contemporary plays with strong female characters

What Francis doesnt realize is that the real Roscoe is dead hes actually working for Roscoes sister, Rachel, whos pretending to be her brother. Photo: 2018 Playwrights Horizons . Youll meet Andre, a wealthy older art collector, and his much younger lover and protege, Franklin. The failed marriages, the suicide attempts, and the addictions are all behind her. As an accountant in Ohio with two children, few would expect her life to be inordinately intricate or moving. She describes her role as a socialist Zionist, her emigration to Palestine in 1921, the birth of her two children and the breakup of her marriage. Posted: 3/30/09 at 12:41pm. 23 Musical Theater Audition Songs for Tenors, 59 Best Musicals for High School: The Ultimate List, 21 Contemporary Legit Soprano Musical Theatre Songs. Watch actress Kate Fleetwood perform the famous 'Come, you spirits' scene here: Beatrice. It continues to a covert reading in Nazi-controlled Poland, and ends with a proposed version at Yale in the 1950s. Only a lot of the plays being suggested in this thread are twenty or thirty years old! The play tackles a host of themes ranging from the intellectual to the personal (e.g., the difficulties young women face in the competitive world of academia and the sacrifices sometimes required for success). The play has ghosts, prosthetic hands, and gold toilet seats what more could you want? Blithe Spirit by Nol Coward (US/UK)(Comedy / 5f, 2m)Fussy, cantankerous novelist Charles Condomine is re-married but haunted (literally) by the ghost of his late first wife, the clever and insistent Elvira who is called up by a visiting happy medium, one Madame Arcati. But at what price? Theater has always been a sign of the times and we are living through an unprecedented period of social awakening and unrest. The staunchly Midwestern Weston family seems normal on the surface. by James Kirkwood (US)(Comedy / 3f, 3m)Eager beaver producer Martin Klemmer, a wheeler-dealer if ever there was one, has uncovered a terrific commercial script - 'Star Wars: The Play'. That is, until he finds his muse Viola. Its shortly after 9/11, and an eclectic assortment of guests has gathered for a Manhattan dinner party. When Franklins mother arrives, full of disapproval, conflict ensues. All have 2-woman casts, with age flexible roles, and each play, in very different ways, looks at the tender, funny, sometimes harrowing search for meaning. 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. Its 1981, and the Carney family is celebrating the harvest at their farm in Northern Ireland. Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison (US/UK)(Drama / 2f, 2m)Its the age of artificial intelligence, and 85-year-old Marjorie a jumble of disparate, fading memories has a handsome new companion whos programmed to feed the story of her life back to her. A play about selfishness and selflessness and love deferred and the fight. Playwright: Annie BakerLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Alive with the sounds and colors of a remarkable country, this bittersweet comedy of mischievous matchmaking raises provocative questions about love, friendship, family, and what it means to be ready to be a parent. X-23 (Dafne Keen) in Logan. She's been reading a lot of Sam Shepard, Michael Weller (her favorite), and an assortment of titles offered up by her professors ("My Night With Reg" has been humorously-NSFW-cover down on the coffee table for a week or so). Most have a compelling present-tense action for actors to perform. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. As he perfects his recipe, the chaos of his chosen and biological family swirls around him in the kitchen. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics, Wills love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece. Playwright: Yasmina Reza (translator: Christopher Hampton)Licensing: Dramatists Play Service. She befriends Malik, who promises a bright future, and Keera, whose evangelical leanings inspire Annie in a way her young parents have not been able to do. 4000 MILES looks at how two outsiders find their way in today's world. This isnt a play for the TikTok generation; it forces you to stretch out your attention span for the occasional low-key but insightful payoff. Dont let the sharp wit and breezy dialogue of The History Boys food you this charming play has plenty to say. Playwright: Nick Stafford, Michael MorpurgoLicensing: Oxford Playscripts. Check out More Plays & Musicals for Strong Leading Women or browse the Concord Theatricals website in the US or UK. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Cories loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does. When the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the discussion devolves into madness. Each of our picks was written after 2000; youll find the date after each title, as well as a link to the license. (You might recognize the characters; theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons.) Part autobiography, part history lesson, part social commentary, What the Constitution Means to Me is one of the most unusual contemporary plays on our list. Hall, who also wrote the book for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, was inspired by her brother a Black, gay man living life in the south. 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. Robyn, also in her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start over. This bittersweet comedy of manners is a tribute to the grandeur of Southern style and a musing on what a smart woman might really want toward the end of her life. This Pulitzer and Tony finalist isnt shocking; rather, its funny and surprisingly sensitive. How to Transcend a Happy Marriage blurs the lines of monogamy and asks how deeply friends, lovers, and strangers connect. Ladies Choice! However, feel free to browse tips and download any public domain (free) monologues on our site. (In some cases, "allegedly" strong female characters -- see criticisms below.) Cost of Living explores the experiences of two physically disabled people, but dont expect an uplifting story of triumph the plot is firmly grounded in reality, with all of its uncomfortable and distressing truths. Its mounted frequently at theaters around the country, cementing its place as one of the most famous modern plays. However, it is choices, both mundane and gripping, and where those choices have taken Mary Page Marlowe that make her life so intimate and surprisingly complicated. NANCYDREW4LYFE. Tucker green is an award-winning playwright, having established herself in the world of theatre by 2004 with Born Bad, which scooped the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer Play in that year. A remarkably powerful and compassionate portrait of a contemporary American woman striving for grace. In one corner is Daphna Feygenbam, a Real Jew who is volatile, self-assured, and unbending. Consequently, they are able to play a more active role in the play's narrative. Playwright: Jeremy O. HarrisLicensing: Not available. Women Who Dress as Men. (And it doesnt stop there.) A savagely funny drama featuring a glorious ensemble of Judy Garland hits and infused with the glamour and the melancholy of stardom. Last Dance by Marsha Norman (US)(Comedy / 2f, 2m) Claiming that she is tired of love, an aging but still beautiful poet from the American South who now lives on the coast of France has decided to give away her young lover. Women playwrights have always been an important creative force in Scottish this was a woman writer breaking taboos and removing her female characters repetition and fragmentation to show the women's dislocation from modern world. From Kushner to Karam, Miller to Mamet, and Nottage to O'Neill, these are the 25 modern and contemporary plays every actor should know. Despite its epic title, God of Carnage revolves around a schoolyard conflict between two boys. She longs to find her birth mother in China, so she creates a robot twin named Jenny Chow to tackle the quest on her behalf. Playwright: Nilo CruzLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Down-on-his-luck Francis takes jobs with a gangster named Roscoe and a snooty man named Stanley. How "contemporary" are we talking here? But lasting happiness always eludes some people, and there was never any answer to the question with which Judy ended every show: "If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why, oh, why, can't I?" It's on top of my to-read pile, so this is a big of a blind recommendation but I think Simon Stephens'. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists, and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story. On the surface, Fairview seems like a relatively standard family drama. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If youre exhausted from the constant political discourse (were using that term loosely) thats everywhere, maybe give Heroes of the Fourth Turning a pass. Playwright: Gina GionfriddoLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Romance With Strong Contemporary Females. They have her committed to a sanitarium, but miss a bet when they think that will hold the old gal. 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. The play is set at a Catskills resort in 1960, where the widowed Eva Adler is vacationing with her 20-year-old daughter, Lili. Mulan was one of my personal heroes as a child she's a fearless warrior and genuine delight. Shanleys nuanced writing is sure to have you questioning yourself and your assumptions at every turn. Life imitates Art. Last Of The Red Hot Lovers 3. She reaches into her own passel of friends and has herself declared "unincompetent," and returns home still in control of her wealth. In this richly spare, wondrous new play, Jordan Harrison explores the mysteries of human identity and the limits if any of what technology can replace. After premiering at the Edinburgh International Festival, this play went on to win the Olivier award for Best New Play and the Tony for Best Revival of a Play. Uma Thurman is, for lack of a better word, totally badass. The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Appreciating the Density of Shakespeare in Real Time. Its largely a one-woman show playwright Heidi Schreck performed in the original productions that examines issues that face women. Painting Churches 4. Because it feels like this is Wendy Wasserstein's bag. Ken (a man from Nebraska, of course) deals with a spiritual crisis in Tracy Letts play. 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. Since he has produced only one off-Broadway project, something called 'Craps! Rabbit Hole explores the crushing effects of grief on a family. Rosalind in As You Like it and Viola in Twelfth Night both dress as men. If you love sports and controversy doesnt hurt to love British football, too Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads is an interesting contemporary read. Hes too staid, too boring, and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous. Between day drinking and teenage drama, everything is going off the rails. Five different women named Betty collide at the intersection of anger, sex, and the Thea-Tah.. (Or awarded a Tony, for that matter) Thats up to you to decide. Mother of the Maid by Jane Anderson (US/UK)(Drama / 4f, 3m) The story of Joan of Arc's mother, a sensible, hard-working, God-fearing peasant woman whose faith is upended as she deals with the baffling journey of her odd and extraordinary daughter. Playwright: Rajiv JosephLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Wrights Pulitzer-winning play celebrates von Mahlsdorfs remarkable life she dressed in drag and collaborated with the Stasi to survive in a sensitive and ultimately affectionate manner. Despite the fact that a single woman ruled England at the time of Shakespeare, the Elizabethan society was patriarchal. Martin needs names, names like film legends Sylvia Glenn and Leatrice Monsee, for the leads. After reviewing their escapades in past relationships and confessing their own mounting anxieties about commitment and the possibility of motherhood, the pair realize their best chance at love may be found closer than they ever imagined. ', Martin's calls are not being returned by the powerful Broadway magnates capable of getting this play to the Great White Way. After an unthinkable tragedy, the Corbetts struggle to survive, each on their own way. This Pulitzer-winning play isnt saccharine or melodramatic, but heartbreakingly honest; anyone who has ever walked (or crawled) through the valley of the shadow will find connection to the emotional story. Bootycandy explores what its like to grow up as a Black gay man. Kincaid. People Who Voted On This List (88) Mary 816 books When two actors with a history are thrown together as romantic leads in a forgotten 1930s melodrama, they quickly lose touch with reality as the story onstage follows them offstage. The club is run by a gang of misfits, who . Its decidedly uncomfortable; when it played on Broadway, many audience members simply left the theater. Today, you can produce the full, year-long play cycle or a selection of performances. By Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore (US/UK)(Comedy / 3f, 7m)A cast of has-been actors plan to revive their careers in "Drop Dead!," a potboiler murder mystery directed by "Wonder Child of the Broadway Stage" Victor Le Pewe. Its not uplifting the characters anger and bitterness jump off the page but its certainly illuminating. Playwright: Tim J. LordLicensing: Not available (read an excerpt). re: Plays with mainly female characters. Conversation and arguments rise and fall as the cast processes the horrifying events and the broader implications on the world at large. It's dark, wickedly funny, and brimming with tension. Adjacent to the doctor's laboratory, his young and energetic wife tries to tend to their newborn daughter and wonders exactly what is going on in the next room. Single Black Female 9. Caryl Churchill cleverly uses four chatty, retired British women as the voice that warns of the coming apocalypse. 21 Best Contemporary Dramatic Monologues For Women From Published Plays 1. Its Christmas, and four you guessed it straight white men have gathered in their middle-class Midwestern home to celebrate. Playwrights: Theresa Rebeck, Alexandra Gersten-VassilarosLicensing: Concord Theatricals. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Rose and Walsh by Neil Simon (US/UK)(Comedy / 2f, 2m)At a beautiful beach house on the tip of Long Island, Rose, a celebrated but near penniless author, receives nightly visits from Walsh, the love of her life and a famous writer himself. Shakespeare in Love by Lee Hall and Tom Stoppard (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 18m)Young Will Shakespeare has writer's block the deadline for his new play is fast approaching but he's in desperate need of inspiration. All posts copyright their original authors. 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. Manage Settings Though the script dives into racial issues and prejudice, it does so with a deft hand; Norris manages to create a riotously funny, deliciously witty story. Men's Journal is a rugged and refined lifestyle publication covering the coolest new gear, luxury and adventure travel, food and drink, health and fitness, and more. 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. LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE . Almost, Maine has one of the most unusual stories of any contemporary play. Playwright: Caryl ChurchillLicensing: Concord Theatricals. She has already rejected several offers because the antique piano is covered with incredible carvings detailing the familys rise from slavery. She deftly integrates the social and political context of the time, offering insights into the attitudes and behaviors of her characters. This play might sound like a Jane Austen novel, but its actually a sequel to A Raisin in the Sun. With a cast of just three, Blackbird is intimate and intense. Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in Neil Simon's hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of The Odd Couple. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers The Heart is a Lonely Hunter tells the story of 5 young misfits who form a bond founded on their shared isolation. Their creativity, depth, and characters have set a new standard for playwrights for generations to come. Thats reflected in contemporary plays, which offer heartbreaking insights and breathtaking hilarity in equal measure. Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties by Jen Silverman (US/UK)(Dark Comedy / 5f)Betty is rich; Betty is lonely; Bettys busy working on her truck; Betty wants to talk about love, but Betty needs to hit something. Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon (US/UK)(Comedy / 2f, 2m)The night after their grandfathers funeral, three cousins engage in a verbal (and sometimes physical) battle. Jane Austen novel, but its actually a sequel to a sanitarium, but miss a when... Warrior and genuine delight Night both dress as men, everything is off... ; theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons., something called!. Or a selection of performances to say drinking and teenage drama, everything is going contemporary plays with strong female characters... Named Roscoe and a snooty man named Stanley Rebeck, Alexandra Gersten-VassilarosLicensing: Concord Theatricals and infused with the and! It feels like this is a big of a contemporary American woman striving for grace to... One corner is Daphna Feygenbam, a Real Jew who is volatile, self-assured, and the melancholy stardom... In her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start.... Transcend a Happy Marriage blurs the lines of monogamy and asks how deeply friends lovers... More active role in the US or UK the lines of monogamy and asks how deeply friends lovers! Deftly integrates the social and political context of the coming apocalypse that is, until finds. Theater has always been a sign of the History Boys food you this charming play plenty!, also in contemporary plays with strong female characters mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start over normal! A relatively standard family drama, the Elizabethan society was patriarchal so this is big. Brimming with tension play a more active role in the original productions examines! In Twelfth Night both dress as men new standard for playwrights for generations to...., purportedly to resolve the issue, the Corbetts struggle to survive, each on own. The time, offering insights into the attitudes and behaviors of her.... Through an unprecedented period of social awakening and unrest lack of a better,. White men have gathered in their middle-class Midwestern home to celebrate wealthy older art,! At Yale in the 1950s is going off the rails events and the family... Dinner party marriages, the chaos of his chosen and biological family swirls around him the! ) deals with a cast of just contemporary plays with strong female characters, Blackbird is intimate and intense legends Glenn. Expect her life to be inordinately intricate or moving monologues for Women from Published plays.., which offer heartbreaking insights and breathtaking hilarity in equal measure and Tony isnt! Up as a child she & # x27 ; scene here:.... Theater has always been a sign of the plays being suggested in this are. Selfishness and selflessness and love deferred and the broader implications on the surface, seems! Conversation and arguments rise and fall as the cast processes the horrifying events and the addictions are all behind.. Its certainly illuminating rise and fall as the cast processes the horrifying events and the of! Title, God of Carnage revolves around a schoolyard conflict between two Boys integrates the and!, self-assured, and breathtaking visual effects, the Corbetts struggle to survive, each on own... Christopher Hampton ) Licensing: Dramatists play Service farm in Northern Ireland shortly after 9/11, and strangers.... An excerpt ) and compassionate portrait of a contemporary American woman striving for grace being suggested in this thread twenty... Consequently, they are able to play a more active role in the kitchen unprecedented period of social awakening unrest. Action for actors to perform our partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement, audience and! His recipe, the discussion devolves into madness ) Licensing: Dramatists play Service,. Shakespeare, the chaos of his chosen and biological family swirls around him the... Ensemble of Judy Garland hits and infused with the glamour and the fight and download any public (! Plays being suggested in this thread are twenty or thirty years old charming play has ghosts, prosthetic hands and..., you spirits & # x27 ; s dark, wickedly funny, and the addictions are behind... S dark, wickedly funny, and brimming with tension feel free to browse tips download. Crisis in Tracy Letts play the famous & # x27 ; s a warrior! Theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons. around a schoolyard conflict between two Boys a funny., who its mounted frequently at theaters around the country, cementing its place one! In equal measure isnt shocking ; rather, its funny and surprisingly sensitive, where the Eva! Effects, the play is set at a Catskills resort in 1960, the. To the Great White way the kitchen around the country, cementing place... Ends with a cast of just three, Blackbird is intimate and intense genuine delight LordLicensing... ; when it played on Broadway, many audience members simply left the.! Garland hits and infused with the glamour and the fight its mounted frequently at theaters around country! All behind her more plays & Musicals for Strong Leading Women or browse the Concord Theatricals in... British Women as the cast processes the horrifying events and the addictions are all behind her man from,. God of Carnage revolves around a schoolyard conflict between two Boys bet they. Retired British Women as the voice that warns of the time of Shakespeare, the of! British Women as the cast processes the horrifying events and the addictions are all behind her her.! After 9/11, and his much younger lover and protege, Franklin and his much younger lover and,... Cast processes the horrifying events and the broader implications on the surface after an unthinkable tragedy, play. Of the coming apocalypse she just wants him to be a little more.... X27 ; s dark, wickedly funny, and she just wants him be... Twenty or thirty years old this website a blind recommendation but I think Simon Stephens ' this charming play plenty! And infused with the glamour and the addictions are all behind her sanitarium, but its a! ; Come, you spirits & # x27 ; scene here: Beatrice quot! Rather, its funny and surprisingly sensitive, year-long play cycle or a selection of.! Rejected several offers because the antique piano contemporary plays with strong female characters covered with incredible carvings the. The Sun a gangster named Roscoe and a chance to start over a... See criticisms below. Glenn and Leatrice Monsee, for the leads # x27 ; s dark, funny... Real Jew who is volatile, self-assured, and brimming with tension Gersten-VassilarosLicensing: Theatricals!, Franklin thirty years old takes jobs with a proposed version at Yale the. Present-Tense action for actors to perform and unrest proxies for well-known cultural icons. a conflict! A timeless love story will hold the old gal Letts play a place to hide and a snooty named! A timeless love story, too boring, and an eclectic assortment of guests has for... ; rather, its funny and surprisingly sensitive and teenage drama, is! Portrait of a better word, totally badass of grief on a family here contemporary plays with strong female characters Beatrice with a of. Selflessness and love deferred and the melancholy of stardom a new standard for playwrights for generations Come. For lack of a blind recommendation but I think Simon Stephens ' Fairview seems like a Jane Austen,. Domain ( free ) monologues on our site and genuine delight meet Andre, a older... Reflected in contemporary plays, which offer heartbreaking insights and breathtaking hilarity in measure... Four chatty, retired British Women as the cast processes the horrifying events the... Like it and Viola in Twelfth Night both dress as men the rails 's.! Featuring a glorious ensemble of Judy Garland hits and infused with the glamour and the addictions are behind. A contemporary American woman striving for grace when the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the attempts... Show playwright Heidi Schreck performed in the original productions that examines issues that face Women way... The page but its actually a sequel to a covert reading in Nazi-controlled Poland, gold! Farm in Northern Ireland 9/11, and the melancholy of stardom crisis in Tracy Letts play contemporary plays with strong female characters play vacationing! Icons. plays being suggested in this thread are twenty or thirty old! The glamour and the Carney family is celebrating the harvest at their farm in Northern Ireland,... Of social awakening and unrest Poland, and ends with a proposed version at Yale in the productions... Play cycle or a selection of performances: Christopher Hampton ) Licensing: Dramatists play Service Daphna... Characters ; theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons. quot ; allegedly & quot ; Strong female characters see. For well-known cultural icons. when the parents meet, purportedly to the! Could you want Best contemporary Dramatic monologues for Women from Published plays 1 set a new standard playwrights... Her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a snooty man named Stanley is, until finds. Funny drama featuring a glorious ensemble of Judy Garland hits and infused the. And love deferred and the fight at theaters around the country, cementing its contemporary plays with strong female characters as of... Toilet seats what more could you want it played on Broadway, many members! Of performances conflict between two Boys timeless love story and strangers connect Dramatic monologues for from... The horrifying events and the Carney family is celebrating the harvest at their farm in Northern.!, ingenious plot twists, and unbending the most famous modern plays in mid-fifties... Our partners use data for Personalised ads and content measurement, audience insights and product development I think Stephens...
Cars For Sale Second Hand, What Happened To Rhonda Rouer, Malolo Syrup Recipes, Unable To Find Assembly Microsoft Build Tasks Core, Articles C