Chemo Girl and Other Plays
by Christian Kiley
A collection of plays that examine the impact of cancer as seen through the eyes of teenagers. Can be performed as a full length or one acts.
About 90 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
Simple Set
70 pages
I’m losing my hair! I get sick to my stomach. My mouth tastes like metal, I sweat profusely, then I get the chills, I have to be careful not to cut myself, or get a cold, or bump into anything, or breathe in the wrong direction, or exert myself too much. My pee looks like watered-down fruit punch and the only thing I have to look forward to is a vanilla pudding cup and they may be out of those because people are hoarding them and eating them on the toilet at 3 a.m.
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.
Chemo Girl can be performed as a full night of theatre or as a cutting for competition.
This Book is a Collection of 4 Plays
Chemo Girl
Camille is given a video game system from her mom as a form of recovery therapy for cancer. She prefers reading books. Video game worlds lack realism and she believes they will not help her fight against cancer. However, Camille is pulled into the video game world that mirrors her fight. She meets the Gamemaster and takes on the screen name Chemo Girl.
Rights: $25.00, Script Distribution License: $38.95
About 25 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
16
3 W | 13 Any Gender, Doubling Possible, ensemble expandable to 26 or more
Simple Set
The Other Room
Dad is recovering from cancer and heavy chemotherapy treatments in the other room. It has become a dark corner of the house, especially for Mary, who rarely goes in there. Tommy goes in to watch Cubs games and wonders how the team’s over a century-long World Series drought is helping his Dad. Mom is trying to hold the family together, but it is not an easy challenge for a family dealing with cancer in The Other Room.
Rights: $25.00, Script Distribution License: $20.95
About 20 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
7
4 M | 3 W
Simple Set
Red Rover
A young girl is pulled out of her history class to go to the hospital where she discovers she has cancer. She befriends Lucy (who is chemotherapy personified) and she and Lucy prepare to take the disease.
Rights: $25.00, Script Distribution License: $38.95
About 20 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
16
1 M | 3 W | 12 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
Waiting Room
A group of teenagers who all have various types of cancer are waiting to be called into the doctor’s office to receive updates on their progress. At first everyone wants to be by themselves, to stay in their personal bubbles. But as they discover their similarities and appreciate each other for their quirky eccentricities, a bond is created. Their common desire to find out who the mysterious Mr. Fitzpatrick is, after he is called time and time again to go into the office with no response, allows them to express their own feelings about their illnesses.
Rights: $25.00, Script Distribution License: $30.95
About 25 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
12
4 M | 7 W | 1 Any Gender, Doubling Possible
Simple Set
Chemo Girl
-
GIRL, Camille
[W]
98 lines
- She is battling cancer. Screen name: Chemo Girl
-
MOM
[W]
29 lines
- Has come back to give her daughter the power to fight
-
GAMEMASTER
[A]
37 lines
- Is in charge of Save the Planet (the video game world)
-
WITCH
[W]
8 lines
- Guards the forbidden forest of living trees
-
LAGGER
[A]
10 lines
- Flies behind the flyers and helps GIRL PARTS OF THE STORM 1, TREES, MINES, STATUES, PATIENTS, FLYERS, PARTS OF THE STORM 2
The Other Room:
- DAD [M]
- In the other room, is seen on stage in three flashbacks
-
TOMMY
[M]
47 lines
- Watches Cubs games with his dad
-
MARY
[W]
58 lines
- Avoids the entire ordeal by going to her best friend’s house
-
MOM
[W]
44 lines
- Trying to keep the house in order
-
ROB
[M]
12 lines
- Tommy’s friend
-
BOB
[M]
16 lines
- Tommy’s friend
-
JEN
[W]
25 lines
- Mary’s best friend
Red Rover
-
HOLLY
[W]
105 lines
- girl who recently discovered she has cancer
-
LUCY
[W]
65 lines
- Her friend, Chemotherapy
- The Side Effects:
-
NAUSEA
[A]
5 lines
-
VOMITING
[A]
5 lines
-
FATIGUE
[A]
4 lines
-
FEVER
[A]
2 lines
-
SWEATS
[A]
2 lines
-
CHILLS
[A]
5 lines
-
HAIR LOSS
[A]
5 lines
- The Visitors:
-
DOCTOR
[A]
11 lines
-
MOM
[W]
15 lines
-
DAD
[M]
11 lines
-
CAL
[A]
9 lines
-
PAL
[A]
6 lines
-
SAL
[A]
7 lines
-
SOCIAL WORKER
[A]
14 lines
Waiting Room
-
CALLER
[A]
18 lines
- Calls patients in for their appointments
-
FAITH
[W]
55 lines
- Very positive and gregarious
-
FINN
[W]
71 lines
- Real name Finland, a sharp cynic
-
ROHAN
[M]
56 lines
- Real name Ronald, but uses this name as his cancer-fighting character
-
CLOUD
[W]
23 lines
- Real name Claudia, struggling with depression
-
OSWALD
[M]
17 lines
- Already knows his diagnosis and options, but comes to the waiting room once a week to be a part of something
- Finn’s Family
-
DAD
[M]
6 lines
-
MOM
[W]
5 lines
-
SISTER
[W]
7 lines
- Rohan’s Family
-
DAD:
[M]
15 lines
-
MOM
[W]
5 lines
-
SISTER
[W]
3 lines
- Subgenres
- Fantasy Adventure Character study Movement-based Fairy tales
- Settings
- Abstract setting Present day
- Dress
- Contemporary costumes
- Audience
- Pre-teen Teen
- Features
- Mime Variable Cast Size Tableau Character study Choral work Movement-based Special effects Stage combat Variable gender breakdown Variable length
- Set
- Simple set Exterior set Interior set
- Cautions
- Adult themes
- Themes
- Adolescence Death Friendship Illness/Health Love Memory Parenting/Family Sports Disability Body image Individuality Relationships Self-image Technology Depression
- Cross-Curricular Uses
- Technology
- Other uses
- Competition Monologues Scene work Audition material Class work
Prop List
Chemo Girl
Wrapped video game system
The Other Room
Backpacks, Cubs hat, Mixing bowl and spoon
Red Rover
Fake hair, yarn, string, File/clipboard/chart, Cactus , Cubs hat,File
Waiting Room
Piece of paper, file, and/or clipboard, Outdated magazines, Hat, Pink snack cakes, Cell phone, Headphones/MP3 Player
Multimedia
Related Titles
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.
All others must pay at the time of ordering.
Not sure what you need to order? Check out our pricing and ordering guide.
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.
Chemo Girl and Other Plays
by Christian Kiley
About 90 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
Simple Set
70 pages