We often see stories of people who go from non-believer to believer. We seldom see the opposite journey. The Unbelieving takes a penetrating look into the lives of practicing clergy members—Mormons, Catholics, Jews, Episcopalians, Muslims, Fundamentalists—who have stopped believing in God. Using their actual words, obtained during a groundbreaking study by philosopher Daniel C. Dennett and qualitative researcher Linda LaScola, the play explores the struggles, courage, and great humor of these “unbelievers” as they face the hardest decision of their lives—whether to continue living in secret or to risk everything by telling the truth.
Genre: Drama
The Scarlet Letter
A visceral exploration of “original sin,” Kate Hamill’s highly-theatrical, vital reimagining of The Scarlet Letter follows strong-willed, intelligent Hester Prynne as she tries to find her own moral compass and raise her daughter in a society that harshly punishes women for independent thought, sexuality, or defiance. Hester and the other Massachusetts Bay colonists—including her guilt-ridden lover and her estranged husband—struggle with their own deeply-ingrained shame, as they debate what transgressions might truly be “unforgivable”… and learn how violence, superstition, repression, and uncomfortable truths may shape the land that will become America.
Possessing Harriet
In 1839, Harriet Powell, a young, mixed-race, enslaved woman, slips away from a hotel in Syracuse, New York, and escapes from the white Southerner who owns her. With the aid of a worker at the hotel, a mysterious free black man named Thomas Leonard, Harriet finds temporary safe harbor in an attic room at the home of impassioned abolitionist Gerrit Smith. With the slave catchers in pursuit, Harriet spends the hours before her nighttime departure on the dangerous journey to Canada in the company of Smith’s young cousin Elizabeth Cady, an outspoken advocate for women’s equality. Confronted with new and difficult ideas about race, identity, and equality, and with confusion, fear, and desperation multiplying, Harriet is forced to the precipice of radical self-re-imagining and a reckoning with the heartrending cost of her freedom.
The Happiest Man On Earth
Eddie Jaku’s story is one of unimaginable grief and tragic loss, yet it is also a testament to the indomitable spirit of the human soul. Defying all odds, he declared himself “The Happiest Man on Earth,” a testament to his resilience and determination to find light even in the darkest circumstances.
Bridge
Frances, Mary Todd and Janie, intelligent, sociable ladies, learn that Sally, the urbane new “fourth” in their bridge club, is transgender. The revelation prods Frances to address painful memories. Mary Todd, wrestling with moral issues, is challenged by her specially-abled son J-Pat. With wisdom and wit, Janie puts it all in perspective. And J-Pat provides a poignant unexpected insight. The bridge club survives: the three remaining members must search for a “fourth”—again. BRIDGE is a compassionate dramedy, that examines how people react when they encounter the new, the unknown or the misunderstood.
Apostrophe
At a prominent private high school, in the wake of a problematic encounter between a legendary teacher and her star student, what’s “best” for the girls is a matter of debate. One father believes in the healing power of dialogue, while the Headmistress is hell-bent on protecting the vulnerable with silence. Meanwhile, two friends lurch toward adulthood, interrogating the absent, searching for healing, and asking the question: How can we protect ourselves from the people we love?
TRW Presents: Men’s Monologues, Volume 1
TRW is pleased to offer this exceptional and diverse collection of monologues, thoughtfully selected from the rich tapestry of plays we are proud to publish.
These outstanding monologues come from an eclectic group of contemporary playwrights, each with distinctive voices and styles — comic and dramatic, experimental and naturalistic, traditional and innovative — and written for a wide array of characters.
In this book, we know you’ll find monologues that are perfect for your auditions and theater classes.
TRW Presents: Women’s Monologues, Volume 1
TRW is pleased to offer this exceptional and diverse collection of monologues, thoughtfully selected from the rich tapestry of plays we are proud to publish.
These outstanding monologues come from an eclectic group of contemporary playwrights, each with distinctive voices and styles — comic and dramatic, experimental and naturalistic, traditional and innovative — and written for a wide array of characters.
In this book, we know you’ll find monologues that are perfect for your auditions and theater classes.
Eisenhower: This Piece of Ground
Summer 1962, and Dwight Eisenhower, two years out of office, discovers that The New York Times has published the first historians’ ranking of American presidents in order of greatness—relegating him to the “Mediocre” class. Furious, but fearful they may be right, he looks back on the lessons of his Kansas youth, his military life, and his presidency, to question their definition of political and American greatness—and his own. A human and often humorous solo drama, EISENHOWER: THIS PIECE OF GROUND is a highly entertaining piece of theatre, and a compelling reminder of what lies at the heart of democracy.
Winnie-The-Pooh
Christopher Robin has just moved into a new neighborhood and he isn’t happy. Despite a neighbor girl knocking on his door and asking him to play, Christopher Robin prefers to stay inside and play with his favorite stuffed animals. To bring him out of his shell, his father A.A. Milne tells him wondrous tales of his beloved toys and their many adventures, hoping that, through them, Christopher Robin will find the courage to make a friend. Adapted from A.A. Milne’s original story, WINNIE-THE-POOH brings your favorite characters to the stage and shows audiences of all ages the importance of friendship.