutter by Lindsay Price is a character-driven piece that is loved by students for its well-rounded characters and its wealth of comic and serious moments. Among Friends and Clutter presents a montage of characters who experience the most important relationships in life: friends, family, and love. Starting with seven classmates, the play explores what they imagine their lives will be, and shows what their lives eventually become. They grow, succeed, and sometimes fail. Why did we publish this play? So this goes back to the very beginning of Theatrefolk. Among Friends and Clutter is one of the first plays we published, and it’s over 20 years old now. The fact that it still gets done to this day amazes me. But it speaks to the question “how do we identify stories with longevity?” And the answer is relationships. It doesn’t matter what piece of technology comes and goes – moms are going to fight with their daughters. Couples will get together and break up. People start out as children, find success and failure. And that’s why Among Friends and Clutter is in our catalogue. It’s a play that looks at humanity. And that will never go out of style. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? Necessity is the mother of invention. I was supposed to direct a play and we didn’t get near enough actors for the parts. So instead of cancelling the production, I very naively said “I’ll just write one.” It’s the experience that made me realize I loved watching an audience respond to my words and changed the direction of my professional life. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. This character driven piece explores the most important relationships in life: friends, family, and love. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? We see these characters at the beginning of each section as grade two students, where they respond to the themes of the play as children would. I love how different productions have created “Mrs Morton’s Grade 2 class.” This is the visual that anchors the whole play. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? The play works best without blackouts or complicated set changes. Use a unit set and have the different scenes use the same cubes, risers, and other pieces. Bonus advice: do character profiles for each character! Your actors should fill in all the missing pieces that the script doesn’t answer. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It’s an excellent opportunity for students to dive deep into character development. How do human beings change over time? How do they embrace different types of relationships?

Among Friends and Clutter by Lindsay Price presents a montage of characters who experience the most important relationships in life: friends, family, and love. Starting with seven classmates, the play explores what they imagine their lives will be, and shows what their lives eventually become. They grow, succeed, and sometimes fail. Students love this play for its well-rounded characters and its wealth of comic and serious moments. The drama group at Tallmadge High School in Tallmadge, Ohio took on this high school character-driven dramedy and we think the results are picture perfect. Check out their production photos to see how they brought this play to life! Great work, Tallmadge High School! *Photo credit: Brin Charek

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays About…Competition Pieces. You want winning plays. You want plays that fit competition rules. You want something that’s going to be easy to stage if you’re performing away from home. You want to give your students an interesting piece to take to competition, regardless of whether they win or not. All of these plays fit the bill. Easy to stage in an unfamiliar space. Many have won multiple competitions. And if they haven’t they’ll give your students an awesome experience. Take them to your next competition with pride. Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. All the best with your search! Competition One-ActsAmong Friends and Clutter This play has won state competitions, been given superior production awards, and won first place in the 2013 Southeastern Theatre Conference High School Festival. The production that won SETC did the play with just a few cubes. It can be done with seven actors but it’s easily expandable. The scenes explore the most important relationships in life: friends, family and love. Anonymous A recent production of Anonymous won at the Arkansas State Thespian Festival and was chosen as a Chapter Select for the 2017 International Thespian Festival. Anonymous is the story of every teenager: the new kid trying to fit in, the best friends, the love interests, the kid in the corner with their secret, individuals trying to belong. Emotional Baggage A multi-award winning piece. It’s reached the All-Ontario level of the Sears Drama Festival, the State Level of Florida Thespians, it’s won straight superiors, critics choice and best play. And there’s a reason it captures attention. There’s no dialogue. The play is based solely on non-verbal storytelling through mask and movement. Seven strangers meet in a train station. Instead of luggage, they all carry their own “emotional baggage.” The Blue and the Grey This play is so imagistic, and so aurally stunning, it’s amazing the set isn’t more involved than it is. A small platform downstage, one upstage, and some chairs. It’s haunting, exhilarating and theatrical. And it’s not a surprise it’s won at competition. First place in the Rappahannock River Conference, first place in the 1A East Region, and an Outstanding Actress Award at the state level. A Deep Poetic Journey into Something There are excellent movement opportunities here and a fantastic main character for a senior girl. Jane wants to break out of her box, she wants a deep poetic journey. The problem is she has no idea where to start and maybe that box isn’t such a bad idea. This play received section 1A honours in Minnesota and advanced to the State One Act Festival. The Hope and Heartache Diner – One Act You want your students to dive deep into character development. You want ensemble opportunities for them. Check out The Hope and Heartache Diner. This play received outstanding production at the Kentucky State Thespian Festival and was chosen as a Chapter Select for the 2016 International Thespian Festival. The Butterfly Queen Beautiful ensemble piece that looks at the nature of sacrifice and putting others first. So easy to stage where a sweatshirt becomes a vehicle for protection. Gender flexible cast and doubling options available. Choose this play and have a transformative experience with your students. One Hundred Lies In this poignant comedy Liz presents her life as a competition, complete with scoreboard and time clock. The goal of the game: to dramatize 100 lies told by and to Liz. But what about the lies she tells to herself? I’ve seen this done with a person playing the scoreboard and clock and it works perfectly. Easy to stage with lovely three-dimensional characters. Mmmbeth I have seen this play so many times in competition and it’s been a blast every time. So much fun to do as it takes a twisty turning and gender bending look at the Scottish play. A great piece to teach comic timing to your students. Numerous outstanding productions! Stressed Another piece I’ve seen in multiple competitions. This is a small cast actor showcase. It has no set and relies totally on the character communication. The play is called a symphony of sound and character and that’s a perfect description. It takes rhythm, timing, and the cast working as one. A winning combination.

Episode 114: The Working Actor: Back to SchoolActor Steve Ross has spent 11 years at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and has performed for many years across Canada. He talks about the first step in his acting career – going to the National Theatre School. What stays with him about that time? Why did he choose that school? Why did he almost leave? Did it prepare him for a career as a working actor? Listen in and find out.

Episode 6: Ten QuestionsThis week Lindsay answers ten questions about her process as a writer. She didn’t write down any of the answers beforehand. Ten questions. No net.

This week we spread the love for Among Friends and Clutter, Lindsay’s very first play. Filmed live on location at the 2010 Missouri State Thespian Conference surrounded by teenagers embarking on their first theatrical journey.

Our website lists all of our plays with social issue themes but it struck me that they’re only lumped as “issue plays” without a good guide to sorting out which title addresses which issue. So I’ve categorized them for you to hopefully give you a helping hand in your quest to find the perfect script for your school. Check them out. As usual, all of the titles have extensive free sample pages for you to read. I think you’ll find the writing honest, fresh, and believable – three qualities sadly lacking from a lot of “teen-issue” plays out there in the world. Alienation / Feeling Alone in the World• Anonymous by Allison Green • The Art of Rejection: Two One Act Plays by Christian Kiley • A Box of Puppies by Billy Houck • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck • Huge Hands by Billy Houck Body Image• Body Body by Lindsay Price • The Four Hags of the Apocalypse Eat Salad at their General Meeting by Lindsay Price • The Battle of Image vs. Girl by Johanna Skoreyko • Hoodie by Lindsay Price • Breathless by Wendy-Marie Martin Censorship• Censorbleep by Lindsay Price Human Rights• Look Me in the Eye by Lindsay Price • Sweep Under Rug by Lindsay Price Racism• Flaky Lips by Lindsay Price • With Liberty and Justice For All by Jeyna Lynn Gonzales • Not Going Anywhere by Emma Fonseca Halverson • The Burgundy Letter by Kirk Shimano • Let Me In by Sholeh Wolpe *** Rumours and Lies• Have You Heard? by Krista Boehnert • The Redemption of Gertie Greene by Taryn Temple Individuality• Hoodie by Lindsay Price • Virtual Family by Christian Kiley • The Happiness Shop by Lindsay Price • A Deep, Poetic Journey Into Something by Forrest Musselman • Carrying the Calf by Shirley Barrie • Monster Problems by Lindsay Price • Stereotype High by Jeffrey Harr • Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less by Bradley Hayward • Nice Girl by Amanda Murray Cutalo • Pressure by Lindsay Price • They Eat Sunshine, Not Zebras by Dara Murphy • The Super Non-Heroes by Taryn Temple • Smarty Pants by Bradley Hayward Identity• Box by Lindsay Price • Labeled by Lindsay Price • We Are Masks by Lindsay Price • Stressed by Alan Haehnel • Anonymous by Allison Green • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck • The Super Non-Heroes by Taryn Temple School Violence• Huge Hands by Billy Houck • Power Play by Lindsay Price • Clowns with Guns (A Vaudeville) by Christopher Evans • The Butterfly Queen by Christian Kiley • Life and Death in an Empty Hallway by Christopher Evans • Water. Gun. Argument. by Alan Haehnel Sexual Abuse• The Waking Moment by Bradley Hayward • Breathless by Wendy-Marie Martin Substance (alcohol & drug) Abuse• Bottle Baby by Lindsay Price • Floating on a Don’t Care Cloud by Lindsay Price • One Beer Too Many by Billy Houck Suicide• The Bright Blue Mailbox Suicide Note by Lindsay Price • Chicken. Road. by Lindsay Price • The Butterfly Queen by Christian Kiley Teen Pregnancy• The Pregnancy Project by Lindsay Price • Among Friends and Clutter (one scene) by Lindsay Price Illness/Health• Chemo Girl by Christian Kiley • The Other Room by Christian Kiley • Red Rover by Christian Kiley • Waiting Room by Christian Kiley • Breathless by Wendy-Marie Martin • Shreds and Patches by Robert Wing • Inanimate by Christian Kiley • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck Depression/Anxiety• darklight by Lindsay Price • Fidget by Bradley Hayward • Among Friends and Clutter (one scene) by Lindsay Price • Constantly, Incessantly, All The Time by Billy Houck • who are we, who we are by Forrest Musselman Bullying• Finishing Sentences by Scott Giessler • Funhouse by Lindsay Price • Power Play by Lindsay Price • The Redemption of Gertie Greene by Taryn Temple • Sixteen in 10 Minutes or Less by Bradley Hayward • Carrying the Calf by Shirley Barrie Divorce• Split by Bradley Hayward Gender• Life, Off Book by Scott Giessler • Anonymous by Allison Green • Baalzebub by Rachel Atkins (Baalzebub – One-Act Version here) • Completely, Absolutely Normal: Vignettes About LGBTQ+ Teens by Bradley Walton • Finding Jo March by Laramie Dean • Thought Traps by Lindsay Price Empathy• Discovering Rogue by Christian Kiley • Boat by Lindsay Price • We Are Masks by Lindsay Price • The Butterfly Queen by Christian Kiley Dependence on Technology• Virtual Family by Christian Kiley • Inanimate by Christian Kiley