February brings an exciting lineup of new scripts from Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts! From compelling dramas to engaging comedies, these fresh releases are ready to take the stage.
New Plays on Dramatists Play Service
Le Switch by
Photo by Michael Brosilow, 2016 Face Theatre production
David cannot commit. His relationships only last about three months, and both his twin sister, Sarah, and his best friend, Zachary, have caught on to his pattern. Zachary’s upcoming wedding, now legal in New York state, is making David even more anxious. If David’s gay identity has been defined by otherness for the past thirty-five years, what does it mean now, in 2011, when the world is telling him that he and his community are no longer “other”? With that weighing on his mind, he sets off to Montréal for the bachelor weekend, leaving behind his roommate, Frank, a recently widowed colleague. But when David meets Benoît, an impossibly charming man about ten years his junior, David’s view of himself, his heart, and his future are turned upside down. A rare gay romantic comedy, Le Switch challenges us to resist old habits of self-protection and embrace the thrilling, terrifying, unknown future that only love can bring.
The Second-to-Last Chance Ladies League by
In this delightful and uproarious comedy, four best friends—Libby Ruth, Deedra, Monette, and Charlie—each yearning to change their life before it’s too late, return to their beloved Laurelton Oaks, a wedding venue they know well—in one of their cases, all too well. With Deedra’s purchase of the stately venue the others rally around her, and the business is ingeniously reimagined as “Occasionally Yours,” an events center for all kinds of fresh, new celebratory gatherings. With these women so involved in each other’s lives, what could possibly go wrong? Basically, almost everything, what with Monette—flashy, vivacious, and self-involved—careening through a comic minefield of yet another divorce; salt-of-the-earth, tree-hugging Charlie struggling to survive her late-arriving mid-life crisis; and Libby Ruth—sweet, guileless but absolutely nobody’s fool—choosing to return to college and at the same time finding herself overwhelmed by the rebirth of her husband’s libido that keeps getting in the way of her studies. Meanwhile, headstrong Deedra is doing her dead-level best to fend off the eagle-eyed control issues of one practical and unflappable Sedalia Ellicott, the former owner, who refuses to relinquish the reins and exit gracefully. In the course of one ferociously funny year, they joyfully throw themselves into hosting all manner of events—baby showers, bachelorette parties, memorial services—where everything that can go awry does. They are even compelled to participate in, yes, another last-minute, improbable wedding. In this side-splitting sequel to ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID—and a stand-alone play in its own right—these tenacious women endure these laugh-out-loud adventures in hospitality and grow closer than ever as they tickle your funny bone and definitely capture your heart—again.
This rollicking, fast-paced Jones Hope Wooten Comedy will bring you endless joy and waves of laughter. So get to the theatre and spend some quality time with these fabulous women—but you’d better buy those tickets before you lose your second-tolast chance to grab one!
New Plays on Playscripts
The Cryptid Survival Guide by Don Zolidis
You’re alone in the woods when you hear it approaching—the deadliest animal on Earth: a human being. How do you escape? Join a rollicking cast of bizarre creatures including the Wampahoofus; the Snallygaster; the Snarly Yow; and everyone’s favorite cryptid, Bigfoot, as they find methods to survive humanity.
Silent, but Deadly by Don Zolidis
The set of the silent thriller Das Vampyr, Scourge of the Night is in desperate trouble. The director is a perfectionist, the actors are in revolt, the producers are about to pull the plug, and everyone seems to be plotting to murder the lead actress. But when one of the conspirators ends up dead instead, it’s up to famed detective Valentina Caravelli to unravel the mystery.
New Signature Acting Editions
This Much I Know by
Lukesh is a professor who knows exactly how humans operate. He literally teaches the subject. But when the son of a white supremacist asks Lukesh to sponsor his thesis, and more personally, when his wife Natalya ups and leaves for Russia, Lukesh struggles to make sense of everything with his typical black-and-white understanding of the human brain. He is faced with an ultimatum: think about life in a new light, or sink. Jumping back and forth through time, This Much I Know weaves in stories of Svetlana Alliluyeva—Stalin’s daughter—who has become disillusioned with her father’s ideas and considers defecting to the United States. Her story mirrors the story of Lukesh, Natalya, and his student Harold; their parallel journeys explore how a person changes their mind, if we are responsible for things we cannot control, and after it all, if something that was once submerged can still float.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, based on the novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens
Winner of the 2013 Tony Award® for Best Play
15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain: He is exceptional at mathematics but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is 7 minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.
Almost, Maine by
Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States. It’s almost in Canada. And it’s not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend—almost—in this delightful midwinter night’s dream.
Freak by
Get caught up in this tour-de-force telling of John Leguizamo’s childhood and adolescence. As his family bounces from neighbor-hood to neighborhood, and his father bounces from dream to scheme to dream, John constantly adapts to meet his surroundings. After learning one final hard lesson from his father, he discovers the key to his success: putting his faith in himself and making something out of nothing.
