What does it mean to stand up—for truth, for justice, for yourself—when the stakes are high and the consequences are real? From courtroom dramas and historical reckonings to intimate personal journeys, these plays and musicals put integrity at the center of the story.
Musicals
Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Text by John Cameron Mitchell, Music and Lyrics by Stephen Trask
This groundbreaking Obie-winning Off-Broadway smash that took Broadway by storm in its Tony Award®–winning 2014 revival also won multiple awards for its hit film adaptation. It tells the story of “internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall smashing East German rock ‘n’ roll goddess who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation, which has left her with just “an angry inch.” This outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious story is dazzlingly performed by Hedwig (née Hansel) in the form of a rock gig/stand-up comedy routine backed by the hard-rocking band “The Angry Inch.” Using songs and monologues, Hedwig tells her story, which began in the former East Berlin where as Hansel he meets Luther, an American GI who promises to take the young man to the States on the condition that he switch his sex. After the bungled operation, Luther abandons newly named Hedwig in a Kansas trailer park, where she turns to music and meets geeky Tommy Speck, whom she takes under her wing and soon falls for. Tommy steals her songs, achieves rock star fame, and Hedwig is once again cast aside. She decides to demand redress and stalks Tommy’s world tour, performing in the T.G.I. Fridays that are situated next door to his stadiums. Hedwig describes her life’s search for “The Origin of Love” and her other half. It’s a rocking ride, funny, touching, and ultimately inspiring to anyone who has felt life gave them an inch when they deserved a mile.
Bat Boy: The Musical; Story and Book by Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming
Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe
2023 Pelham Memorial High School production
Based on a story in The Weekly World News, BAT BOY: THE MUSICAL is a musical comedy/horror show about a half boy/half bat creature who is discovered in a cave near Hope Falls, West Virginia. For lack of a better solution, the local sheriff brings Bat Boy to the home of the town veterinarian, Dr. Parker, where he is eventually accepted as a member of the family and taught to act like a “normal” boy by the veterinarian’s wife, Meredith, and teenage daughter, Shelley. Bat Boy is happy with his new life, but when he naively tries to fit in with the narrow-minded people of Hope Falls, they turn on him, prodded by the machinations of Dr. Parker, who secretly despises Bat Boy. Shelley and Bat Boy, who have fallen in love, run away together from the ignorant townfolk and have a blissful coupling in the woods, but their happiness is shattered when Meredith arrives and reveals a secret. Soon the entire town arrives and hears the shocking story of Bat Boy’s unholy origin.
Plays
Wine in the Wilderness by
Photo by Marc J. Franklin, 2025 Off-Broadway production
As described in the Boston Herald Traveler: “The drama was woven around a young girl, played by Abbey Lincoln, befriended by an artist looking for a model of a grass-roots woman, ignorant and unattractive, for his triptych. It opens amidst Negro riots that have burned the girl out of her apartment and Abbey gets off a few cracks that hit home when the artist and his friends haul out the Afro-American bit by crying, ‘The Afro-Americans burnt down my home. They holler ‘Whitey’ but who did they burn down—me!’ There were many poignant moments as the two were magnetically drawn together and pushed apart. Abbey’s fear of falling in love with the artist, his desire to hold her there only long enough to paint her for his triptych, her disillusionment when she finds out, from Old Timer, one of the neighborhood’s characters, that he wants a woman who’s ugly and ignorant for his model. What WINE IN THE WILDERNESS captured was the turmoil the blacks feel, the pretenses they assume—like wearing straight-haired wigs—the looting of their own people in a riot—something Old Timer rationalized in a humorous manner.” But something which, like the other deeply felt revelations in the play, goes directly and surely to the heart of the racial dilemma.
Included in Broadway Book Club’s Black Voices Specialty Collection
Conscience by
Photo by T. Charles Erickson, 2020 George Street Playhouse production
Margaret Chase Smith was a woman of firsts: In 1940, she was the first woman elected by the state of Maine to serve in Congress; nine years later she was the first woman the state elected to the Senate. And in 1950, she became the first senator to stand on the Senate floor and publicly rebuke Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin, who rose to power using post–World War II anti-Communist hysteria and ruined the lives of those who opposed him. Margaret Chase Smith’s “Declaration of Conscience” speech was a public act of defiance at a time when both Democrats and Republicans were cowed into silence for fear of retribution. It came at a cost: She was shunned by her colleagues, challenged in a primary, and McCarthy threatened to expose her personal secrets. Conscience is the story of a remarkable woman who stood up for what was right and refused to back down.
Dividing the Estate by
Matriarch Stella Gordon is determined not to divide her 100-year-old Texas estate, despite her family’s declining wealth and the looming financial crisis. But her three children have another plan. Old resentments and sibling rivalries surface as the members of this hilariously dysfunctional family go head to head to see who might claim the biggest piece of the pie in Dividing the Estate.
Included in Broadway Book Club’s Competition Pack
All My Sons by
Photo by Joan Marcus, 2019 Broadway production
Winner of the 1947 Tony Award® for Best Play
During the war Joe Keller and Steve Deever ran a machine shop which made airplane parts. Deever was sent to prison because the firm turned out defective parts, causing the deaths of many men. Keller went free and made a lot of money. The twin shadows of this catastrophe and the fact that the young Keller son was reported missing during the war dominate the action. The love affair of Chris Keller and Ann Deever, the bitterness of George Deever returned from the war to find his father in prison and his father’s partner free, are all set in a structure of almost unbearable power. The climax showing the reaction of a son to his guilty father is fitting conclusion to a play electrifying in its intensity.
An Enemy of the People by Arthur Miller, adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s play
Photo by Scott Rylander, 2019 Union Theatre production
A small Norwegian town has just begun to win fame and wealth through its medicinal spring waters. Dr. Stockmann, resident physician in charge, discovers that the waters are poisoned. On receiving proof of this, he immediately reports to his associates, but is shocked to find that instead of being thanked, he is looked upon as a dangerous crank, motivated by a desire to prove that his fellow townsmen are wrong, and to bring ruin upon them. As the people who run the local paper do their utmost to urge secrecy and compromise, the determined doctor realizes that the honesty and idealism he has counted upon to make the truth prevail, simply does not exist in the face of selfish “practical” interests. The press will not report his findings; the officials refuse to give him a hearing; he loses his position and the townspeople boycott him; and every weapon of blackmail, slander, and eviction are brought against his family. At the end, the townspeople, gathered around the doctor’s home, throw stones through the windows. Stockmann addresses his family: “But remember now, everybody, you are fighting for the truth and that is why you’re alone. And that makes you strong.”
These Shining Lives by
These Shining Lives chronicles the strength and determination of women considered expendable in their day, exploring their true story and its continued resonance. Catherine and her friends are dying, it’s true; but theirs is a story of survival in its most transcendent sense, as they refuse to allow the company that stole their health to kill their spirits—or endanger the lives of those who come after them.
Ben Butler by
When an escaped slave shows up at Fort Monroe demanding sanctuary, General Benjamin Butler is faced with an impossible moral dilemma—follow the letter of the law or make a game-changing move that could alter the course of U.S. history?
Bakersfield Mist by
Maude, a fifty-something unemployed bartender living in a trailer park, has bought a painting for a few bucks from a thrift store. Despite almost trashing it, she’s now convinced it’s a lost masterpiece by Jackson Pollock worth millions. But when world-class art expert Lionel Percy flies over from New York and arrives at her trailer home in Bakersfield to authenticate the painting, he has no idea what he is about to discover. Inspired by true events, this hilarious and thought-provoking comedy-drama asks vital questions about what makes art and people truly authentic.
The Moon is Down by
The play begins in an unknown town that has just been occupied by a small regiment of enemy soldiers. With no alternative, the mayor of the town agrees to meet with the enemy to try to work out a plan for peaceful coexistence before the impending war goes much further. The enemy establishes a command base in his residence, making life for the mayor rather difficult as the townspeople suspect his allegiance has shifted. As the invasion and eventual occupation develops, the soldiers grapple with loneliness, spite, and the hate directed at them, which is beginning to wear down their emotions. When all else fails, the solders look to the mayor, who has secretly emerged as a leader of the resistance group in town, as a last hope for them to win their war and sway the townspeople towards their side. Although at first unwilling, the mayor accepts his execution at the hands of the enemy, knowing he will give incentive to his people to keep fighting for freedom.
The Government Inspector, adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the original by Nikolai Gogol
Photo by John Ulman, 2017 Seattle Shakespeare Company production
When the locals in a small Russian hamlet learn that an undercover government inspector is coming for a surprise visit, an unfortunate case of mistaken identity sends the whole village spiraling into a world of panic and greed. Witty, smart and wildly satirical, this timely and spirited adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s classic play exposes the corruption of a provincial town with biting hilarity.
Casa Valentina by
Nestled in the Catskills—1962’s land of dirty dancing and Borscht Belt comedy—an inconspicuous bungalow colony catered to a very special clientele: heterosexual men who delighted in dressing and acting as women. These white-collar professionals would discreetly escape their families to spend their weekends safely inhabiting their chosen female alter-egos. But given the opportunity to share their secret lives with the world, the members of this sorority had to decide whether the freedom gained by openness was worth the risk of personal ruin. Based on real events and infused with Fierstein’s trademark wit, this moving, insightful, and delightfully entertaining work offers a glimpse into the lives of a group of “self-made women” as they search for acceptance and happiness in their very own Garden of Eden.
Poor Clare by
It’s 1211 in Assisi, Italy, and Clare’s got beauty, wealth, and a rich suitor who showers her with expensive presents. So why is she so drawn to this guy Francis who gave up all his possessions just because poor people are suffering? Everyone in town says he’s crazy. And yet…she starts seeing everything in her life differently. This hilarious, anachronistic telling of the real story of St. Clare considers the cost of doing good—and how little has changed for the haves and the have-nots in almost a millennium.
Artemisia by
Photo courtesy of Lauren Gunderson
Artemisia Gentileschi was one of the most celebrated female painters of the seventeenth century, yet her name was all but lost for centuries. Assaulted and publicly shamed at just seventeen, Gentileschi lived her life on her own terms as an artist, a mother, and a lover. Artemisia was a modern woman before her time; ARTEMISIA is a play that celebrates her artistry, courage, and humanity.
Camp Siegfried by
Photo by Emilio Madrid, 2022 Off-Broadway production
It’s 1938 and a lonely sixteen-year-old girl’s parents have made a decision: She will go to the Long Island summer camp her aunt’s been attending for the past couple of years. To be honest, she is not really into it—everyone there is really excited about their German heritage, what with the oompah music and beer flowing every night. So when a seventeen-year-old boy is the first to befriend her, they find in each other a connection that grows deeper as the summer progresses. They feel understood, and almost nothing will stop their burgeoning love. Based on the real Camp Siegfried created by the German American Bund just before World War II, Bess Wohl’s play is about the compromises, self-deceptions, and hurt we en-dure when intoxicated by the need to be loved.
Junk by
Photo by T Charles Erickson, 2017 Broadway production
It’s 1985. Robert Merkin, the resident genius of the upstart investment firm Sacker-Lowell, has just landed on the cover of Time magazine. Hailed as “America’s Alchemist,” his proclamation that “debt is an asset” has propelled him to dizzying heights. Zealously promoting his belief in the near-sacred infallibility of markets, he is trying to reshape the world. What Merkin sets in motion is nothing less than a financial civil war, pitting magnates against workers, lawyers against journalists, and ultimately, pitting everyone against themselves.
The North Pool by
Photo by Sara Krulwich, 2013 Off-Broadway production
In this riveting psychological thriller, a high-school vice principal and a Middle Eastern–born transfer student engage in a politically and emotionally charged game of cat and mouse, with dangerous consequences.
Guards at the Taj by
Photo by Michael Lamont, 2015 Geffen Playhouse production
Winner of a 2016 Obie Award for Best New American Play and the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Play
In 1648 India, two Imperial Guards watch from their post as the sun rises for the first time on the newly-completed Taj Mahal—an event that shakes their respective worlds. When they are ordered to perform an unthinkable task, the aftermath forces them to question the concepts of friendship, beauty, and duty, and changes them forever.
Prodigal Son by
Photo by Joan Marcus, 2016 Off-Broadway production
A 17-year-old boy from the Bronx suddenly finds himself in a private school in New Hampshire. He’s violent, gifted, alienated, and on fire with a ferocious loneliness. Two faculty members wrestle with the dilemma: Is the kid a star or a disaster? A passionate, explosive portrait of a young man on the verge of salvation or destruction.
Dark Road by Laura Lundgren Smith
When Greta, a young girl living in Nazi Germany, reads that the nearby women’s concentration camp is hiring guards, she sees it as a chance to find her place in the world and provide for her sister Lise. But soon she learns the reality of her duties, and so too does she learn how to justify her crimes, heading further and further down the dark road laid by the Third Reich. Kind-hearted Lise is shocked at what her sister becomes, and though the two drift apart, their fates remain inextricably and dangerously linked. A powerful drama about the choices that allow evil to become ordinary.
The Little Foxes by
Picture a charming home in the South. Into this peaceful scene put the prosperous, despotic Hubbard family—Ben, possessive and scheming; Oscar, cruel and arrogant; Oscar’s son Leo, weak and unprincipled; Regina, wickedly clever—each trying to outwit the other. In contrast, meet lonely intimidated Birdie, whom Oscar wed for her father’s cotton fields; wistful Alexandra, Regina’s daughter; and Horace, ailing husband of Regina, between whom a breach has existed for years. The conflict in these lives has been caused by Ben’s ambition to erect a cotton mill. The brothers still lack $75,000 to complete the transaction. This, they hope, will come from Horace, who has been in a hospital with a heart ailment. Horace is beset by his relatives the first hour of his homecoming, but refuses to commit himself. Desperate, Leo and Oscar plan for Leo to take $80,000 worth of bonds from Horace’s safe-deposit box. Horace, discovering the theft, informs his wife that he has willed the bonds to her, calling it a loan. Cruelly, Regina recalls their unhappy married life, causing Horace to be stricken with a severe attack. Then Regina blackmails her brothers into giving her 75% of the business instead of their planned 33 1/3%, or she will reveal their theft.
Chimerica by
In 1989, Joe Schofield takes a picture of a Chinese civilian confronting four military tanks in Tiananmen Square—an image that would captivate the world for decades to come. In 2012, as China–US relations dominate presidential election debates, a mysterious message linked to the event appears in a Beijing newspaper. In response, Joe vows to uncover the story behind the unknown hero he photographed twenty-three years ago. A deft political thriller as well as a riveting personal journey, CHIMERICA explores the intertwining fortunes of two global superpowers.
Kings by
Kate is a sharp-witted lobbyist who doesn’t waste her time on candidates who can’t get elected, stay elected, and, above all, remain loyal to her clientele. Representative Sydney Millsap has a more idealistic approach to politics, which Kate fears may cost Millsap a prosperous political career. But when Millsap’s high-minded principles prove surprisingly resilient in Washington, Kate faces an unexpected dilemma: back the system or what she actually believes in?
The Piano Teacher by
Photo Carol Rosegg, 2007 Off-Broadway production
Mrs. K is an elderly widow who lives by herself in a small suburban town. She whiles away her time reminiscing about her late husband and the children she taught long ago as a piano instructor. One day, she finds herself compelled to call her old students, but is it out of loneliness or some other, darker need? As Mrs. K discovers, it may not be what we cannot know that troubles us the most; it may be what we cannot bear to know.
Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee
This lively courtroom drama dives into the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial, where a Tennessee teacher was tried for teaching the theory of evolution. Two persuasive attorneys argue the case in an effort to determine the balance of church and state.
Watch on the Rhine by
Concerns an idealistic German who, with his American wife and two children, flees Hitler’s Germany and finds sanctuary with his wife’s family in the United States. He hopes for a respite from the dangerous work in which he has been involved, but his desire for personal safety soon comes into conflict with the deeply held beliefs that have made him an active anti-Nazi. In the end his conscience cannot be compromised, and he returns to Germany and the resistance movement—and to what will be, most certainly, his ultimate destruction. Told in compelling, human terms, the play is an eloquent and stirring tribute to the brave men and women who, despite all odds, struggled early on to stem the tide of fascism which was soon to spread throughout Europe and the world.
