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This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

I'm not sure if the cast size you are looking for but a powerful play that I read freshman year of college while in the theater program was Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive. I have provided a link to a  synopsis of the play below:

https://www.enotes.com/topics/how-learned-drive/in-depth#in-depth-the-play

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Waleksa Mendoza
Drama Teacher
San Bruno CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Look at 110 Stories by Sarah Tuft. It's a script I wish I could do but, because of language issues, can't.  :^(
It's a very intense 9/11 piece that you can get at Playscripts

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

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

If they're mature enough, Five Kinds of Silence. Lots of work to be done on the characters, and lots of reserch into the issues can be done as well. Five Kinds of Silence

Samuelfrench		remove preview
Five Kinds of Silence This highly-acclaimed stage version of the 1996 radio play is the'story of a family in which control has become the driving force. Billy, himself abused as a child, has sexually abused his two daughters since their early teens. Published in a two play volume with The Memory of Water. View this on Samuelfrench >

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

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

The Dream of the Burning Boy is intense. Set in a high school. Great subtext and very emotional. I saw the Roundabout's production with Reed Birney.

http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=4318


---------------------------------
Daniel Barrett
Theater Director
Faith West Academy
Katy, TX
---------------------------------



Original Message:
Sent: 4/13/2017 1:38:08 PM
From: buswell.ken@mail.fcboe.org
Subject: RE: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

If they're mature enough, Five Kinds of Silence. Lots of work to be done on the characters, and lots of reserch into the issues can be done as well. Five Kinds of Silence

Samuelfrench		remove preview
Five Kinds of Silence This highly-acclaimed stage version of the 1996 radio play is the'story of a family in which control has become the driving force. Billy, himself abused as a child, has sexually abused his two daughters since their early teens. Published in a two play volume with The Memory of Water. View this on Samuelfrench >

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

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

These are "intense" plays (dark, non-comedies) with few or no R-Rated language issues.  I've performed some as one-act competition pieces and/or used monologues and scenes for class projects.  My students responded well and enjoyed exploring the broader range of acting challenges these presented.

Time On Fire by Tim Mason - a series of inter-weaving plots about young people during the Revolutionary War.

The Dining Room by A. R. Gurney - two and three person scenes set in a dining room in different time periods.  Can be useful if you need flexible casting.  Some scenes are comedic, but the overall effect is nostalgic and very moving.

Playing for Time by Arthur Miller - True story of the female musicians at Auschwitz forced to play for their Nazi captors.  Also made into a TV movie starring Vanessa Redgrave.

Spinning Into Butter by Rebecca Gilman - Tells the story of how racism and political correctness exacerbate tensions at a small college.

Radium Girls by D W Gregory - a popular one-act for competition but also available in full-length.  True story of how corporate greed, sexism and lack of oversight brought about the deaths of young factory girls.  Great roles for male and female actors.

------------------------------
Josh Ruben
Fine Arts Head, Northwest Whitfield HS
Tunnel Hill, GA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Is language an issue? If not, one of the most intense and powerful pieces I've ever worked on with young people is the play columbinus by Steve Karam and P.J. Paparelli.  It's about the Columbine shootings and the second act in particular is a docu-drama. Amazing and powerful piece, but requires some very brave young actors and a very progressive community. 
http://www.dramaticpublishing.com/columbinus

On a similar note you might look at The Laramie Project. It's been very popular with high schools for quite a while and with good cause.  Again a docudrama, this time dealing with the death of Matthew Shepherd and it's aftermath. 
http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=295

------------------------------
John Monteverde
Drama Teacher
Pittsfield High School
Pittsfield, MA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Thank you all for your suggestions so far, we are checking a few of those out already.  Language is not an issue as this will be a student opt-in show with parent permission for content.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Math Instructor/Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

True West or Buried Child by Sam Shepard, both very intense family dramas. 

Gruesome Playground Injuries. I forget the playwright (sorry!)

Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar. Totally intense, religion/Islam, identity crisis, infidelity, rocks. His follow up The Who and the What is also pretty intense. 

The Submission is also brilliant. Lots about race. Jeff Talbot. 

The Scene by Theresa Rebeck
Seminar, also by Theresa Rebeck. Both great fun with lots of character delving possible. 

Can't think of any other plays beginning with 's' right now...

------------------------------
Phillip Goodchild
Theatre Arts Instructor/Assistant Department Head of English
Ruskin FL
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-14-2017 17:22
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

Thank you all for your suggestions so far, we are checking a few of those out already.  Language is not an issue as this will be a student opt-in show with parent permission for content.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Math Instructor/Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge(4m, 3 f - chorus who play multiple parts) Intense and powerful story of love and jealousy.

The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux (17m, 8f) Large cast full of interesting characters. The three elderly female leads could be played as younger outlandish characters. Part drama, part comedy, part fantasy written in a wonderful almost poetic style.

The Time of Your Life by William Saroyan (18m, 7f, 10 of the roles are minor). It is filled with wonderful, eccentric characters. The play is the first drama to win both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play opened on Broadway in 1939 (predates the Tony Awards).

------------------------------
James Van Leishout
Olympia WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------

Take a look at "A Lie of the Mind" by Sam Shepherd. It's been a while since I've read it, but it's certainly intense. I can't remember if the language is an issue -- I worked on it in college, but it provides great scene work and monologues for both male and female characters.

------------------------------
David Sturdevant
Drama Teacher
Middleburg Academy
Middleburg VA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-16-2017 23:21
From: James Van Leishout
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge(4m, 3 f - chorus who play multiple parts) Intense and powerful story of love and jealousy.

The Madwoman of Chaillot by Jean Giraudoux (17m, 8f) Large cast full of interesting characters. The three elderly female leads could be played as younger outlandish characters. Part drama, part comedy, part fantasy written in a wonderful almost poetic style.

The Time of Your Life by William Saroyan (18m, 7f, 10 of the roles are minor). It is filled with wonderful, eccentric characters. The play is the first drama to win both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play opened on Broadway in 1939 (predates the Tony Awards).

------------------------------
James Van Leishout
Olympia WA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 04-12-2017 10:48
From: Keenan Shionalyn
Subject: In Need of Play Suggestion for Intense Actor's Workshop

This year we are attempting to hold an intense actor's workshop for our more advanced and aspiring actors to help develop stronger characters, relationships on stage and stage movements.  We already have a rough plan of how we are going to approach this with different acting styles, but have been struggling to decide upon a play appropriate for the purpose.

We are looking for a play that requires strong character work that will require the actors to really delve into the character's minds and emotions.  We are looking for a play roughly at the early college level.  We are also trying to avoid well-known plays so all students are starting roughly from scratch.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

------------------------------
Keenan Shionalyn
Drama Advisor
Kingston WA
------------------------------