The Play

Bare Stage

Drama (2w, 3m, Stagehand). Flexible staging; bare stage. Present. No intermission.

Two young actresses – best friends – are cast by a ‘rising star’ playwright/director in the premier, out-of-town production of a neoclassical drama headed to New York. They are cast in the chorus of men and women, who must appear naked throughout the performance. The actresses are polar opposites in professional experience, financial security, family support and body type. They bring individual passions and needs to the production and they both clash with the demands of the playwright/director and with each other.

Bare Stage was developed at Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and first produced February 8, 2019 and ran for one month at the Plaza Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts as a production of Festival Theatre Company in associate with Paul Gregory and Alex Kenton. The play was directed by A. Nora Long; choreographed by Ilyse Robbins; scenic design by Shelley Barish; lighting design by Abigail Wang; costume design by Tobi Rinaldi; sound design by Jacob Montgomery; properties design by Michaila Cowie. The Assistant Stage Manager was Carmen Catherine Alfaro. Dramaturgy and script consultation provided by Marie Andrews.

E

Cast of Characters

Parker Martin, British. 30’s. Any ethnicity.
Kate (Mary Katherine Byrnes), mid-to-late 20’s.
Rachel Goldstein (Rachel Gold), mid 20’s, full-bodied.
Paddy, (Patrick Byrnes), mid-50’s, Kate’s father.
Tim Hogan, 30, Kate’s boyfriend.
- Stagehand (Chris), invisible. Any age and gender.
- Tammy, Stage Manager, recorded female voice only.

E

Setting

The play takes place in the present on the bare stage of a professional theatre company. The stage itself can be of any configuration: thrust, proscenium, black box, etc. It could have a taped floor, marking scenery placement for a production in rehearsal. It would be best if there was no house curtain. The few furniture pieces are brought on and removed by the Stagehand. The characters do not interact with or notice the Stagehand and they do not assist in ‘scene-setting.’ The intention is that scenes progress with the turn of the head and a change of the lights.

Buzz about the Play

“It’s a treat to hear from you, and to receive a script that I didn’t know was a’borning. I’ve read it twice, delightedly, and am happy to add my sincere thoughts to those of other friends-and-relations who enjoy your work, and have had the opportunity to share their opinions on it. But let’s look to the future – – to BARE STAGE.
I think it’s terrific, I really do. It continues your always-excellent rat-a-tat real-life dialogue, and introduces a wonderful new mise-en-scene, in the different locales sharing the same space, in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.
And it confronts us with an absolutely well-reasoned discussion that has needed examining for a long time – when is nudity essential to the moment, and when is it just an attention-grabber?
I think it’s a great script, Michael”

Jim Cavanaugh

Author, ACTing Means DOing; Professor Emeritus, Mount Holyoke College

“BARE STAGE. First things first: I love it. I do. I love the dialogue and so many of the moments. I’ll list them out later during my standard numbered treatise I send you. But overall, that’s what got me most: the moments. There were parts I felt almost physical pain knowing that I would probably never get to read some of these scenes out loud myself. I’m sure you understand this: you can read a script and say to yourself “I could do this role or that role” and then some other times you read a script and say “GODDAMMIT I WANT TO DO THAT.” That’s the difference…and it’s KILLING me. ”

Marie Martin

Actress, Dramaturg

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