Power Play by Lindsay Price - Theatrefolk

Power Play

Recommended for High Schools

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

Drama Experimental Form Issue-Based

Average Producer Rating:

Reviews from Past Producers

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.

5 Characters
2 M, 3 W
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 Extremely intelligent, extremely withdrawn.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.

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

Customer Feedback

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!

Jan Adamo, Franklin Academy

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.

Geoff Bemrose, Adam Scott CVI, Peterborough, ON

Subgenres
Character study Experimental form

Settings
Present day

Dress
Contemporary costumes

Audience
Teen

Features
Multicultural cast Character study Special effects SEL

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
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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.

Related Titles

We accept orders worldwide using the following payment methods:
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.

A vignette play is a collection of short scenes on a theme. You'll love working with the variety and flexibility of the scenes. Your actors will love the fast pace and fun characters.

There's more. Every Theatrefolk vignette play holds the unexpected. A showcase monologue. A dramatic moment. A change in form. A left turn.

Ideal for classwork, competitions, and more!

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