Open Forum

 View Only
Back to discussions
Expand all | Collapse all

Mostly Female Character Play

  • 1.  Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-14-2019 11:39
    Hello,

    I am still undecided about my fall play. I am considering "Radium Girls" but I would need a companion piece to go along with it as it's too short. Does anyone have recommendations for this or for another full-length play with mostly female characters. We did "Decision Height" last year and it was quite successful.

    ------------------------------
    Jennifer Jordan
    Director of Theater and Dance
    Miss Hall's School
    Pittsfield MA
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-14-2019 13:36

    Are you looking at the full length Radium Girls?  It's about a 2 hour run time, if memory serves:  https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/radium-girls

    We're doing These Shining Lives next year - same basic story, told in a different way.  The cast is significantly smaller though.



    ------------------------------
    Laura Steenson
    Theatre Director
    Reynolds High School
    Troutdale OR
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-14-2019 13:53
    Women and War
    Stage Door
    The Children's Hour
    Women of Lockerbie
    Trojan Women

    ------------------------------
    Scott Wilson
    Fine Arts Consultant
    Ohio Department of Education
    Columbus OH
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-15-2019 06:44
    I would take a look at Cynthia Mercati's To See the Stars! from Dramatic Publishing. We produced it and it was a very successful run. Sold out three out of four shows. 
    Playing time about 80 minutes. Excellent production, well written script detailing New York City's Shirtwaist Strike. The play offers audiences a historical account of women standing up for equal rights. Power piece for women as change agents. However, we also did Radium Girls and it is a great play, too.

    https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/to-see-the-stars





    ------------------------------
    William Dawson
    Professional Speech and Theatre Educator, Director
    Waterloo Community Schools
    Waterloo IA
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-15-2019 08:57
    Hi Jennifer,

    You must be looking at the one-act version of Radium Girls (Competition).  We produced it this past March and the run time was just about 2 hours.  The longer version has a different cover, as well.  The shorter version has a picture of the 3 women on cover.

    This is the version we did: https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/radium-girls

    ------------------------------
    Lynda Gibson
    Director
    Troupe 2829
    Flushing High School
    Junior Troupe 88305
    Flushing Middle School
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-15-2019 23:45
    I don't know what genre(s) or cast size you are considering, but the following mostly or all female casts come to mind:
    Who Will Carry the Word by Charlotte Delbo (20 females)
    Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling (6 females)
    Crimes of the Heart or The Miss Firecracker Contest by Beth Henley (both 2 males, 4 females)
    Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward (2 males, 5 females)
    Flowers for Algernon by David Rogers (8-10 males, 9-17 females)
    Play On! by Rick Abbot (3 males, 7 females)

    ------------------------------
    Susan Nieten
    Theatre Teacher, Spring Play Director, & Thespian Troupe Director at Noblesville High School (Noblesville, IN)

    Twitter: @mrsnieten
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-20-2019 16:08

    Recommended Reading for Girls by Ellen Struve

    https://www.ellenstruve.com/play-descriptions

    She wrote this play in direct response to the need for more roles for women.

    And it offers interesting feminist critiques of traditional heroines in girls' books.



    ------------------------------
    Michael Catron
    Lincoln NE
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-21-2019 07:50
    Hi there!
    In response to the all female play request, have you looked into the British repertoire? When I was in Drama school in London, we did Sarah Daniels The Gut Girls and Caryl Churchill’s Top Girls (which is currently in revival at The National Theatre). One if the best plays in the modern British repertoire which features female cast is Charlotte Keatley’s My Mother Said I Never Should. Charlotte is a friend of mine and a brilliant playwright and I’d love to see her work more in the American stage repertoire.
    The challenge with doing any of the modern British repertoire will be accent coaching, and the rhythm and cadence of the dialogue is often very tied to the authenticity of regional accent.
    Hope this gives some food for thought!
    Pamela

    Sent from my iPhone


    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-22-2019 08:45
    Thank you, Pamela. I will look at that play. I have "Gut Girls" and will be reading it shortly. I have done many plays in the British repertoire and will continue to do so as long as I have the budget to work with a dialect coach. I don't know if I will be able to do that this year because of possible extra costs for our musical.  There is always fundraising...



    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-23-2019 18:43
    Little Women
    Curious Savage


    Sent from my iPhone


    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-24-2019 08:38
    The odd couple female version.  only 2 guys and a very fun show.

    --
    Charles Puetzer
    Math Department
    Stage Manager
    Michigan City High School
    8466 W Pahs Road
    Michigan City, IN 46360
    (219) 873-2044, ext. 4360
    cpuetzer03@mcas.k12.in.us

    CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any attachments are for the exclusive and confidential use for the intended recipient. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, distribute or take action in reliance upon this message. If you have received this in error, please notify us immediately by return email and promptly delete this message and its attachments from your computer system. There is no waiver of attorney-client or other privilege by the transmission of this message.



    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-25-2019 15:40
    Just closed a very successful run of STAGE DOOR.  Wonderful and fun characters!

    ------------------------------
    Tiersa Ferraro
    Drama Director
    Delafield WI
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Mostly Female Character Play

    Posted 06-26-2019 16:08
    Failure: a Love Story by Philip Dawkins is so fun!

    ------------------------------
    Rachel Brady
    Theatre Teacher and Outreach Coordinator
    Performing Institute of Minnesota
    Eden Prairie MN
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


Related Content