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Tick Talk by Lindsay Price play script cover

Tick Talk

by Lindsay Price Canadian Author

The teenagers in Tick Talk have a lot to say, but no way to say it. Most characters are limited to only ONE WORD for the whole play.

A fascinating challenge for actors: What happens when a character has just one word to express hopes, fears, and frustrations? What if they have something terribly important to say but can't? They'd better find a way soon: Time is running out.

Dramedy Character Study Choral Work Experimental Form

Average Producer Rating: 5.0 out of 5

Recommended for High Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 25 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
13 Characters
2 M 6 F 5 Any Gender
Productions
Produced by 120+ schools
Licensed by schools and youth theatres around the world
Set
Simple Set
Length
31 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.

13 Characters

  • 2 Males
  • 6 Females
  • 5 Any Gender

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

  • Hey There Male 15 lines
    Goofy and often foolish.
  • Dunno Male 47 lines
    Sullen and almost silent.
  • Hi Female 15 lines
    Very self-conscious.
  • Fine Female 50 lines
    Life is far from perfect but problems don't weigh as heavily on her as they do on others.
  • Nothing Female 10 lines
    Younger sister to What. Seen as annoying.
  • What Female 10 lines
    Older sister to Nothing. Snobbish and self-centered.
  • Great Dance Female 14 lines
    Hiding a horrible secret.
  • Gabby Female 7 lines
    Sweet but shallow.
  • Uh Any gender 15 lines
    Member of the cynic quartet.
  • Yeah Any gender 15 lines
    Member of the cynic quartet.
  • Well Any gender 1 line
    Member of the cynic quartet.
  • So Any gender 10 lines
    Member of the cynic quartet.
  • The Vice Principal (Offstage Voice) Any gender 13 lines
    Stern. Does not like or understand teenagers.

Praise for Tick Talk

5 out of 5 stars
Alissa Nibbe
Barnesville High Theatre
It is definitely one of my most favorite shows and I would direct it again in a heartbeat!
5 out of 5 stars
Annmarie Drake
Riverfront Performing Arts
This was an excellent play to develop the skills our students had been working on in their acting classes this year.

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