Skip to main content
Carrying the Calf by Shirley Barrie play script cover

Carrying the Calf

by Shirley Barrie Canadian Author

A teenager fed-up with being bullied drags her reluctant friend to a self-defence class. More important than the karate training, the instructor challenges the group to find self-confidence, independence, and to choose their own destiny.

The scenes are linked by katas: the strictly choreographed, powerful sequences of movements that are a central part of karate.

Recommended for High Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 54 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
4 Characters
4 F
Set
Simple Set
Length
35 pages
Free Excerpt

What to order?

Not sure what you need to order? Check out our pricing and ordering guide.

Performance Royalty Fees

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.

4 Characters

  • 4 Females
  • INDIRA Female 170 lines
    16, of South Asian extraction, has lived in Canada from the age of 5.
  • SHARON Female 199 lines
    16, born in Canada of West Indian parents.
  • ANN Female 117 lines
    Pushing 40, white, divorced mother of 4.
  • FIROZA M Female 149 lines
    Mid-late 20's, originally Ugandan of South Asian extraction, university educated.

More Plays Like Carrying the Calf

Camel Dung and Cloves

by Dara Murphy Canadian Author

Sara enjoys tea parties. But camel dung and cloves are two things that should never end up on the table. The twists never stop coming in this play.

The Waking Moment

by Bradley Hayward Canadian Author

Julie would do anything to be just like her best friend Rhonda. But she soon finds out Rhonda's perfect world is a nightmare. Deals with sexual abuse.

Free - Version 1

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

A free picnic forces a struggling town to reconcile their belief systems with their greed.

Free - Version 2

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

A free picnic forces a struggling town to reconcile their belief systems with their greed. More parts for girls in Version 2.

Flaky Lips

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

Two girls live in two communities that have been separated by a wall for a hundred years.

Malled: Two One Act Plays for Young Women

by Colleen Neuman

Many things happen in a mall. Heartbreak, Uncomfortable truths,True friendship, Cosmic questions with your french fries. Two plays. Great parts for girls.

From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

Playwriting

Happy International Women’s Day!

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...
Themed Play Lists

Theatrefolk’s Top 10: All Girls Plays

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays For…All Girls! You have an abundance of girls in your program and you want good parts for everyone. With all of these plays either all the characters are girls or...
Themed Play Lists

Social Issue Plays for High Schools / Middle Schools

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...
We accept
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Google Pay, and Apple Pay
We accept school purchase orders too. Info for your purchasing department
How can we help? Open chat