Not Going Anywhere

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Complex characters, excellent scene work opportunities and great for competitions – The Pretty Princess Dollhouse for Pretty Princesses by Emma Fonseca Halverson is an incredibly theatrical play for high school student performers. Gabi wants to be a writer. Elena wants a family to love and a happy life. Gabi wants doors – doors that open and allow her to leave. Gabi is suffering from metaphoric asthma. The walls are closing in and she can’t breathe. Elena knows the doors are there, she just doesn’t want to open them. She thinks the walls keep her safe. She thinks Gabi is living in a fantasy world. Two friends, on the verge of their adult life, realize they have very different viewpoints on how they want to live. Excellent scene work for competition. Why did we publish this play? We first met Emma when she submitted her play Not Going Anywhere and knew we wanted to work with her again. Emma’s play The Pretty Princess Dollhouse for Pretty Princesses is Theatrefolk’s first commissioned piece. We gave Emma the criteria and left the rest up to her; she 100% delivered. I love the theatricality of play – you can go to town on the set or leave things very minimal. The two characters are well drawn and complex, this would be an excellent piece to draw scene work from for competition. We’re thrilled to have Emma’s play in our collection! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wrote this play to demonstrate an internal struggle between two opposing desires. The desire to stay with what is familiar and good, and the desire to take the risk for more. This is something I can relate to, as I know many of my teen peers can relate to, as we must make life changing decisions at such a young age, the pressure and conflict can be very real. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. The theme of this show can be interpreted in different ways- but I would say it’s about yearning- for one another. and for the ‘right’ answer. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The most important visual in my eyes is the candlelit set. Although designers do not need to use real candles, a dim lighting will create a stark contrast to the abrasive lighting at the end, and sets the tone for the production. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? One piece of advice I would give to anyone producing this play is to add your own personality! It can be as simple or as flashy as you would like. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? This play is good for student performers because it is simple enough to be a classroom project, yet the themes are ones that many teens may be able to find some relatability in. I hope students can see themselves in these characters. 6. Do you have any advice for people looking to perform this play online or socially distanced? This play can definitely be performed online! My peice of advice is focus on the characters, and no set at all can work perfectly fine. Get your copy of The Pretty Princess Dollhouse for Pretty Princessesright here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Are you looking for plays for your Spanish students? These plays are available for productions or classwork and all have relatable and relevant themes, with modest technical requirements. Perfect for student performers!

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Sometimes you come across a play that demands to be read, performed and shared. Not Going Anywhere by Emma Fonseca Halverson is one of those plays. The Mexican family of Ale, Miguel, Mami and Papá are struggling to get by while ICE attempts to tear them apart. Miguel wants nothing more than to not go anywhere, whereas Ale is desperate to leave and pursue theatre. This works out while Miguel works and helps out at home, and Ale goes to class and rehearsals, but when Miguel isn’t there anymore, Ale must choose between her future and her family. Why did we publish this play? We’re thrilled to be able to share Not Going Anywhere. Emma has created compelling characters and a story that, for many students, will hit close to home. The piece crackles with authenticity. It should be performed, it should be read and discussed in class. The story of what happens to Ale in the play is not uncommon – what happens when you have to choose between your future and your family? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? This was at the start of quarantine when I wrote the first draft, and I was sitting at home a lot stewing in my thoughts about the world. My cousin who had lived with us had also just been forced to go back to Mexico without warning, and it the topic of immigration and ICE was very fresh on my mind. It was definitely a source of processing a lot of my own feelings that really helped me have an outlet. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. What are obligations to ourselves and to our families? How does family impact the choices we make in our lives? Family and culture would be the biggest themes in my eyes. 3. Why is this play great for student performers? It views immigration through a teenagers eyes, and explores topics I think a lot of teenagers think about; and relate to family, culture, future, and identity. 4. Do you have any advice for those producing this play online or socially distanced? I would say that even though the physical touch would be gone, to focus on the non- physical affection between the characters and their words.