Overview
TRW presents ten compelling short works—heroes and villains, from earthly issues to supernatural ones—by established and emerging playwrights in this third volume of our popular series.
Edited by Craig Pospisil
Collected Plays
Batting Zero
by James Hindman, Ray Roderick, & Cheryl Stern
A math professor turns from Jekyll to Hyde while watching her son compete in a little league playoff game.
Characters (2W)
DIANE — 20s-30s. A true Jekyll and Hyde baseball mom. One
minute she’s a sweet-tempered baker of lemon squares, the next – a
hungry tigress who will do anything to get her son’s team into the
playoffs!
BETH — 20s-30s. A math professor who knows nothing about
baseball. She would rather grade papers than watch the game. Until…
UMPIRE — Voice Over only.
Setting: Bleachers at a little league game.
The Caterers
by Tony Meneses
A group of caterers grab quick
cigarettes and make snarky remarks
about the engagement party they’re
working, which seems to be going
off the rails. Garcia is taken with
Josephine, who says she’s a last
minute replacement … or is she
the bride-to-be that’s missing from
this very party?
Characters
(2W, 2M, 1 Nonbinary, 1 Any)
GARCIA — 20s, non-binary/queer or queer female; Latine
JOSEPHINE — 20s, female, White
SHANNON — 20s-40s, male, queer, any race
MINNIE — 20s-40s, female, Black
DEREK — 20s-40s, male, any race
PAIGE — 20s-40s, any gender or race
Setting: Ridgefield, CT
The near future.
everybody gets a stick
by Deborah Zoe Laufer
The gun control issue goes to
kindergarten. Mikey Smith’s
mother is very upset because
Ms. Jonas took away his stick and
gave him detention for hitting
the other children with it. Mrs.
Smith says she gave her son that
stick and no one can take it from
him. The principal’s solution?
Everybody gets a stick.
Characters
(2W, 1 Any)
MRS. SMITH
MS. JONAS
PRINCIPAL RIGHT
Setting: A principal’s office.
G.O.A.T.
by Ngozi Anyanwu
Three women, Jay, Bonita, and
Row, have gathered on the rooftop
to burn the sage and drink the
sacred Gatorade. To pray to the
goddess Nike, and the power of
Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe.
To summon victory for their beloved
champion: Serena Williams,
the Greatest Of All Time.
Characters
(3W, 1 Any)
BONITA
JAY
ROW
VOICE OF ANNOUNCER
Setting: The rooftop of an apartment building. 2015.
Her Head On the Pillow
by Craig Pospisil
Inspired by Tennessee Williams’ poem of the same name, HER HEAD ON THE PILLOW imagines a surprisingly redemptive “morning after” for an unlikely couple following a one-night stand.
Characters
(1W, 1M or 2W)
MARY — It’s hard to guess Mary’s age. She could be young, or it
could just be the lighting…
TEDDIE — 30s/40s. Life’s been a struggle.
Setting: A bedroom in an apartment. It’s 4 AM.
A Life's Work
by John Carosella
The Conroys are being evicted from their home of 36 years of marriage. The house will be razed to make way for a new park, the centerpiece of Pittsburgh’s transformation into a cleaner, more liveable city. While waiting for a taxi to take them to their new apartment, Micky and Eileen struggle with the pain of leaving so many memories behind.
Character List
(1W, 2M)
MICKEY Conroy — A 65-year old man who is retired from a
Pittsburgh Steel Mill
EILEEN Conroy — A 59-year old woman who is Mickey’s wife
FRANKIE Conroy — The 20-year old son of Mickey and Eileen
Time: 6:15 PM on Thursday—November 9, 1950
Place: The kitchen of the Conroy home which is in the “upper point” district
of Pittsburgh PA
Men On Mars
by Yussef El Guindi
In the first ever manned mission to Mars, the astronauts encounter a problem they’d hoped to avoid: themselves.
Characters
(3M, 1 Any)
MITCHELL — 35-50. Male. Any race.
GENE — 30-45. Male. Any race.
RANDY — 30-45. Male. Any race.
MISSION CONTROL — 30-60. Any race or gender.
Setting: Mars.
The Rain is Falling
by C. Quintana
Rain and Eliot hook up at their small New Mexico college. Rain is unsure where her life is going, but Eliot is passionate about journalism and finding “the story.” The news of the sudden closing of their college provides Eliot with her story, but their relationship and futures are thrown into question.
Characters
(3 Actors)
RAIN — Early 20s/early 30s, Black (she/her)
ELIOT — Early 20s/early 30s, Asisan-American (she/her)
DAD/MOM/TROY/STRANGER — should all be played be one
actor* (*He/she/they may or may not be the same race as Rain)
Setting: A grad school interview meets a hippy liberal arts college in
Santa Fe, New Mexico meets memory. 2007-2017
Trish Tinkler On How to Be Exciting
by Jacqueline Goldfinger
Trish goes to an AA meeting to confess her secret. It’s not alcohol. Yes, she had a couple of shots of Goldschlager Peppermint Schnapps when it happened, but she was just trying to be the life of the party for once.
Characters
(1W)
TRISH Tinkler — a timid, nervous woman
Setting: Present day at an AA meeting.
Younger Battles the Possible Ghost
by Shannon Tyo
There is almost certainly a ghost in Younger’s bedroom. What to do, what to do…
Characters
(2W)
ELDER — BIPOC. A ghost. Femme presenting, she/her pronouns.
Agile. Menacing. Surprisingly nurturing. Ageless in
theory, but should appear old enough to be Younger’s
grandparent.
YOUNGER — BIPOC. a kid, should appear to be in elementary
school. (an actual kid, not an adult playing a kid.)
Femme presenting, she/her pronouns. Innocent.
Enjoys science. Surprisingly brave.
Casting Note: As will become evident, characters should bear a passing resemblance.
Setting: A child’s bedroom
Authors
