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Patterns and Power: The Female Edison

Patterns and Power: The Female Edison

by Lindsay Price

In the 19th century, the patterns of life were often rigid and unchanging. How did a 12 year old girl, with little education and no experience with mechanical engineering invent a safety part for a power loom? How did she not only get mill management to listen to her idea, but implement it?

That’s exactly what Margaret E. Knight did. She created 89 inventions and was issued over 20 patents over the course of her life.

Based on the true story of this inventor, the play asks the question: how did she break the pattern?

An excellent class project.

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

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Running Time
About 30 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
19 Characters
2 F17 Any Gender
Set
Simple set
Length
37 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.

19 Characters
2 F, 17 Any Gender

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

MARGARET [F] 79 lines
Inventor. Adult. Worked in factories and many jobs where she used her hands (repairs, furniture upholstery)
MATTIE [F] 148 lines
Margaret at 12 years old. Tough. Spirited.
Margaret's Family
HANNAH [A] 41 lines
Margaret’s mother, factory worker
JIM [A] 42 lines
Margaret’s brother, Weaving Room #3 Assistant Overseer
CHARLIE [A] 44 lines
Margaret’s brother, factory worker
Factory Operatives
HARRIET [A] 23 lines
MARY [A] 10 lines
SARAH [A] 17 lines
ELIZA [A] 8 lines
LUCY [A] 13 lines
FRANCES [A] 17 lines
GEORGE [A] 9 lines
HENRY [A] 11 lines
SAMUEL [A] 11 lines
Factory Management
BAKER, Jacob [A] 21 lines
Weaving Room #2 Overseer
GREEN, Daniel [A] 26 lines
Foreman of Repairs
LIGHTBODY, Eugene [A] 4 lines
Superintendent of Weaving
STICKNEY, William [A] 33 lines
Weaving Room #2 Assistant Overseer
PIERCE, James [A] 3 lines
Mill Manager #4

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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

The Female Edison
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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