Scripts: Full Length, One Act, Ten Minute, Monologues for Women.
Many of my plays have great roles for women–from ages 16 to 90. Check the descriptions. You’ll find scripts for Women, for Younger Actors (teens and twenty-somethings), and for Senior citizens/a.k.a people over 50.
You can read some of my plays on the New Play Exchange. You do have to create a log-in name, but it’s free.
https://newplayexchange.org/users/1113/judith-pratt
FULL LENGTH PLAYS
CHIMERA
4 women, 20s, 30-40. 60 minutes.
Three women learn how to live together–or one woman who learns to live with herself—in a world of mythical beasts and foolish fancies. Reading, Road Less Traveled Theatre, Buffalo NY, 2016; Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca NY, February 1996. Great roles for Women.
MAIZE:
3 women, 20s, 50s, 2 men, 30-40s, 50s. 80 minutes.
Why does a brilliant and well-regarded scientist stop publishing? Based on the life and work of plant geneticist Barbara McClintock. Developed at the Southampton Writers’ Conference, summer 2009. Read at Artemisia Theatre, Chicago, September 2015. Produced at student-run Risley Theatre, Ithaca, 2018. Read at Community Playhouse of Greater Lafayette, 2019. Won SciArts at LSU Playwriting Prize, 2019. Semi-finalist, 2019 Mach 33: Caltech/Pasadena Playhouse Festival of New Science-Driven Plays. Great roles for Women and Seniors.
SPIRALLING:
3 women: 20s and 50s. 85 minutes.
A mysterious crate of tribal masks appears in the office of a disaffected academic and her struggling young grad student. Science and spirituality go to war in this drama about responsibility and leaps of faith. Reading, Pannadora Festival, Long Beach, CA, 2015. Podcast, 12 Peers Theatre, Feb. 2016. Honorable mention, Ohio State Newark New Play Contest 2011. Workshopped at the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre, July 2009. Read at Great Plains Theatre Conference, Summer, 2008. Great roles for women.
THE WRIGHT PLACE
5 women, 20-30, 40s, 60s, 2 men, 40 and 60. 90 minutes.
You can choose your house, sometimes you can even choose your family, but you have to choose. A play from my New England roots.Published by JAC Publishing, Summer 2007 (JAC has retired, so the play is no longer published.) Read at Vokes Theatre, Wayland MA. Great roles for Women and Seniors.
ONE ACT PLAYS
BELLY LAUGHS:
4 women. 28 pages.
The Goddess Her Very Large Self appears to weight-conscious Alison with a weird and scary message. Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca, NY, April 1998. Great roles for women.
CONSOLIDATING INFORMATIONAL FUNCTIONALITY
2 women, 2 men. 20s-40s
Created to repair the computer that studies the earth’s radiated surface, the Consolidating Informational Functionality Committee succeeds brilliantly—by enveloping every difficulty in a coating of corporate crap. Read at both the Last Frontier Theatre Conference and Edward Albee’s Great Plains Theatre Conference. Workshopped by Wolfs Mouth Theatre Collective, Ithaca, NY.
CORA’S MOUNTAIN
3 women, 20s, 40s, 60s. 2 men, 20s, 60s, 1-2 any gender, 20-40
When the revolution comes to Cora’s garden, she uses her unassuming magic to help the cause, and then to deal with the revolution’s aftermath. Finalist, George Kernodle New Play Competition, 2007. Reading, Tri-State Actors Theatre, NJ, August 2002. Workshopped at Nor’Eastern Playwrights Conference, 2015. Great roles for Women and Seniors.
TEN MINUTE PLAYS
AT SEA
1 man, 60-80, 1 woman, 35-40
Faced with nightmares about her childhood ocean, Lydia pretends to swim in her Midwestern living room When her dead grandfather shows up, Lydia confronts her dreams. Reading at Short Play Marathon, New Bedford, MA, 2014, and by Wolfs Mouth Theatre Collective, Ithaca NY, 2015. Role for Senior Man.
FAR AWAY
1 man, 1 woman, both in their 30s
Even in the far future, long-distance relationships are difficult. AJ Sage is Maurey, Lisa Frank is Yannie.
GASLIT
2 women. 15 minutes.
Tasked with competing deliverables and arguing about deep domain expertise, a key collaborative partnership turns into a brawl. But which one is lying? Dragonfly Festival, Devanaughn Theatre, Boston MA, May 2006. Comic roles for Women. Read at Spring Writes Festival, March 2021. Appears at 20.20 in the following link. :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJoIvxbL_nY&ab_channel=CommunityArtsPartnershipofTompkinsCounty%2CNY
INSPIRATION
1 man, 1 woman, 25-50
Finding inspiration isn’t always what you think it is. Published in Synkroniciti magazine, 11/2020, https://synkroniciti.com/the-magazine/
LIGHT SHOW
3 actors, 20s, any gender
Roommates argue about decorating their apartment for the winter solstice—until the lights, candles, and flashlights go out. North by South Theatre, Los Angeles, December 2013.
LANDSCAPE WITH FLOWERS
3 women, 1 man
A camp among trees and flowers, a week after the end of the world. 48 Hour Play Marathon, Kitchen Theatre, February 2005.
LOSING IT
2 women, or 1 man, 1 woman
Dina saves everything she might turn into art. Her partner Kelly is a neat freak. Conflict ensues. Looking Glass Theatre, NYC, November 2007; Elmira College, NY, February 2001; Potluck Productions, Kansas City, July 2001. LGBTQ theme (if, as originally written both are Women.)
METAPHORICAL SHOES
1 man, 1 woman, 70-85
After spending most of her life raising children and wearing sensible shoes, Doris finds her inner goddess in pair of stylish, dangerous, mile-high heels. Rewritten for publication by Art Age, 2017. Phoenix Theatre Caleb Reese Festival, May 2017. Cashiers Library, NC, 2015. Theatre Southwest 8th Annual Readers Theatre, 2012. Geneva Theatre Guild, March 2012. Reading by The Lost Playwrights of Western North Carolina, 2009. Comic roles for Seniors.
MOVING PARTS
3 actors, any age, any gender
Three people move around and tell us what they’re doing. A director’s dream. Looking Glass Theatre, NYC, June 2008.
SOLSTICE
1 man, 1 woman, 40-50
On the darkest evening of the year, in the jungle of the homeless, Edie tries to make life bright with candles, even though alcoholic Joe hates Christmas. Seasoned Greetings, Chicago,2016. American Concert Theatre Holiday Tales, Philadelphia PA, December 2006.
THE WINDOWS
2 women, 25-30 Ordinary Vannie becomes obsessed with three paintings of windows. She acquires them by hook and by crook. The result is–magical. The Marsh Theatre, 2020. She Speaks, Kitchener Ontario, March 2009. The Women’s Theatre Project, FL, February 2008. Dramatists Guild, NYC, International Women’s Day plays, March 2007. Blameless Productions, Cape Town, South Africa, June 2007. Great roles for Young Women.
WHAT I LEARNED FROM CATS
1 woman, 1 any gender
To chase those toys or not, that is the question. Wolfs Mouth Theatre Collective.
YOGA WITH PIGEONS
1 man, 1 woman, 30-40
A woman practices yoga in a city park. A pigeon-watching man finds this intriguing. Are yoga and pigeon watching the same thing? La Cote Basque Winehouse Restaurant 2016. St. Petersburg Summer Theatre Festival, 2015.
MONOLOGUES FOR WOMEN
BARBARA MCCLINTOCK TALKS ABOUT STATUES: Woman, 50-60.
The Nobel-winning plant geneticist speaks. “Put a Woman on a Pedestal” reading, 2021
LONE: 1 woman 60-70
She’s obsessed with the Lone Ranger. Follies Players, Florida, reading 2018.
TEEN READING PROGRAM: woman 12-16
Like, why do I have to read? Why can’t I just, you know, Google it? Or watch it on YouTube? Vestige Theatre, Austin TX, August 2006. Reading online, Open Eye Theatre, July 2020. Available through DramaNotebook.com
VANNIE’S WINDOWS, 1 woman, 20-40
Ordinary Vannie becomes obsessed with three paintings of windows. She acquires them by hook and by crook. The result is –magical. Performed online at The Marsh, October 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IcgboY3FTU&t=16s&ab_channel=JudithPratt
THE FAT LADY SPEAKS, 1 woman. The actress need not be fully “fat,” but should definitely not be thin! Six feet tall and stacked is good. So is round and firm and fully packed. The Goddess Her Very Large Self talks about dieting.
HOTBOX, a menopausal woman speaks. 1 woman , 50s.