The women were mainly strong and are . Omnium Gatherum not to be confused with the Finnish death metal band of the same name is a fast-paced, funny play. Header image: Broadway production of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson (Julieta Cervantes). The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (US)(Drama / 1f) In this dramatic adaptation of her award-winning, bestselling memoir (which The New York Times called "an indelible portrait of loss and griefa haunting portrait of a four-decade-long marriage), Joan Didion transforms the story of the sudden and unexpected loss of her husband and their only daughter into a stunning and powerful one-woman play. Erin La Rosa 3. She certainly exercises power over her husband, Macbeth, in the first half of the play, as she encourages him to murder Duncan. Strong female characters are usually considered a desirable thing in geek media such as science fiction, comic books, etc. Playwright: John Patrick ShanleyLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Together, they cope with growing up, growing apart, falling in love and chasing their dreams. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which is based on the Mark Haddon novel of the same name, gives readers a peek into Christophers ultra-logical view of the world. 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 . Set in 16 th -century Verona, the story centres around two young lovers whose families hate each other, and as you can imagine, it really doesn't . This sweet show is funny and good-hearted; balm for any struggling soul. During the sixth lesson, Lily reveals a closely guarded secret -- she is terminally ill -- and Michael shares his greatest gifts -- loyalty and compassion. Stage Kiss by Sarah Ruhl (US/UK)(Comedy / 3f, 4m)Art imitates Life. As someone who spends a fair amount of time complaining on the internet that there aren't enough female heroes out there, this may seem a strange and out of character thing to say. Fabulation, or the Re-Education of Undine 12. The plot centers on a first date and the bizarre relationship that follows. According to legend, it was no less a personage than the legendary Orson Welles who nicknamed the man born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr. in New York City on this date in 1916 "The Great One.". The staunchly Midwestern Weston family seems normal on the surface. Single Black Female by Lisa. On the surface, Fairview seems like a relatively standard family drama. Oedipus isnt the central figure; instead, the story focuses on Mellie, a woman with a disability that has alienated the gods and the town of Thebes. This Pulitzer and Tony finalist isnt shocking; rather, its funny and surprisingly sensitive. Against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming and backstage theatrics, Wills love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece. This article contains a list of the best modern plays written after the year 2000. In fact, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002. 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. Not one to go without a fight, Lettice engages the stoic, conventional Lotte in a battle to the death of all that is sacred to the Empire and the crown. Shanleys nuanced writing is sure to have you questioning yourself and your assumptions at every turn. She describes her role as a socialist Zionist, her emigration to Palestine in 1921, the birth of her two children and the breakup of her marriage. The storytelling is abstract, so it requires some concentration; get a sense of the vibe here. It follows a group of opinionated Catholic conservatives theyre intellectuals, so the discourse wont leave you feeling bereft of brain cells as they reunite in their Wyoming college town. Playwright: Robert OHaraLicensing: Concord Theatricals. Diane C. McPhail composes a complex portrait of life in the American South at the height of the Civil War, with an outspoken young woman remaining firm in her convictions at a time when such behavior from women was looked down upon. Only a lot of the plays being suggested in this thread are twenty or thirty years old! She deftly integrates the social and political context of the time, offering insights into the attitudes and behaviors of her characters. Ken (a man from Nebraska, of course) deals with a spiritual crisis in Tracy Letts play. As the (worldly and un-) personalities clash, Charles current wife, Ruth, is accidentally killed, passes over, joins Elvira, and the two blithe spirits haunt the hapless Charles into perpetuity. The result is a curious patchwork of sketches and scenes it works best when you accept the unusual form and enjoy the ride. "The American Plan" is a comedy by Richard Greenberg that premiered Off-Broadway in 1991 and had a brief Broadway run in 2009, starring Mercedes Ruehl and Lily Rabe. Check out More Plays & Musicals for Strong Leading Women or browse the Concord Theatricals website in the US or UK. Since he has produced only one off-Broadway project, something called 'Craps! When Franklins mother arrives, full of disapproval, conflict ensues. Its mounted frequently at theaters around the country, cementing its place as one of the most famous modern plays. It's set in a 1950s Soho night club, but feels nothing like the period pieces you're used to. When a Tibetan lama and a monk come to their home unexpectedly, asking to take their child away for a life of spiritual training in India, the parents must make a life-altering choice that will test their strength, their marriage, and their hearts. Nilo Cruz shows off his magical, almost lyrical, grasp of language in this lovely play. Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 2f, 5m)Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. Hes too staid, too boring, and she just wants him to be a little more spontaneous. What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance? 5. Baby Taj by Tanya Shaffer (US)(Comedy/ 6f, 5m)The legendary Taj Mahal is the next assignment for Rachel, an American travel writer whose failed romances have led her to ask: Why not have the baby she craves on her own? Her volunteer hospice worker, Glorie, is a Harvard MBA recently transplanted to this rural backwater from New York. Looking for more? Caryl Churchill cleverly uses four chatty, retired British women as the voice that warns of the coming apocalypse. Eleven ( Millie Bobby Brown) in Stranger Things . Legends! Join Backstage to access jobs you can apply to right. Will 'Star Wars: The Play' hit the big time? Samuel Becketts classic absurdism comes to life in this drama about happy days.. Licensing, publishing, recording & producing company comprising R&H Theatricals, Samuel French, Tams-Witmark & The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection. What does your wife do? Well, heres a plot point you wont be expecting a man falls in love with a goat. Playwright: Rajiv JosephLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. The Matchmaker by Thornton Wilder (US/UK)(Comedy / 7f, 9m)Horace Vandergelder, a wealthy merchant in nineteenth-century Yonkers, NY, decides to take a wife and employs a matchmaker, Mrs. Dolly Levi. She runs a brothel that takes in women who have been ruined by soldiers. The Roommate by Jen Silverman (US/UK)(Dark Comedy / 2f)Sharon, in her mid-fifties, is recently divorced and needs a roommate to share her Iowa home. Do you want truly contemporary stuff? In the years since, its become one of the most popular plays for high school and community theater groups. The TV industry seems obsessed with the silent-but-deadly female archetype. Its decidedly uncomfortable; when it played on Broadway, many audience members simply left the theater. In a play, character's action description and thought are revealed by _____ or _____. Often when we talk about strong female characters we're referring to emotional strength, but in this case, Nemesis is literally stronger than anyone else. The Frasiers, a Black family, are getting ready for a family birthday party, but nothing is proceeding according to plan. This contemporary play is infused with Halls natural, easy style; youre almost certain to recognize the endearing characters. You might remember Quiara Alegra Hudes from her play Eliot, a Soldiers Fugue; in this follow-up, she again tackles the struggles of soldiers returning from war. When Liam stakes claim to their grandfather's Chai necklace, a vicious and hilarious brawl over family, faith, and legacy ensues. 14. Directed by Nicholas Ray, the film basically flips the gender roles of older Westerns.the men become supporting characters to two female leads who will meet in a . The script is based on a childrens novel, and it shows; its simple, emotional, and undeniably moving. After everyone gets straightened out romantically, Vandergelder finds himself affianced to the astute Dolly Levi herself. The play runs for less than an hour, which is just the right length; it provides enough time to absorb the jarring content, but not enough for viewers and readers to tire of the conceit. Rosalind in As You Like it and Viola in Twelfth Night both dress as men. Now more than ever, we need strong female characters center stage.Our catalog is rich with juicy, nuanced roles for women. Shakespeare in Love by Lee Hall and Tom Stoppard (US/UK)(Dramatic Comedy / 6f, 18m)Young Will Shakespeare has writer's block the deadline for his new play is fast approaching but he's in desperate need of inspiration. Collapse by Allison Moore (US/UK)(Comedy / 2f, 2m)Hannah, tries desperately to hold the faade of her perfect life together, even as her husband, David, mysteriously calls in sick to work. But at what price? who talk to each other. Unusual Acts Of Devotion 8. And Betty keeps using a small hand mirror to stare into parts of herself shes never examined. Beneatha dreams of medical school. He wants to sell an old piano that has been in his family for generations, but he shares ownership with his sister and it sits in her living room. 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog (US/UK) (Dramatic Comedy / 3f, 1m) When Hannahs sister appears on their doorstep, she brings with her a renegade attitude and an illicit package that send David and Hannah on a 12-hour odyssey into the heart of their deepest fears. She has already rejected several offers because the antique piano is covered with incredible carvings detailing the familys rise from slavery. Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon (US/UK)(Comedy / 2f, 2m)The night after their grandfathers funeral, three cousins engage in a verbal (and sometimes physical) battle. And now Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) in The . 1. He is financially strapped and taking to the road as a salesman. 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. Based on the wild life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, I Am My Own Wife is a one-person play about a German transvestite who lived from 1928-2002. The treatment? The economic collapse has affected Hannah and David's relationship, and Moore's comedy subversively captures the truth buried beneath the laughs. It follows her struggle to overcome PTSD and to rejoin her community after being severely wounded by a roadside bomb. A remarkably independent woman, Janie Crawford's strength is in her ability to keep on going, no matter what her life throws at her, and to uphold her dignity throughout. is an unexpected offering from Edward Albee. Witty and charmingly outlandish, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow offers a fresh, surprisingly insightful take on the human vs. technology theme. Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties by Jen Silverman (US/UK)(Dark Comedy / 5f)Betty is rich; Betty is lonely; Bettys busy working on her truck; Betty wants to talk about love, but Betty needs to hit something. Robin Hood is (and has always been) Maid Marian in disguise, and leads a motley group of Merry Men (few of whom are actually men) against the greedy Prince John. Sabriel, Sabriel fantasyblog.ciaraballintyne.com Harper Collins Sabriel because she was a badass who fought monsters and went on adventures. Write Her Like She's Human. Part autobiography, part history lesson, part social commentary, What the Constitution Means to Me is one of the most unusual contemporary plays on our list. Playwrights: Theresa Rebeck, Alexandra Gersten-VassilarosLicensing: Concord Theatricals. The Lower Room by Pat Wooley (US)(Drama / 9f, 2m)Pat Wooley's fascinating play retells the story of Jesus' passion through the eyes of those who were the last of the followers at the cross, and the first at the tomb: women. While embodying a variety of characters, the girlfriends discuss the absurdities of interracial dating, the lure of recreational shopping, and the merits of college reunions for bolstering ones self-esteem. This list is dedicated to contemporary plays that should grace every actor's shelf or at least be read and familiarized. Perfect for auditions or class. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Cories loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong, does. Check out these 30 titles featuring strong women ranging in age, temperament and position. And your assumptions at every turn Piano Lesson ( Julieta Cervantes ) Broadway of. 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