Playwriting
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March 8th is International Women’s Day – and what better time to highlight some amazing women within the Theatrefolk community. Join us in celebrating these phenomenal playwrights and authors and...
Breathless
Three girls named Summer. Three races of discovery. Summer Adams is looking for love in all the wrong places. Summer Robertson is hanging on through her battle with cancer. And Summer Davis refuses to lose, even at the expense of her body and her friends.
If we just breathe, where will we go? Will we crash or will we fly?
A beautiful character piece with three strong female leads.
Recommended for High Schools
At a Glance
Running Time
About 35 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
13 Characters
6 M6 F1 Any Gender
Set
Simple set
Length
33 pages
Free Excerpt
Classroom Study Guide
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Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.
Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.
13 Characters
6 M, 6 F, 1 Any GenderCharacters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.
SUMMER DAVIS
[F]
91 lines
A seventeen-year-old cross country runner. She is fit, determined and very stubborn. Summer absolutely refuses to lose, which puts her friendship with Angel on the line.
ANGEL
[F]
88 lines
Eighteen years old and Summer Davis’s best friend. Angel has a dream to become a famous sports therapist and considers Summer her first official athlete. Angel’s energy and enthusiasm are topped only by her high expectations.
SUMMER ROBERTSON
[F]
58 lines
Fifteen years old, slowly losing her battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a life-threatening form of cancer. Summer is petite and fragile on the outside, but strong and determined on the inside.
MICHAEL
[M]
69 lines
A sixteen-year-old musical theater fanatic and Summer Robertson’s best friend. He’s determined to hold on to the memory of the best friend he’s ever known as he attempts to deny Summer’s slow final exit.
SUMMER ADAMS
[F]
55 lines
Sixteen years old and looking for love in all the wrong places. She is smart but swayed by flattery from boys and raging teen hormones, which lead her into situations she can no longer control.
HUNTER
[M]
48 lines
A seventeen-year-old football player and Summer Adam’s new boyfriend. Hunter is a big, tough guy whose intense teen libido tends to cloud his judgement.
KYLE
[M]
43 lines
A seventeen-year-old friend of Hunter’s and Summer Adam’s ex-boyfriend. Kyle is still in love with Summer, but can’t admit it.
SEBASTIAN
[M]
11 lines
An obnoxious sixteen-year-old football player who tags along with Hunter and Kyle. Easily swayed by the group mentality, Sebastian will say anything to be one of the guys.
KASSI
[F]
11 lines
Sixteen years old, drama geek. Friends with Michael and Summer Robertson.
ALLISON
[F]
10 lines
Sixteen-year-old cheerleader and Roger’s girlfriend. Can be doubled with Kassi.
ANDREW
[M]
12 lines
A seventeen-year-old drama techie. Friends with Michael and Summer Robertson.
ROGER
[M]
4 lines
A seventeen-year-old basketball player. Can be doubled with Andrew.
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL HOWARD (Voiceover)
[A]
5 lines
Over-enthusiastic
HOSPITAL (Voiceover)
[A]
3 lines
The voice of the Hospital where Summer Robertson has been admitted (played by the same actor as Assistant Principle Howard.)
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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre
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Breathless Sample Excerpt
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