Check out these 30 titles featuring strong women ranging in age, temperament and position. 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. Plus, the indomitable Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Frances Ha) has written and directed a new take on this classic tale coming to the silver screen this holiday season. In Elliot, a Soldiers Fugue, Hudes takes another look at the tradition of wartime service in different generations of a Puerto Rican family. Jeremy O. Harris shot to fame with Slave Play; with Daddy, he seems determined to shock audiences. In a truly remarkable feat, Suzan-Lori Parks wrote one play every day for a full year. Andromeda Ascendant (Andromeda television series) Beka Valentine (Andromeda television series) Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie and television series created by Joss Whedon) Zoe . Add in a cleaning lady who can see the future, and you have the recipe for a good time. re: Plays with mainly female characters. Dialogue and diction. In Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, we get to see the war from a tigers perspective. A play about selfishness and selflessness and love deferred and the fight. Well, heres a plot point you wont be expecting a man falls in love with a goat. 15 Best Short Plays with Strong Female Lead DAMAGED GOODS Sharp and more than a little cynical, this fast-paced contemporary comedic play stands out in any theatrical season. How to Transcend a Happy Marriage blurs the lines of monogamy and asks how deeply friends, lovers, and strangers connect. End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter (US)(Drama / 1f, 3m)A musical drama of Judy Garland's "come-back" concerts Christmas 1968: with a six-week booking at London's Talk of the Town, it looks like Judy Garland is set firmly on the comeback trail. 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. Complex psychological and philosophical ideas about the nature of consciousness are explored here, but it is the Major's badass fighting that makes this cyberpunk thriller such a delight. Doris and Lucille squash the budding romance between Sam and Ida. A hilarious evisceration of the blind eye we all turn to climate change and the bacchanalian catharsis that awaits us, even in our own backyards. Wealthy woman were highly educated but they had no . What were women doing, feeling, thinking while the men were gathered with Jesus in the Upper Room? Many of the above suggestions are great, but very very tricky because they have been done so much, and often with really iconic performances that the judges will know. 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. This contemporary play is infused with Halls natural, easy style; youre almost certain to recognize the endearing characters. These monologues are from published plays and movies as well as from both contemporary and classical time periods. All these plays contain powerful monologues with leading female characters. The script is based on a childrens novel, and it shows; its simple, emotional, and undeniably moving. When a new "hysterical" patient and her husband bring a wet nurse and their own complicated relationship into the doctor's home, Dr. and Mrs. Givings must examine the nature of their own marriage, and what it truly means to love someone. Topdog/Underdog is one of the best contemporary plays from one of the most celebrated modern playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks. Beneatha dreams of medical school. And, if Sylvia and Leatrice do agree to appear together, will Paul Newman sign on, too? The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Appreciating the Density of Shakespeare in Real Time. Robyn, also in her mid-fifties, needs a place to hide and a chance to start over. With this reality hanging over the gathering, each family member begins to spin their tale. The staunchly Midwestern Weston family seems normal on the surface. Manage Settings Who killed the infant, and who is the father? What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance? He was known as a modern playwright because he wrote with realism, and had a doubtful way of portraying the gods in his plays. Life imitates Art. Ladies Choice! The landscape of modern theater is expansive and often bizarre; you never know what youre going to stumble upon. When a racist and bigoted pitcher joins the team, everything descends into chaos. The remaining thespians must save the show and their careers, solve the mystery and stay alive for curtain calls. Running barefoot in the park would be a start. Eve Dallas 2018 Books: Dark in Death and Leverage in Death by J.D. It is a charming tale about what happens when lovers share a stage kissor when actors share a real one. Always irascible but now increasingly erratic, Gladys is a cause of concern to her daughter, her son-in-law, and her grandson, from whose point of view this poignant memory play is told. More goes down in the session than music in this riveting portrayal of rage, racism, the self-hate, and exploitation. If youre looking for witty contemporary plays to read, its hard to do better than Becky Shaw. Drop Dead! This remarkable and true-to-life scene is the premise for the Pulitzer-Prize-winning Anna in the Tropics. Playwright: Suzan-Lori ParksLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Jackie Gleason certainly went above and beyond to measure up to that sobriquet. Down-on-his-luck Francis takes jobs with a gangster named Roscoe and a snooty man named Stanley. Her volunteer hospice worker, Glorie, is a Harvard MBA recently transplanted to this rural backwater from New York. Its set in 2000, but the story rings disconcertingly true for modern day. His death sparks a conversational wake that includes everything from arguments over politics to when each sibling realized that they grew up. 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. That is, until he finds his muse Viola. Playwright: Annie BakerLicensing: Concord Theatricals. It is a charming tale about what happens when lovers share a stage kissor when actors share a real one. At forty-six and with new flame Mickey Deans at her side, she seems determined to carry it off and recapture her magic. 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. Witty and charmingly outlandish, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow offers a fresh, surprisingly insightful take on the human vs. technology theme. (Or, if Ben Brantley is to be believed, lucid to the point of simple-mindedness. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The Kilroys List: 97 Monologues and Scenes by Female and Trans Playwrights This first book isn't technically a play, but no list of plays by women would be complete without mention of The Kilroys List . At the dress rehearsal the set falls, props break, and the producer and an actor are murdered. When the parents meet, purportedly to resolve the issue, the discussion devolves into madness. The main plot is fine, but the real delight is in the sweet subplot that features Lemmings accountant falling in love with the game.Take Me Out is fun and snappy; it won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2003, Playwright: Richard GreenbergLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. A young girl, Mick Kelly, stands out from her companions as she chooses to search for beauty to fight her loneliness, unlike the others. Four powerful short plays for powerful people! Nilo Cruz shows off his magical, almost lyrical, grasp of language in this lovely play. This play might sound like a Jane Austen novel, but its actually a sequel to A Raisin in the Sun. If you want a hard-to-find contemporary play, look no further than On Every Link a Heart Does Dangle; or Owed. The script is nuanced and heart-rending, offering an in-depth look at privilege of all kinds. What does your wife do? His younger sibling has come out as transgender, and the two are on a mission to take down the patriarchy. Playwright: Rolin JonesLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. She's a Diabolic, created for one purpose onlyto protect her person, Sidonia. After he casually comes out as gay at a press conference, Lemming believes everything will be fine. The Odd Couple, Female Version by Neil Simon (US/UK)(Comedy / 6f, 2m)Unger and Madison are at it again! August Osage County is one of the most bracing and applauded contemporary plays in recent history. The racist, xenophobic, and misogynist dialogue is uncomfortably familiar. The storytelling is abstract, so it requires some concentration; get a sense of the vibe here. Another mortal in a universe filled with superheroes is quick-witted Okoye ( Danai Gurira ). This is a contemporary play set in Victorian times, when male doctors lavished the diagnosis of hysteria on female patients. Playwright: Doug WrightLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. A monologue from the play by Nora and Delia . Navigating new relationships and inevitable temptations, Kens supposedly missing faith is tested. Playwright: David Henry HwangLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. In a symbiotic battle of wills, they delve into the dark woods of the past, unearthing a tragedy that shatters their notions of language, loneliness, and essential self. They have her committed to a sanitarium, but miss a bet when they think that will hold the old gal. This Dora Milaje General is a symbol of . Top image courtesy A.D. Players at the George under CC BY-ND 2.0. A bittersweet play about dreams deferred, loves lost, and learning to trust a womans voice in a mans world. Her goddaughter thinks she has actually fallen in love with a local fisherman while her dashing friend believes she is finally ready to accept his proposal. As these Netflix shows demonstrate, strong female characters are present in all walks of life and all roles. Though critics described the plot as lopsided and meandering (and it is both), this new play won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Danger is everywhere, and mysterious blackouts are setting residents on edge. 23 Musical Theater Audition Songs for Tenors, 59 Best Musicals for High School: The Ultimate List, 21 Contemporary Legit Soprano Musical Theatre Songs. When Annie tries to make good on her promise to her friends, she is forced to take a good look at the world that surrounds her. War Horse is about you guessed it a horse that goes to war. by Crystal Skillman (US/UK)(Comedy / 4f, 2m)With pissed-off Pikachus, steam punk armies, stood-up Sailor Moons and roller-blading monsters on the prowl, it's easy to get lost in the Inferno-esque anime convention where the fans, the otakus, and the geeks prowl. Its one of those modern plays thats so easy to watch that the raw moments hit you that much harder. It's set in a 1950s Soho night club, but feels nothing like the period pieces you're used to. This madcap comedy is laugh-out-loud funny. Stage Kiss captures Sarah Ruhls singular voice. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Playwright: Jeremy O. HarrisLicensing: Not available. She is a hardworking tech genius who works terrifically for her nation and the benefits of the citizens. Since the men have failed the city, Mellie and the other women must become its saviors. 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. What is the cost of revealing your true self in a time of trouble? She uses her sexuality, she taunts him and mocks his lack of courage. Themes include contemporary politics, slavery, historical marriages, senior comedy, surreal time-shifts, Shakespeare comedy, campers, birdwatchers, newlyweds, coming of age, participatory plays. Bree Daniels (Jane Fonda), Klute (1971) The girl with the most distinctive hairdo in the history of prostitution. As the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, who will stand for the vulnerable if not Robin? Text Kim Cole #Matter 0 The script isnt without its flaws, but its funny, touching, and worth a read. 4000 MILES looks at how two outsiders find their way in today's world. 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 1m)After suffering a major loss while he was on a cross-country bike trip, 21 year-old Leo seeks solace from his feisty 91 year-old grandmother Vera in her West Village apartment. The ingenue has her time and place, but womens stories extend beyond tales of young innocents. Hmm. Hurricane Diane by Madeleine George (US/UK)(Comedy / 5f)Meet Diane, a permaculture gardener dripping with butch charm. My sister just played the lead in 'Other Desert Cities'. Almost, Maine has one of the most unusual stories of any contemporary play. Inspired by Lynn Nottages interviews with real-life survivors in Africa, the story explores the impossibly complex and questionable decisions that women must make to survive in a world destroyed by men. Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) River Tam (Summer Glau) Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) The Bride (Uma Thurman) Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) 10. . Modern concerns and romantic entanglements clash on the battlefield and on the ramparts of Nottingham Castle. 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