Inspired by the real childhood of playwright Robert OHara, the script is simultaneously funny and poignant. In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play by Sarah Ruhl (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 4f, 3m)In a seemingly perfect, well-to-do Victorian home, proper gentleman and scientist Dr. Givings has innocently invented an extraordinary new device for treating "hysteria" in women (and occasionally men): the vibrator. Contemporary romance with a strong, independent female/ heroine, established in her life and in a strong and successful career or self-employed. From Kushner to Karam, Miller to Mamet, and Nottage to O'Neill, these are the 25 modern and contemporary plays every actor should know. This riveting play is an epic tale told through an unexpected and remarkable perspective. A remarkably independent woman, Janie Crawford's strength is in her ability to keep on going, no matter what her life throws at her, and to uphold her dignity throughout. The racist, xenophobic, and misogynist dialogue is uncomfortably familiar. Quinn, a former soldier in the Irish Republican Army, receives a menacing visit from an IRA leader. There's Jekyll and Hyde, which has two major female parts (Lucy and Emma) plus several smaller ones (Lady Beaconsfield and another prostitute whose name I can't remember.) Miriam Ruth, the Mother Superior, determinedly keeps young Agnes from the doctor, further arousing Livingstones suspicions. The Children's Hour has many female roles, and only two for men. is an unexpected offering from Edward Albee. Jeremy O. Harris shot to fame with Slave Play; with Daddy, he seems determined to shock audiences. The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder (US/UK)(Comedy / 7f, 9m)Horace Vandergelder, a wealthy merchant in nineteenth-century Yonkers, NY, decides to take a wife and employs a matchmaker, Mrs. Dolly Levi. In this play spanning 30 years and six presidential administrations, Hester Ferris throws Georgetown dinner parties that can change the course of Washingtons politics. During the 2019 New York run, Vox called it the most controversial show on Broadway. Slave Play got 12 Tony nominations an impressive feat for any playwright, but a particularly exceptional one considering that Harris wrote the play during his first year at Yale. My Tweets Tag: strong female characters The Spanish Tragedy - Act One, Scenes 3-5: "They reck no laws that meditate revenge" Scene Three: In the Portuguese Court, the Viceroy of Portugal mourns his son, Prince Baltazar, who he believes was killed in battle. Will 'Star Wars: The Play' hit the big time? . Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. Hurricane Diane by Madeleine George (US/UK)(Comedy / 5f)Meet Diane, a permaculture gardener dripping with butch charm. Eva Adler's Monologue From 'The American Plan'. Whereas Part I takes place in Fefu's. Often when we talk about strong female characters we're referring to emotional strength, but in this case, Nemesis is literally stronger than anyone else. Check out More Plays & Musicals for Strong Leading Women or browse the Concord Theatricals website in the US or UK. King Liz by Fernanda Coppel (US/UK)(Drama / 3fm, 3m)Sports agent Liz Rico has money and an elite client roster but a woman in a mans industry has to fight to stay on top. They are guilt-stricken when this nearly breaks Idas heart. about something other than a man. He loved wine, women, and song, with a . What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance? Lots of modern plays tell war stories, but they usually use a human perspective. When a new "hysterical" patient and her husband bring a wet nurse and their own complicated relationship into the doctor's home, Dr. and Mrs. Givings must examine the nature of their own marriage, and what it truly means to love someone. When her deceased husbands insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. A Feminine Ending by Sarah Treem (US)(Dark Comedy / 2f, 3m)Having recently graduated from a major conservatory, and with a rocker boyfriend on the brink of stardom, aspiring composer Amanda Blues extraordinary life seems to be all mapped out. Playwright: Tim J. LordLicensing: Not available (read an excerpt). In Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, we get to see the war from a tigers perspective. Chasing Manet by Tina Howe (US/UK)(Comedy / 4f, 3m)A rebellious painter from a distinguished family in Boston and an ebullient Jewish woman with a huge adoring family form an unlikely bond. The main plot is fine, but the real delight is in the sweet subplot that features Lemmings accountant falling in love with the game.Take Me Out is fun and snappy; it won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2003, Playwright: Richard GreenbergLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Romance With Strong Contemporary Females. Watch actress Kate Fleetwood perform the famous 'Come, you spirits' scene here: Beatrice. Shanleys nuanced writing is sure to have you questioning yourself and your assumptions at every turn. Many of the above suggestions are great, but very very tricky because they have been done so much, and often with really iconic performances that the judges will know. Playwright: Jeremy O. HarrisLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Bring these stories to your community start exploring below! Playwright: Jackie Sibblies DruryLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. (You might recognize the characters; theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons.) Playwright: Quiara Alegra HudesLicensing: Dramatists Play Service, A corporate collapse might not seem like fertile fodder for a play, but Enron takes it on with glee. The Odd Couple, Female Version by Neil Simon (US/UK)(Comedy / 6f, 2m)Unger and Madison are at it again! Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 4m)Bella is thirty-five years old, mentally challenged, and living at home with her mother, stern Grandma Kurnitz. Role of women in The Merchant of Venice. Playwright: Martyna MajokLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. This article contains a list of the best modern plays written after the year 2000. Playwright: Jeremy O. HarrisLicensing: Not available. As the little teenage sister of the king, her identity doesn't end there. Robb Since 1995, Nora Roberts, writing under the pseudonym of J.D. Playwrights: Theresa Rebeck, Alexandra Gersten-VassilarosLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Playwright: Rajiv JosephLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. volcanic iceland epic trip Playwright: John Patrick ShanleyLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. 14. After the British team loses, a group of fans in a pub let go of their filters. Pia, from the New Zealand movie Whale Rider. In the US/North America, click here. She has already rejected several offers because the antique piano is covered with incredible carvings detailing the familys rise from slavery. She challenges the. When the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the discussion devolves into madness. The Piano Lesson by August Wilson (US/UK)(Drama / 3f, 5m)It is 1936, and Boy Willie arrives in Pittsburgh from the South in a battered truck loaded with watermelons to sell. Unusual Acts Of Devotion 8. Granted, these are all great works and are classics for a reason. I don't know if they're recent enough to be considered contemporary, but the plays of Jane Martin (a pseudonym for a never-revealed playwright who may or may not be Jon Jory) are great for interesting female charcters. The Lower Room by Pat Wooley (US)(Drama / 9f, 2m)Pat Wooley's fascinating play retells the story of Jesus' passion through the eyes of those who were the last of the followers at the cross, and the first at the tomb: women. Uma Thurman is, for lack of a better word, totally badass. How to Transcend a Happy Marriage blurs the lines of monogamy and asks how deeply friends, lovers, and strangers connect. At its core, the play is a thoughtful (but thankfully, not exhausting) meditation on the relationship between humans and technology.Playwright: Madeleine GeorgeLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Since he has produced only one off-Broadway project, something called 'Craps! August Osage County is one of the most bracing and applauded contemporary plays in recent history. She's a Diabolic, created for one purpose onlyto protect her person, Sidonia. Stage Kiss captures Sarah Ruhls singular voice. Most people, when you mention theatre, think of the classics: A Streetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest, Hamlet, Tartuffe, Uncle Vanya, Waiting for Godot . Two, Three and Four Person Scenes From Plays Popular Types: Dramatic Comedic Classical Contemporary 2 Person 3 Person Search Scenes Style # of Male Characters # of Female Characters Time Period Only show scenes with video examples FILTER Scenes COLE Wouldn't it be great if--- I just. Hes a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer and shes a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine 12. She is also the esteemed winner of a BAFTA for Random, (2010) adapted for Channel Four from its run at the Royal Court. This is a contemporary play set in Victorian times, when male doctors lavished the diagnosis of hysteria on female patients. Playwright: Lulu RaczkaPublisher: Bloomsbury. Though critics described the plot as lopsided and meandering (and it is both), this new play won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda television series) Beka Valentine (Andromeda television series) Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie and television series created by Joss Whedon) Zoe . Playwright: Yasmina Reza (translator: Christopher Hampton) Licensing: Dramatists Play Service 17. Playwright: Gina GionfriddoLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Modern concerns and romantic entanglements clash on the battlefield and on the ramparts of Nottingham Castle. Top image courtesy A.D. Players at the George under CC BY-ND 2.0. Rest by Samuel D. Hunter (US/UK)(Drama / 3f, 4m)A retirement home in northern Idaho is being shut down, and only three residents and a bare-bones staff remain. Add in a cleaning lady who can see the future, and you have the recipe for a good time. NANCYDREW4LYFE. Hmm. In Elliot, a Soldiers Fugue, Hudes takes another look at the tradition of wartime service in different generations of a Puerto Rican family. Stage Kiss captures Sarah Ruhls singular voice. Its 1929, and youre a Cuban immigrant in a Florida cigar factory in Tampa. Lettice and Lovage by Peter Shaffer (US/UK)(Comedy / 3f, 3m)Lettice Duffet, an expert on Elizabethan cuisine and medieval weaponry, is an indefatigable but daffy enthusiast of history and the theatre. Playwright: Roy WilliamsLicensing: Concord Theatricals (UK). It's on top of my to-read pile, so this is a big of a blind recommendation but I think Simon Stephens'. Looking for more? Perfect for auditions or class. But as Sharon begins to uncover Robyns secrets, they encourage her own deep-seated desire to transform her life completely. She became a central figure in the Berlin gay community. (N.Y. Daily News). She is feminist not just for Shakespeare's standards but for also for today. If Liz can keep this talented yet volatile young star in line, she just might end up making not only his career, but her own as well. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story. Unfortunately, they hate each other. A savagely funny drama featuring a glorious ensemble of Judy Garland hits and infused with the glamour and the melancholy of stardom. _____ this 19th-century and Edwardian playwright whose plays foreshadowed modern plays _____ his strong-willed characters dominated his tragedies _____ showed new concerns about . Its exactly as crushing as you might imagine, but its not without a note of hope. Though the title might sound modern, In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) takes you back to the late 1880s. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Posted: 3/30/09 at 12:41pm. Are you looking for new plays to read or perform? 3. Always irascible but now increasingly erratic, Gladys is a cause of concern to her daughter, her son-in-law, and her grandson, from whose point of view this poignant memory play is told. Shes got supernatural abilities owing to her true identitythe Greek god Dionysusand she's returned to the modern world to gather mortal followers and restore the Earth to its natural state. Has the Communist threat come to pass? This is a big of a blind recommendation but I think Simon Stephens ' Harris shot to with... Or self-employed strong, independent female/ heroine, established in her life and in a Florida cigar factory Tampa! Ruth, the Play is an epic tale told through an unexpected remarkable... Show on Broadway Thurman is, for lack of a better word, totally badass of... Pseudonym of J.D a glorious ensemble of Judy Garland hits and infused with glamour! Funny and poignant Victorian times, when male doctors lavished the diagnosis of hysteria on female patients during the new! 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Exactly as crushing as you might recognize the characters ; theyre all proxies for well-known icons! ' hit the big time out More plays & Musicals for strong Leading or... A good time York run, Vox called it the most controversial show on Broadway is sure have!
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