Open Forum

Hello,

Since it's difficult to read lots of contemporary plays (not many in libraries, so one must find them and then buy the scripts), I wonder if we could give recommendations of contemporary (let's say written in the past 20 years) plays that you enjoy.  I'll start, but I have to say that all of these recommendations are for mature high school audiences, PG or PG-13.

Girls Like That by Evan Placey (large female cast about bullying and being a woman)

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley (horror play about the dangers of video games-large cast)

Dead Man's Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl (another technology play, but magical realism)

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (a D and D fantasy about high school and love and family)

These Shining Lives by Melanie March (based on the women who painted the radium watches in the 1920's)

DNA by Dennis Kelly (a group of teens do a terrible thing -- today's Lord of the Flies)

Kid Simple by Jordan Harrison (a fantasy about sound)

Tigers Be Still by Kim Rosenstock (5 person cast about depression)

Elemeno Pea by Molly Smith Metzler (5 person cast about class and family)

End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer (5 person cast about religion and science and family)

Servant of Two Masters -- Adaptation by Oded Gross (of course this is not a new play, but Oded's adaptation for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a great one -- and it's a large cast comedy, something we all look for)

What are some of your favorites?

Not sure how useful it is for a school setting (small cast, mature themes), but John Patrick Shanley's Doubt was one of the best reads I can remember in years.  I directed a community theatre production a few years ago, and it was a great piece.  

Hello,

Since it's difficult to read lots of contemporary plays (not many in libraries, so one must find them and then buy the scripts), I wonder if we could give recommendations of contemporary (let's say written in the past 20 years) plays that you enjoy.  I'll start, but I have to say that all of these recommendations are for mature high school audiences, PG or PG-13.

Girls Like That by Evan Placey (large female cast about bullying and being a woman)

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley (horror play about the dangers of video games-large cast)

Dead Man's Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl (another technology play, but magical realism)

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (a D and D fantasy about high school and love and family)

These Shining Lives by Melanie March (based on the women who painted the radium watches in the 1920's)

DNA by Dennis Kelly (a group of teens do a terrible thing -- today's Lord of the Flies)

Kid Simple by Jordan Harrison (a fantasy about sound)

Tigers Be Still by Kim Rosenstock (5 person cast about depression)

Elemeno Pea by Molly Smith Metzler (5 person cast about class and family)

End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer (5 person cast about religion and science and family)

Servant of Two Masters -- Adaptation by Oded Gross (of course this is not a new play, but Oded's adaptation for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a great one -- and it's a large cast comedy, something we all look for)

What are some of your favorites?

Hello,

Since it's difficult to read lots of contemporary plays (not many in libraries, so one must find them and then buy the scripts), I wonder if we could give recommendations of contemporary (let's say written in the past 20 years) plays that you enjoy.  I'll start, but I have to say that all of these recommendations are for mature high school audiences, PG or PG-13.

Girls Like That by Evan Placey (large female cast about bullying and being a woman)

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley (horror play about the dangers of video games-large cast)

Dead Man's Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl (another technology play, but magical realism)

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (a D and D fantasy about high school and love and family)

These Shining Lives by Melanie March (based on the women who painted the radium watches in the 1920's)

DNA by Dennis Kelly (a group of teens do a terrible thing -- today's Lord of the Flies)

Kid Simple by Jordan Harrison (a fantasy about sound)

Tigers Be Still by Kim Rosenstock (5 person cast about depression)

Elemeno Pea by Molly Smith Metzler (5 person cast about class and family)

End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer (5 person cast about religion and science and family)

Servant of Two Masters -- Adaptation by Oded Gross (of course this is not a new play, but Oded's adaptation for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a great one -- and it's a large cast comedy, something we all look for)

What are some of your favorites?

These are plays I've read recently and loved, though they definitely would qualify as at least PG-13, I think. The last 5 are a little more school-appropriate language-wise, I think -- I directed "The Five Hysterical Girls Theorem" at my school and LOVED working on that show.

Katori Hall, "Our Lady of Kibeho"

Dominique Morrisseau, "Detroit '67" (also "Skeleton Crew," which I saw, didn't read)

Tracy Letts, "Mary Page Marlowe"

Amy Herzog, "The Great God Pan"

Edwin Sanchez, "Unmerciful Good Fortune"

Julia Cho, "The Language Archive"

Tanika Gupta, "The Empress" (set in 1887)

Helen Edmundson, "The Heresy of Love" (about Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz)

Jessica Swale, "Blue Stockings" (set 1890s)

Rinne Groff, "The Five Hysterical Girls Theorem" (set in 1911)

If you're interested in something a little more experimental/non-linear…

Jenny Schwartz, "God's Ear"

VERY school-appropriate (have directed at my school):

Barton Bishop, "Things Fall (Meanwhile)"

Lindsay-Abaire, "Snow Angel"

These are plays I've seen, rather than read, but they have great scripts:

Dominique Morisseau, "Skeleton Crew"

Tarell Alvin McCraney, "The Brother/Sister Plays" triology

Liz Duffy Adams, "Or" (about Aphra Behn)

Lolita Chakrabarti, "Red Velvet" (set in 1800s)

Hello,

Since it's difficult to read lots of contemporary plays (not many in libraries, so one must find them and then buy the scripts), I wonder if we could give recommendations of contemporary (let's say written in the past 20 years) plays that you enjoy.  I'll start, but I have to say that all of these recommendations are for mature high school audiences, PG or PG-13.

Girls Like That by Evan Placey (large female cast about bullying and being a woman)

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley (horror play about the dangers of video games-large cast)

Dead Man's Cell Phone by Sarah Ruhl (another technology play, but magical realism)

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen (a D and D fantasy about high school and love and family)

These Shining Lives by Melanie March (based on the women who painted the radium watches in the 1920's)

DNA by Dennis Kelly (a group of teens do a terrible thing -- today's Lord of the Flies)

Kid Simple by Jordan Harrison (a fantasy about sound)

Tigers Be Still by Kim Rosenstock (5 person cast about depression)

Elemeno Pea by Molly Smith Metzler (5 person cast about class and family)

End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer (5 person cast about religion and science and family)

Servant of Two Masters -- Adaptation by Oded Gross (of course this is not a new play, but Oded's adaptation for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a great one -- and it's a large cast comedy, something we all look for)

What are some of your favorites?