Open Forum

 View Only
Back to discussions
Expand all | Collapse all

TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

  • 1.  TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-14-2020 18:42
    Hey everyone! 

    I'm looking for Two person contemporary scenes that are your favorite!

    I am thinking of doing a unit where the students perform scenes from mostly late 20th and 21st century plays that  the students should know. I'm expecting to need to use some from earlier eras as well. 

    Scenes I have in mind so far. I'm really early in the process so it's all over the place. I started writing specific scenes I had in mind but than started to realize I don't have time. Any thoughts would be great on other plays and scenes! Again I would like to keep it to scenes from good plays not just plays that have good scenes. 
        
         Proof .   
                      Hal and Catherine
                      Catherine and Claire

        Cripple of Inishmaan 
                      Billy and Helen 
                      Bartley and Helen

      Scenes from 
     
       The Normal Heart
       The Flick 
       Waiting for Lefty
       A Streetcar Named Desire
       The Glass Managerie


    ------------------------------
    Brendan Moser
    Theatre Teacher
    West Chester PA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-15-2020 07:16
    Look at Almost Maine. The entire play is built of two person scenes.

    ------------------------------
    Ron Sopyla
    Beacon NY
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-20-2020 14:15
    Thank you!

    ------------------------------
    Brendan Moser
    Theatre Teacher
    West Chester PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-15-2020 08:07
    The Christians by Lucas Hnath is entirely two person scenes (and wonderful!). Bellwether by Steve Yockey and The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh have quite a few as well, though there is some language in both. My Advanced Drama classes have worked on all three and have loved all of them.

    ------------------------------
    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-20-2020 14:17
    I will check out 'The Christians' I didn't realize it had a lot of those, that's great! Thank you! Funnily enough, I picked up Bellwether earlier this year, I didn't get a chance to go through it, I definitely will. Thank you!

    ------------------------------
    Brendan Moser
    Theatre Teacher
    West Chester PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-15-2020 08:26

    I'm a big fan of what I call the "popsicle scene" in Margaret Edson's Wit - Vivian and Susie discussing Vivian's code status for resuscitation.  It's a strong two-woman scene with lots of subtext to play, and not at all maudlin (though Vivian immediately breaks the fourth wall to complain that it is).

    Joe and Sunny have a terrific "meet-cute" encounter in Act I, Scene 3 of Alfred Uhry's The Last Night of Ballyhoo.  That play and Uhry's Driving Miss Daisy both have a number of good two-character scenes.  From Daisy, I love to use the scene where Hoke asks Boolie for a raise when I teach tactics and strategies - what Hoke does is ingenious and subtle, and it's cool how Boolie only gradually catches on to it.

    August Wilson's Fences has some very good two-character scenes, particularly the one where Rose challenges Troy about his affair, and the one where Cory stands up to Troy and nearly clocks him with a baseball bat.



    ------------------------------
    Jeff Grove
    Theatre Teacher, Aesthetics Department Chair
    Stanton College Preparatory School
    Jacksonville FL
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-15-2020 09:48
    Yes, Wit! There's a few other scenes in it that are two person as well. One of my favorite plays!

    ------------------------------
    Ken Buswell
    Drama Teacher
    Peachtree City, GA
    http://mcintoshtheater.org/

    Theater kills ignorance
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-20-2020 14:20
    Thank you so much! I will definitely check those out.

    ------------------------------
    Brendan Moser
    Theatre Teacher
    West Chester PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-15-2020 10:10
    I really like both Collected Stories by Donald Margulies and Matt and Ben by Mindy Kaling. Both are 2 women shows with rich characters.

    ------------------------------
    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-15-2020 12:01
    Great idea for a unit! The more we can get kids reading whole plays - the better. Here are a few that I'd recommend (recognizing that content can be an issue for some schools/districts). 

    None of the Above by Jenny Lyn Bader
    Playscripts Outstanding Short Plays, Volume 3 has several short plays that are great for high schoolers
    I and You by Lauren Gunderson is a MUST for high schoolers
    Anything by Kate Hammill

    Have fun with your unit.


    ------------------------------
    Suzanne Maguire
    Associate Director,
    Lewis & Clark Tiger Drama
    WA State Thespian Board
    Spokane, WA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-16-2020 08:15
    Popsicle Scene from Wit (or one of the scenes towards the end of the play between Susie and Jason).
    Rosalie/Mary, Joe/Karen, or Martha/Karen from The Children's Hour
    Pretty much any scene from Rabbit Hole. The opening scene would be good for two actresses, you could use one of the scenes between the couple, the scene between the mother and her daughter, the scene between the husband and his sister-in-law, options from that play are kind of endless.
    There's a funny scene between Corie and Paul from Barefoot in the Park
    A bunch of good two-person scenes all throughout Brighton Beach Memoirs (Eugene/Stanley, Stanley/Jack, Nora/Blanche).

    ------------------------------
    Sadie Andros
    Theatre Director
    Lewes DE
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-20-2020 10:43
    Just saw a production of Gruesome Playground Injuries. There are some good 1M-1F scenes.  some language and adult content in some of the scenes, but good material 



    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-20-2020 14:26
    Thank you Sadie!  These are some great ideas, I'll check them out!!

    ------------------------------
    Brendan Moser
    Theatre Teacher
    West Chester PA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: TWO-PERSON CONTEMPORARY SCENES

    Posted 01-16-2020 11:47
    Not sure if they count as "should know" works, but I'm personally a fan of using Check, Please and the subsequent plays by Jonathan Rand for simple duets. I also have pulled from Baby with the Bathwater by Christopher Durang, but some of those can toe the line a bit, so proceed with caution!

    ------------------------------
    Sharkey Andrews
    Teacher, Special Education | Artistic Director, Theatre
    DC Public Schools
    Washington DC
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content