Magic Fairy in the Microwave

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Magic Fairy in the Microwave by Dara Murphy is a wild, fast-paced ride through imagination, identity, and a world that may or may not be real. There are knives. There is blood. There are kittens. Brace yourself for a darkly funny, physical theatre adventure that keeps you guessing till the end. You’ve been warned. Why did we publish this play? Fun fact - Dara Murphy wrote her first play in high school for a class project and her teacher submitted it to us. (The Plucky Pie Murder) She now has five plays in the Theatrefolk catalogue. Whenever we see a submission from her in our inbox, we know it's going to be dark, funny, and left of centre. It's good to have the crowd-pleasers. It's good to have the large cast plays for beginner actors. It's also good to have plays that are very out of the box, like Magic Fairy, where we have a normal teenager with a normal life and an unreliable narrator who's trying to kill her. I love this play. I love it because it’s funny, it’s absurd, and people die in a funny absurd way. Don’t bring this play to your Ultra PC Administrator - there’s guns and knives and blood. Kittens will be harmed and you have been warned. But did I mention that it’s absurd? And maybe everything doesn’t have to be happy rainbows? If you want to be fancy, you can tell your administrator that the play is inspired by the Grand Guignol style, founded by a theatre in Paris in the late 19th century. Which specialized in true to life horror plays. Wait, don’t tell them that part. Just read the play. Let's hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wrote Magic Fairy in the Microwave as a fun project. I had just returned from a summer of tree planting and was waiting for school to begin. I started writing the Narrator's first monologue, and since it made me laugh, I felt inspired to continue (plus my body was sore from tree planting, so sitting and writing seemed like a good use of time). I was influenced by Grand Guignol style plays, and my goal was to write something light but "bloody". I remember giggling as I wrote each section, and I enjoyed surprising myself with the wacky twists and turns. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences? The theme is the power of imagination. The play also explores the mind-twisting process of writing or working on a creative project. 3. What's the most important visual for you in this play? The Narrator dying at the end with all of his dead characters around him. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? I was lucky enough to see a production of this play where the cast spent a lot of time working on the fight scene choreography. The fight scenes between Tom and the Masked Villain were so electric! It was amazing to watch. If you've ever wanted to explore fight choreography, this would be a fun project. Since the fight scenes are in Sarah's imagination, they don't have to be realistic. They can be creative and over-the-top. Just make sure to warm up, go slow, and prioritize safety. Another thing I would add is that if you feel uneasy about using a prop gun, feel free to change the gun into a laser. A prop laser could light up, make pew-pew laser sounds, and it would probably be way cooler than a gun anyway. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? If your students get a kick out of theatre games where they have to die dramatically, they will certainly like this play! Student performers love the action, energy, and imagination of this play. There is a lot of movement and teamwork, and not much standing around. Yes, everyone dies in the end, but the violence is not realistic. They might also relate to the main character Sarah, a teenager who retreats into her imagination when life gets difficult. 6. Who is your favourite character in the play? I would happily be any character, but I would probably choose to be the Narrator because I like the Narrator's "bad guy" vibes and dramatic lines. 7. What is your favourite line in the play? It's hard to pick a favourite! I like the Narrator's line, "So as the last of Sarah’s blood leaks from her body, her mother dies of a tragic heart attack." That line is so ridiculous. I also love Sarah's last few lines at the end because they finish the play in a satisfying way.

Welcome to "Playwright Spotlight" — your exclusive backstage pass to the creative minds crafting the incredible plays featured in our Theatrefolk catalogue. Discover the magic, quirks, and genius of the playwrights who help bring the stage to life. Let's meet one of these exceptional playwrights who offers the chance for your student performers to shine in their spotlight. What inspired you to start writing plays specifically for high school & middle school students?When I wrote my first play, I was a high school student! I really just wanted to write a fun play that I could be in with my friends. Can you share a bit about your creative process when developing plays that resonate with students?I enjoy writing characters, so I usually have a character in mind first, and then I go from there. Are there any challenges you face when writing for student performers, and how do you overcome them?Sometimes I struggle with plotting and structure. I read the book Save The Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody, and that helped me a lot. What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your plays?I'm interested in themes that explore perception, decision making, misunderstanding, and the environment. How do you balance education and fun in your scripts?I usually try to write plays that are fun for actors. Sometimes that means it's a fun script, and sometimes it means it's thought-provoking. Can you share a memorable experience or feedback from a student performance that left an impact on you?I once got the chance to meet a group of students doing Magic Fairy in the Microwave on Zoom. They were so excited about the play, and they had a great, encouraging drama teacher. They loved all the "fight scenes". I was pleased that the play could bring them so much joy. What is your favourite play you've written so far?I think I like Magic Fairy in the Microwave the best because it's so weird, and a little dark. I've always liked plays that are surprising. Anything else you'd like students and/or directors to know about you as a playwright?When I write, I drink way too much tea, and I chew way too much gum. Someone please break me of this habit.

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 their incredible contributions to the world of student theatre. Plus, keep reading to see our Top 10 Plays for Female Casts at the end of the post! Rachel Atkins • Baalzebub (and One Act Version)

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Camel Dung and Cloves by Dara Murphy is not your average tea party. With rich, eccentric parts for girls, the twists and turns in this high school play are definitely worth checking out. Sara enjoys the ritual of making and drinking tea. Maybe she enjoys it a little too much. Sara pays Empy to join her at a tea party. Empy is eager to make a quick buck. But what are Sara’s motives? What about the bones in the black box? And what exactly is in the tea? Why did we publish this play? Dara Murphy started sending us plays when she was a student and the first thing that struck us was her black sense of humour. We love it. (Don’t believe me? Check out Magic Fairy in the Microwave.) Now Dara is a drama teacher with less time to write but we’re thrilled to be able to share her work with you, including this dark and twisted gem. Do you have girls who are tired of being stereotyped and enjoy dark and twisted? Camel Dung and Cloves has got rich and eccentric roles for girls with plot turns that never stop coming. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I was inspired by an email from Theatrefolk that said they needed more plays with female characters. I didn’t have a story in mind, but I suddenly had an image of a tough girl poking around in a girly-girl room. I was curious to write the play and explore the girls’ characters and dynamics. It was a fun play to write! 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. The theme of this play is how easily people can deceive others by taking advantage of their assumptions and expectations. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? I think of two contrasting visuals. The beginning image is of a tough female character overpowering a sweet girl in her own room. The final image is that same tough character, now totally subdued, in a room that has suddenly overpowered her. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? You might want to make some of the props “larger than life” so they are easy to see. If everything doesn’t fit in one box, the girls can also take props out from under the bed. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? I think this is a fun play to act because the characters are so mysterious and devious. The ending is also surprising and unexpected. Oh, and they get to say words like “pig fetus”.

Episode 82: Playwright Dara MurphyDara Murphy wrote her first play in high school for a class project and her teacher submitted it to us. At the time Dara was the youngest playwright in our catalogue but now she’s got three plays with Theatrefolk and is gearing up to embark on a teaching career. Dara gets the distinction of penning the “weirdest” plays in our catalogue, listen in to learn why.

Episode 65: Theatrefolk Q & A: You ask, We answerLindsay and Craig sit down to answer questions and address comments that came up from our recent customer survey. Topics include: Can students directly contact us? What social issues do we cover? And do we sell plays?

This week we spread the love for Magic Fairy in the Microwave by Dara Murphy. Recorded live at the 2012 TETA Conference in Houston, Texas.