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Failure and Fortitude: The Female Edison by Lindsay Price play script cover

Failure and Fortitude: The Female Edison

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

Failure and fortitude are the touchstones for every inventor, but even more so for 19th century female inventors.

Margaret E. Knight invented a machine to mass produce flat bottom paper bags – the same paper bags we use today! But credit for her invention was almost stolen from her. During a courtroom proceeding, a competing inventor stated that “there is no way a woman could have invented this.”

How did Margaret persist and secure her place in the annals of invention?

An excellent class project.

Drama
Check out the full-length version of The Female Edison here.

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 40 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
13 Characters
1 F 12 Any Gender
plus 3 groups (3/4/4)
Set
Simple set
Length
49 pages
Free Excerpt

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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.

13 Characters

  • 1 Female
  • 12 Any Gender
  • plus 3 groups (3/4/4)

Aside from Margaret, directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

  • MARGARET Female 147 lines
    Inventor. Spirited, stubborn, tough and stuck in a world that won’t let her use her mind.
  • CHARLES ANNAN Any gender 44 lines
    Machinist. Inventor.
  • JOHN KNOX Any gender 29 lines
    Factory Supervisor.
  • DAVID CANTWELL Any gender 23 lines
    Patent Lawyer.
  • WIL GRAHAM Any gender 5 lines
    Machinist
  • LEWIS ABBOT Any gender 7 lines
    Machinist
  • ARTHUR DUNCAN Any gender 6 lines
    Acting Commissioner.
  • PATENT OFFICE CLERK Any gender 1 line
    Duncan’s clerk.

Factory Operatives

  • GRACE Any gender 33 lines
  • EMMA Any gender 36 lines
  • RUTH Any gender 19 lines
  • ELLIE Any gender 33 lines
  • ALICE Any gender 24 lines
  • FOUR FEMALE INVENTORS Any gender 4 lines
    From cast of actors

Groups

  • 19TH CENTURY GROUP Any gender 23 lines
  • INVENTORS GROUP Any gender 12 lines
  • INVENTION GROUP Any gender 57 lines

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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

Featured Plays

Theatrefolk Featured Play: The Female Edison

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. The Female Edison by Lindsay Price is an incredible ensemble piece with something for everyone! Margaret E. Knight was a 19th century inventor with two big...
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