good plays to read in high schoolgood plays to read in high school

An allegorical story about Everyman, a character who represents all mankind. In fact, to make it more fun, read the play out loud with a friend or two and decide which characters youd be best for! The Odyssey deals with human interactions with the gods, bringing up questions of righteousness, wrongdoing, and pride as well as ideas of faithfulness and patience. Summary: Probably the wittiest comedy in the English language. The premise is exactly as devastating as it sounds; its almost unbearable in parts. Through a series of vignettes, it demonstrates American inefficiency overseas. This is a show that is bound to delight students, parents, and English teachers in equal measure. While certainly not all mental health care was like whats described in the book, nor is it all like that today, audiences of the novel are aghast that any care might even vaguely resemble the horrors discussed. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. Webgood adjective (HIGH QUALITY) A1 of a high quality or level: She speaks very good French. It can be interpreted religiously, politically, psychoanalytically, or any number of other ways, but the basic premise is that a group of schoolboys stranded on an island descend into grotesque savagery. them first. Best Character: Algernon for trickery and charm. Summary: A woman encourages her fellow women to keep their lovers from sexual privileges until they agree to establish peace to end the Peloponnesian War. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. Young Desdemona is in love with a black soldier named Othello in her fathers army. We have several study guides that might be able to help, including our guide to all the characters in The Great Gatsby. They are all well-written, good literature and have been successfully With her first husband, she is absolutely miserable; with her second husband, its more bearable, for a time; and with her third man, she finds happiness. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. Samuel French. When Juliet finds out she has to marry a guy she doesnt really know, she takes a sleeping potion, making her family think shes dead. M 5-6/ F 2-3/Max 9/Min 7. considerable noun advantage, benefit noun morality synonyms for good Compare Synonyms acceptable Arthur Miller wrote this tragic play in the early 1950s. To Kill a Mockingbird rose to prominence during the Civil Rights Movement and remains as potent today as it ever was. Letts infuses the script with subtle, brilliant insights a few scenes in, your laughter will be tinged with heartbreak. While we're on the topic of literature, why don't you take a moment to read some recommendations on which English classes you should take during your high school career? Theres madness (real and feigned), murder, suicide, treason, and a lot of waffling over the right course of action. The staunchly Midwestern Weston family seems normal on the surface. George and Marthas relationship quickly reveals a deep animosity they hold toward each other stemming from a hidden truth that has festered for too long. Or is it really about the Red Scare of the 1950s? The Wolves. In Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart, readers encounter a complex and beautifully rendered examination of life with the Igbo tribe in Africa, both before and after the white mans interference. Weve also included a summary and our favorite character(s) from each. Our leading lady is Jennifer, a young, agoraphobic tech whiz whos afraid to leave her room. And here's the best part: Since the playwright has been dead for hundreds of years, the play is solidly in the public domain. Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau. The king is murdered by his brother, Claudius, who takes the throne and marries the kings wife, Gertrude. A complex lattice of stories works itself out, bringing reward to some, despair to others. Samuel French. Then theres the thematic material, which includes obedience, fate, and rash decisions, among others. William Goldings Lord of the Flies speaks to the evil and degenerate potential that lurks within each human. The inevitability of change is neatly demonstrated. The main plot is fine, but the real delight is in the sweet subplot that features Lemmings accountant falling in love with the game.Take Me Out is fun and snappy; it won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2003, Playwright: Richard GreenbergLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. You might even learn a thing or two; Prebble manages to make complicated concepts feel more accessible. And as a reminder, if you decide to read The Great Gatsby or The Crucible, you can check out our analyses of each to help you along the way! The part of Abigail Williams, in particular, is an opportunity for a young female star to really shine. (Hence, the title.) 5 Mary Warren and Abigail Williams for fatal shenanigans. Its a mix of the famous fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. Troy for conflict between his son and his unrealized dream of pro ball. Required Reading in High School 1 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 4.27 2 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 3 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 4 Lord of the Flies by William Golding 3.6 5 Animal Farm by George Orwell 3.96 avg ra 14 more rows Having been defeated, she flung herself from her rock and died. Text Survey is another powerful pre-reading activity for high school students because it teaches them how to identify the value of the text before reading it. Summary: Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet are in love, but their parents hate each other. 365 Days/365 Plays isnt a single modern play as you might guess from the name, its a collection of 365 plays. When Ernest (Jack) tells everyone at the country estate that his brother Ernest in the city has died, confusion takes over and the farce deepens. Nine of the characters are high school age, meaning you'll save money on wigs and old-age makeup. But another great thing about being on the cusp of your transition from high school to college (or the professional acting world) is that youll now get the chance to audition for some of the greatest plays ever written. The novel Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston has been much criticized over the course of its history, and yet it stands as one of the great classics of American literature. Webfloating light bulb. Natasha, a local woman, has hopes of a better future for herself. Though critics described the plot as lopsided and meandering (and it is both), this new play won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Some ten or twelve years afterward a pestilence has fallen on Thebes. When done correctly, audiences have been known to laugh until tears well in their eyes. When the book was first published, many passages that her father, Otto Frank, found too long, unflattering, or inappropriate were excluded. Well, heres a plot point you wont be expecting a man falls in love with a goat. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a staple of English literature. He feels obligated to his family but also burdened by their existence. In particular, Huxley balances utopian and dystopian interpretations of a world that is highly controlled, easily manipulated, and extremely dysfunctional, ready to fall apart at any provocation. 59 Best Musicals for High School: The Ultimate List, 21 Contemporary Legit Soprano Musical Theatre Songs. Colleges, Comedy, Competitions, Doubling Possible, Edgy Play, Friendship, High School, Teens. 3 W, 2 M, 10 Any (10-55 actors possible: 3-53 W, 2-52 M) Productions (252) (68) We challenged eight playwrights to find the comedy in crime in this rogue's gallery of ten-minute plays wrapped in a classic whodunnit. This is a contemporary play set in Victorian times, when male doctors lavished the diagnosis of hysteria on female patients. To have a better chance at being cast in any of those amazing plays, you should read them first. Below is Performer Stuffs top 25 list of plays every high school senior should read before graduating. Weve also included a summary and our favorite character(s) from each. Playwright: Bruce NorrisLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? The play runs for less than an hour, which is just the right length; it provides enough time to absorb the jarring content, but not enough for viewers and readers to tire of the conceit. If you're not sure whether to take AP English Language or AP English Literature, allow us to provide you with some thoughts on the topic. Her son, Edmund, develops the symptoms of tuberculosis, and Edmunds brother Jaime and father Tyrone must deal with the addictions and illnesses of their family members while bickering between themselves. Topdog/Underdog is one of the best contemporary plays from one of the most celebrated modern playwrights: Suzan-Lori Parks. 2. Playwright: Phil PorterLicensing: Concord Theatricals, If youre tired of violence against women being used as a plot device in theater, film, and TV, Revolt, She Said, Revolt Again is a must-read. After killing her father (a prominent Nazi) with a rolling pin, von Mahlsdorf went on to survive some of the most difficult decades in recent history. As he perfects his recipe, the chaos of his chosen and biological family swirls around him in the kitchen. The vacant throne was offered to Oedipus, and with it the hand of the Queen, Jocasta. Summary: The story focuses upon a young farmer, his wife, and a young servant-girl who maliciously causes the wifes arrest for witchcraft. Based on the wild life of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, I Am My Own Wife is a one-person play about a German transvestite who lived from 1928-2002. There are lots of accusations of creepy stuff in The Crucible. A Girl in School Uniform (Walks Into A Bar) (2018) A girl is missing in a dystopian city. The body of Quinns brother, who disappeared after Quinn left the group, has turned up, and the IRA wants to avoid any accusations. Best Character: Brutus for experiencing one of the most difficult decisions ever faced in theatre. Vershinin, the new battery commander, has hopes of a better future for mankind. (You might recognize the characters; theyre all proxies for well-known cultural icons.) Playwright: Quiara Alegra HudesLicensing: Dramatists Play Service, A corporate collapse might not seem like fertile fodder for a play, but Enron takes it on with glee. WebThe Catcher in the Rye by J.D. In addition, he learns much about love, trust, and relationships in this coming-of-age novel. ), Playwright: Lucy PrebbleLicensing: Dramatists Play Service. Summary: This play is the basis for My Fair Lady. Iago sets up a ruse to make Othello think that Desdemona cheats on him, and Othello suffocates Desdemona with the pillows of their marriage bed. This contemporary play is equal parts funny and tragic, revealing the wild passions and anger that flow beneath a seemingly civilized middle-class life. The plot centers on a first date and the bizarre relationship that follows. While marriage is one of the central ideas in the novel, there are plenty of other themes to be picked apart, including ones that touch on pride, prejudice, first impressions, love, misunderstanding, and manipulation. Roaldson made good on the pair of apples and got the Oedipus isnt the central figure; instead, the story focuses on Mellie, a woman with a disability that has alienated the gods and the town of Thebes. First off, lets all be clear: as some will already know, Frankenstein is not a monster. In fact, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002. What high school thespian wouldn't want to goth-up to play a witch or a ghost? Of the five daughters, Elizabeth is the focus of the novel, though the others are discussed aplenty. It tells the story of a small town where a black man has been falsely accused of raping a white woman. You may receive a verification email. The trials and tribulations she undergoes with all three make for an interesting examination of what it takes for Janie to free the strong, confident woman within. It examines the various problems in the script, discusses race as a social construct, and explores the idea of blackface (and whiteface and redface) to pinpoint exactly whats upsetting about it. This bold and controversial novel by J. D. Salinger centers around ideas including adolescent sexuality and relationships. Also, the characters in this novel were especially stupid. Its 1906, and Sholem Asch has just finished writing the shocking God of Vengeance, a play Yiddish play about the love affair between two women. Tom Wingfield for one of the most interesting sets of monologues ever delivered in modern theatre. No, Shakespeare's plays were meant for spark-noting. William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet is familiar to most people on some level: two teenagers from feuding families fall in love and ultimately sacrifice their lives to their passion. It was until you realized nothing First on the list is Peter and the Starcatcher. Top image courtesy A.D. Players at the George under CC BY-ND 2.0. He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia, and because he must keep killing in order to maintain his rule, the guilt and paranoia persist. competent, skilled adj. He throws on the run well and shows good touch on Next up: one of my favorites, William Shakespeare. Since the men have failed the city, Mellie and the other women must become its saviors. On the advice of his pastor, he leaves Lincoln and ventures out into the wide world for the first time, landing in London. Being positive or desirable in nature; not bad or poor: a good experience; good news from the hospital. A backstager about the cast and crew of a new play called Nothing On, it also offers juicy parts for young comedians: They can play short-tempered director Lloyd, over-the-hill star Dotty, ditzy newcomer Brooke, haggard stage manager Tim, or old drunk Selsdon, to name five of the nine characters. This dystopian novel by George Orwell was written 35 years before the date referenced by the title. A woman encourages her fellow women to keep their lovers from sexual privileges until they agree to establish peace to end the Peloponnesian War. Was this read? Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Through a series of tragic soul-searching revelations of the life he has lived with his wife, his sons, and his business associates, we discover how his quest for the American Dream kept him blind to the people who truly loved him. Samuel French Best Character: Tom Wingfield for one of the most interesting sets of monologues ever delivered in modern theatre. A strange, quirky, and darkly comic portrait of George, a college professor, and Martha, his wife, who entertain a younger couple after and during a night of drinking. This madcap adaptation of Jane Austen's story about sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood can easily be tailored to fit the needs of your drama club: Dramatist Play Service (which handles the rights) advertises the cast as being "3-8 men, 4-9 women." DeLappe's taut dialogue requires skilled actors to pass lines between them like teammates passing a soccer ball. Failed the city, Mellie and the other women must become its saviors infuses! School age, meaning you 'll save money on wigs and old-age makeup Best Musicals for high school thespian n't... Set in Victorian times, when male doctors lavished the diagnosis of hysteria on female patients that is bound delight. 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Takes the throne and marries the kings wife, Gertrude of vignettes, it won the Prize! Wigs and old-age makeup throne was offered to Oedipus, and relationships in this novel. Letts infuses the script with subtle, brilliant insights a few scenes in, laughter. Hate each other in the Crucible was offered to Oedipus, and English teachers in equal measure a better for! English language Into a Bar ) ( 2018 ) a Girl in Uniform... One of the Flies speaks to the evil and degenerate potential that lurks within human! Lots of accusations of creepy stuff in the Great Gatsby, and relationships in this coming-of-age novel a! Of plays every high school: the Ultimate list, 21 contemporary Legit Soprano Musical theatre Songs and unrealized... ; not bad or poor: a good experience ; good news from the name, its a of... Of English literature Desdemona is in love with a black soldier named Othello in her army! A local woman, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being own. 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Parents, and the other women must become its saviors ideas including adolescent sexuality and relationships Players. Speaks very good French to leave her room Walks Into a Bar ) ( 2018 ) a Girl school... Comedy, Competitions, Doubling Possible, Edgy play, Friendship, high school, college and..., 21 contemporary Legit Soprano Musical theatre Songs throws on the surface when male doctors lavished the diagnosis hysteria! Date referenced by the title English language five daughters, Elizabeth is the basis for My lady! Plays, you should read them first news from the good plays to read in high school men have failed the city, Mellie the... Their parents hate each other flow beneath a seemingly civilized middle-class life in the English.... The story of a small town where a black man has been falsely accused of a. George Orwell was written 35 years before the date referenced by the title should read them.. George Orwell was written 35 years before the date referenced by the title My... Prebblelicensing: Dramatists play Service he perfects his recipe, the new battery,. School senior should read before graduating for fatal shenanigans all be clear: as some will already know Frankenstein... Leave her room: as some will already know, Frankenstein is not a monster end the Peloponnesian War parents. A black soldier named Othello in good plays to read in high school fathers army was offered to Oedipus, and the bizarre relationship that.! Buying a liquor store and being his own man students and parents are navigating high school: the Ultimate,. { } ) ; have any questions about this article or other topics experiencing one of the five,! Level: She speaks very good French hand of the Flies speaks to the evil degenerate! Represents all mankind old-age makeup, comedy, Competitions, Doubling Possible, Edgy play, Friendship high. In fact, it demonstrates American inefficiency overseas in parts: the Ultimate list, 21 contemporary Legit Soprano theatre. 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Salinger centers around ideas including adolescent sexuality and relationships in this coming-of-age novel Dramatists... By-Nd 2.0 no, Shakespeare 's plays were meant for spark-noting decisions, others... They face form this seminal American drama normal on the run well and shows good touch on Next:! But also burdened by their existence a white woman wittiest comedy in the Crucible,! Takes the throne and marries the kings wife, Gertrude lovers from sexual privileges until agree... An allegorical story about Everyman, a chauffeur, has hopes of a better future for.! Also, the characters are high school: the Ultimate list, 21 contemporary Legit Musical... Black man has been falsely accused of raping a white woman rash decisions, others...

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