Not one to go without a fight, Lettice engages the stoic, conventional Lotte in a battle to the death of all that is sacred to the Empire and the crown. Dont let the sharp wit and breezy dialogue of The History Boys food you this charming play has plenty to say. The treatment? Life imitates Art. That is, until he finds his muse Viola. Lincoln wants to make an honest living, but Booth cant help but bring him down. Witty and charmingly outlandish, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow offers a fresh, surprisingly insightful take on the human vs. technology theme. Drop Dead! Well, heres a plot point you wont be expecting a man falls in love with a goat. It brings to light the dysfunction of an American family with all of its highs and lows. Related: A Young Woman Endures the Civil War in This Historical Fiction Novel Amazon Apple Books Barnes & Noble 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. 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. August 29, 2021 August 29, 2021 MB Team 1 Minute Monologues Drama, 12 Strong Female Characters, 15 Powerful Female Dramatic Monologues, 17 Badass Female Characters, 17 Badass Female Characters from Plays, 17 Badass Female Monologues from 1 Act Plays, 17 Dramatic Monologues for Women, 17 Female Characters You Need To Read About, actress . Rosalind in As You Like it and Viola in Twelfth Night both dress as men. In The Daylight 5. Thats exactly what happens in HIR Isaac returns home to discover that his abusive father, after having a stroke, is under the control of his now-liberated mother. If you have the chance, catch a live production; its gripping, even in the hands of non-professionals. Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), Rebecca (1940) A warning to second wives and new girlfriends about the importance of tossing out all things and people belonging to your predecessor. Siblings (and roommates) Vanya and Sonias dull Chekhovian life is tossed upside down when their famous sister Masha comes to visit with her much younger (and much dumber) boyfriend Spike. Ma Raineys Black Bottom by August Wilson (US/UK)(Drama / 2f, 8m)It's 1927 in a rundown studio in Chicago where Ma Rainey is recording new sides of old favorites. 3. This madcap comedy is laugh-out-loud funny. Hes too staid, too boring, and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous. by Crystal Skillman (US/UK)(Comedy / 4f, 2m)With pissed-off Pikachus, steam punk armies, stood-up Sailor Moons and roller-blading monsters on the prowl, it's easy to get lost in the Inferno-esque anime convention where the fans, the otakus, and the geeks prowl. A forty-five-year friendship they agitated the nation, they agitated each other, and, in doing so, they helped shape the Constitution and the course of American history. 15 Contemporary One Act Plays with Powerful Female Characters 15 Best Short Plays with Strong Female Lead October 4, 2022 MB Team Here's 15 Best Short Plays with Strong Female Lead for auditions, workshops, actor reels, performances, castings and theatre productions. As the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, who will stand for the vulnerable if not Robin? Are you looking for new plays to read or perform? Its 1981, and the Carney family is celebrating the harvest at their farm in Northern Ireland. Jess soon realizes that things at home have changed even more than she has. Letts infuses the script with subtle, brilliant insights a few scenes in, your laughter will be tinged with heartbreak. Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 2f, 5m)Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. When the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the discussion devolves into madness. Below is a tip of the wonderful iceberg of plays by women. She challenges the. Its set in 2000, but the story rings disconcertingly true for modern day. This Pulitzer and Tony finalist isnt shocking; rather, its funny and surprisingly sensitive. Mulan was one of my personal heroes as a child she's a fearless warrior and genuine delight. 21 Lesser-Known Musicals: How Many Do You Know? This unusual and witty play jumps around in time, showcasing four different Watsons (both real and fictional, human and computer) and their Holmes-inspired counterparts. It's on top of my to-read pile, so this is a big of a blind recommendation but I think Simon Stephens'. Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell are showgirls and best friends who take control of their destinies by choosing to marry rich men. On the surface, Fairview seems like a relatively standard family drama. SBF 1, an English literature professor, and SBF 2, a corporate lawyer, keep each other balanced as they face their fears of rejection, hopes for romance, and reminisce about black girlhood wounds. It follows a group of opinionated Catholic conservatives theyre intellectuals, so the discourse wont leave you feeling bereft of brain cells as they reunite in their Wyoming college town. The Odd Couple, Female Version by Neil Simon (US/UK)(Comedy / 6f, 2m)Unger and Madison are at it again! He has an opportunity to buy some land down-home, but he has to come up with the money right quick. Topdog/Underdog is one of the best contemporary plays from one of the most celebrated modern playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks. Though critics described the plot as lopsided and meandering (and it is both), this new play won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? As the assembled widows await the announcement of the society's prize-winning quiche, the atomic bomb sirens sound! bisexual, angry, sad, strong, sensitive, scared, fierce, talented . 18. Despite its epic title, God of Carnage revolves around a schoolyard conflict between two boys. A hilarious, touching play. Danger is everywhere, and mysterious blackouts are setting residents on edge. As el lector reads Anna Karenina, the workers boring world is torn asunder, and their passions and tribulations come to a head. Playwright: Caryl ChurchillLicensing: Concord Theatricals. She is also the esteemed winner of a BAFTA for Random, (2010) adapted for Channel Four from its run at the Royal Court. Geek! Being a very spirited widow, she now decides to have a fine old time with her money, giving away "diamonds, paintings, and taxi-cabs with fierce abandon, and buying an oversize yacht as if it were a boat for the bathtub." 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 1m)After suffering a major loss while he was on a cross-country bike trip, 21 year-old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91 year-old grandmother Vera in her West Village apartment. 23 Musical Theater Audition Songs for Tenors, 59 Best Musicals for High School: The Ultimate List, 21 Contemporary Legit Soprano Musical Theatre Songs. But can they possibly pull it off amidst the chaos of their surroundings? A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (US/UK)(Drama / 3f, 7m, 1 boy)Set on Chicagos South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. Dance Nation by Clare Barron (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 9f, 2m)Somewhere in America, an army of pre-teen competitive dancers plots to take over the world. Best Contemporary Monologues for Women 18-35 Lawrence Harbison has selected 100 terrific monologues for women from contemporary plays, all by characters between the ages of 18 and 35. They are guilt-stricken when this nearly breaks Idas heart. 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. A bittersweet play about dreams deferred, loves lost, and learning to trust a womans voice in a mans world. Its not uplifting the characters anger and bitterness jump off the page but its certainly illuminating. (In some cases, "allegedly" strong female characters -- see criticisms below.) She certainly exercises power over her husband, Macbeth, in the first half of the play, as she encourages him to murder Duncan. Despite the mixed reviews for Daddy, its an interesting and decidedly modern look at race and class conflicts in the world of art. The wildest part about the story is that its based in fact. Join 8,027 readers in helping fund MetaFilter. She uses her sexuality, she taunts him and mocks his lack of courage. Written by multiple award-winning playwright Jane Shepard. The Skin of Our Teeth by Thornton Wilder (US/UK)(Comedy / 4f, 4m)Meet George and Maggie Antrobus of Excelsior, New Jersey, a suburban commuter-town couple (married for 5,000 years); the two Antrobus children, Gladys (perfect in every way, of course) and Henry (who likes to throw rocks and was formerly known as Cain); and their garrulous maid, Sabina (the eternal seductress), who takes it upon herself to break out of character and interrupt the course of the drama at every opportunity (I dont understand a word of this play!). (You might recognize the characters; theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons.) The script is intentionally challenging, forcing readers and audience members to face issues of power and prejudice that have persisted through the centuries. Playwright: Nick Stafford, Michael MorpurgoLicensing: Oxford Playscripts. Top image courtesy A.D. Players at the George under CC BY-ND 2.0. In the years since, its become one of the most popular plays for high school and community theater groups. 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. Its bizarre but entertaining, though the revelation of the womens darkest secrets seems like an unnecessary addition to an already interesting show. Silent Sky- Lauren Gunderson (4w,1m) --Could double cast if you have more students. (And it doesnt stop there.) She's a model for all female journalists. Check out More Plays & Musicals for Strong Leading Women or browse the Concord Theatricals website in the US or UK. Uma Thurman is, for lack of a better word, totally badass. Since the men have failed the city, Mellie and the other women must become its saviors. Not paranormal, fantasy. But when shes called home to answer her mothers distress call about a marital crisis, Amandas grand plan starts to unravel. War Horse is about you guessed it a horse that goes to war. Continue with Recommended Cookies, Home Theater Musicals and Plays 51 Contemporary Plays Written After 2000. In 1859, an Irish playwright wrote a play (The Octoroon) about slavery in the United States; An Octoroon tells the story of a modern playwright trying to rewrite the original show. 23. End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter (US)(Drama / 1f, 3m)A musical drama of Judy Garland's "come-back" concerts Christmas 1968: with a six-week booking at London's Talk of the Town, it looks like Judy Garland is set firmly on the comeback trail. You might recognize Quiara Alegra Hudes name she wrote the book for the musical In the Heights. A film passes the Bechdel Test if it has: two named female characters. 25. Doubt: A Parable took home a Pulitzer in 2005; the Broadway production won a Tony the same year. My sister just played the lead in 'Other Desert Cities'. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. August Osage County is one of the most bracing and applauded contemporary plays in recent history. Robyn, also in her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start over. Both characters are fully fleshed-out with individual histories and viewpoints that make the dialogue even more meaningful. Some of these roles include Christine Collins on 'Changeling,' who doesn't give up fighting to find her missing son, and Evelyn Salt in 'Salt,' who is not just physically strong but emotionally resilient as well. Okoye "Black Panther" (2018) Image via Marvel Studios. 14. Because it feels like this is Wendy Wasserstein's bag. Playwright: Rajiv JosephLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. The play is set at a Catskills resort in 1960, where the widowed Eva Adler is vacationing with her 20-year-old daughter, Lili. As the (worldly and un-) personalities clash, Charles current wife, Ruth, is accidentally killed, passes over, joins Elvira, and the two blithe spirits haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity. After an unthinkable tragedy, the Corbetts struggle to survive, each on their own way. Complex psychological and philosophical ideas about the nature of consciousness are explored here, but it is the Major's badass fighting that makes this cyberpunk thriller such a delight. About the story rings disconcertingly true for modern day in a mans world she wrote the book for the in... The announcement of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited girls. In some cases, & quot ; ( 2018 ) image via Marvel Studios plays by women,... And learning to trust a womans voice in a mans world parents meet, purportedly resolve! 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