Power Play
by Lindsay Price
The realities and the stereotypes of school violence. Not just the school shooting, but harassment and bullying. Violence is about power. So is high school.
About 55 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
5
2 M | 3 W
Simple Set
38 pages
In addition to traditional live stage performance rights, Power Play can also be performed under the following scenarios.
Virtual Performance
A Virtual Performance is a performance on an online web conferencing platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, or Google Meets where performers are geographically isolated from one another and not together on a stage.
No audience is physically present with the performers. The audience is logged in to the same web conferencing platform as the performers.
Each time the play is performed for a virtual audience of any size (whether or not admission is charged) constitutes one performance.
Livestream Performance
Productions of Power Play may be Livestreamed.
All Livestream Performances must be conducted through our Authorized Streaming Partner, BookTix. Please contact BookTix at info@booktix.com for more information about Livestreaming.
A Livestream Performance is a traditional performance that is livestreamed to the Internet as the actors are performing. Instead of watching the show live in the theatre, the audience watches virtually from their home or other location.
All Livestream Performances must be conducted through our Authorized Streaming Partner, BookTix. Please contact BookTix at info@booktix.com for more information about Livestreaming.
A Livestream Performance may be pre-recorded. Recordings for pre-recorded Livestreams may be made if the recording is destroyed at the conclusion of the production. Should the producing organization want to retain the recording for archival purposes, they must purchase a separate Videorecording License from Theatrefolk.
Theatrefolk charges no additional fees for permission to Livestream. However, BookTix will charge nominal fees to the producing organization. Theatrefolk does not have any financial interest in BookTix and does not receive any commission or fees from BookTix.
Theatrefolk cannot be held responsible for any issues, technical, financial, legal, or otherwise, arising from the producing organization’s relationship with BookTix.
Each time the show is Livestreamed (whether performed live or pre-recorded) constitutes one performance.
One license, three ways to use it
Each royalty you purchase can be used as a Traditional Live Stage Performance, Virtual Performance, or Livestream Performance. How you choose to use your performance license is up to you! Performances need not all be of the same type so long as the total number of performances given does not exceed the total number of performances ordered.
How to Order
Click on the red "Add to Cart" button, then select "A Production"
A dramatic play sure to evoke discussion and dialogue.
A gunshot is heard. Which of the five characters did it and why?
Was it the Goth girl? The football star? The super-intelligent geek?
High school violence is a hot media topic, but it is too often simplistically portrayed by putting teens into tidy categories and pointing at the outsider.
Power Play explores the realities and the stereotypes of high school violence - not just the brutal shock of the school shooting, but also verbal harassment and bullying. Violence is about power. So is high school.
NOTE: This play requires the onstage appearance of a gun.
Awards and Accolades
- Prince Rupert SS Won the Northwest Zone of their Drama Festival
- Mills Godwin HS at the Virginia High School League State Theatre Festival
- John Fraser SS; outstanding district production Sears Drama Festival
- Belle Fourche High School; Superior Production, Outstanding Ensemble at the 2008 South Dakota State One Act Festival
- Outstanding Production, Adam Scott CVI, Sears Drama Festival
Characters
5
2 Men, 3 Women
-
Bitter
[W]
141 lines
- A goth girl. Very observant with a sarcastic wit. Three Monologues.
-
Belly
[M]
190 lines
- An overweight guy who uses humour as a survival tactic. One Monologue.
-
Brawn
[M]
122 lines
- The star football player. King of the castle and knows it. Two Monologues.
-
Beauty
[W]
114 lines
- The self-professed “most popular girl” at the school. One Monologue.
-
Beaker
[W]
114 lines
- A small Asian girl (Korean). Extremely intelligent, extremely withdrawn. Two Monologues. See appendix for alternate casting suggestion.
- Subgenres
- Character study Experimental form
- Settings
- Present day
- Dress
- Contemporary costumes
- Audience
- Teen
- Features
- Multicultural cast Character study Special effects
- Set
- Simple set Interior set
- Cautions
- Strong language Gun shots Adult themes Physical violence
- Themes
- Adolescence Bullying Death Parenting/Family Sports Relationships Obedience Morality Jealousy Race Body image Peer pressure School violence Self-image
- Other uses
- Competition Audition material Class work Scene work
- Awards & Accolades
- Plays with Awards & Accolades
Prop List
Five oversized books, Small table, Pile of socks, Sports Illustrated, Chair, Gun
Production Photos
Multimedia
Related Titles
Customer Comments
Our plan is to produce the whole show (Shout!) in the fall next year. The concept is perfect for our new program.
Thank you so much for your generosity and for the fantastic material you provide. It is perfect for high school students.
We are taking Body Body and Power Play to competition this year. We'll keep our fingers crossed!
We performed your play (Power Play) on Sunday night at the Kawartha District Sears Drama festival and it won the Outstanding Production award (along with Awards of excellence for ensemble acting, tech work, direction and stage management)!!!
The adjudicator really loved how the play "took her on a journey...the character development was fantastic".
My students have been completely consumed by this project! It has been so rewarding as a teacher to see them so invested in something!
Thanks again for providing such amazing material for our students. They have learned so much from this experience.
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.
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About 55 minutes
Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks
5
2 M | 3 W
Simple Set
38 pages