Three short plays about Mormon women confronting their own culture, each with a cast of three. In Bar and Kell, two women help a single mother and confront their own motives. In Community Standard, a woman serving on the jury of an indecency trial is forced to confront issues in her own marriage. And in Duets, a woman confronts the choices she has made by marrying a gay man. Mixed motivations and living up to our own and others’ expectations are themes explored in all three plays. While the characters are “Mormon” the religious overtones only deepen the dilemmas of these women as they struggle with universal questions –– questions that many women ask, regardless of any basis in Faith.
Any of the three plays could be produced separately as a one-act. (please inquire for rights)
The language and situations are for mature audiences.
LOGO Artwork (above) courtesy of Plan-B Theatre Company, featuring Stephanie Howell, Teresa Sanderson and Christy Summerhays. As recognized by the Dramatists Guild of America, Plan-B Theatre Company is the only professional theatre company in the United States producing full seasons of new plays by local playwrights.
PLAY DETAILS:
- 3f (playing 20 characters)
- BAR AND KELL
1- Brandie, Tiffany and Aunt Pearl,
2- Bar and Aunt Dot
3- Kell and Kenny - COMMUNITY STANDARD
1- Janeal and Julie
2- Chris, Defense Attorney, Expert Witness
3- Bertine, Judge, Prosecuting Attorney and Defendant - DUETS
1 – Sherilynn
2- Candace and Laurie
3- Sondra (Should be able to sing well)
- BAR AND KELL
- Simple sets, props, costumes.
- About 90-100 minutes.
- ORDER #2027
REVIEWS:
“3” Insightful Plays at Plan B
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by Ann Poore, March 27, 2014
“These are three insightful short plays about women confronting their own often conformist culture that center on universal whys: why do we make the choices we make, why do we do the (often-intrusive) things we do…Rarely pretty, but sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and always incisively written…”Embracing our paradoxes
Young Mormon Feminists
by Hannah Wheelwright
“I would absolutely tell you to go see this show. It is filled with snappy dialogue, Mormon jokes, raw and unexpected emotions, and cringe-worthy honesty that provoke deep introspection on why we do the things we do… Striking at the core of Mormon women’s dichotomies of faith, righteousness, and motherhood as it demonstrates the paradoxes of trying to live authentic Mormon lives, 3 gives quick snapshots that compel the audience to consider the meaningful ties we hold with those around us, even those we don’t think we know very well- and perhaps especially those who we don’t know well. Samuelsen’s brilliance is evident in how each act ends with you realizing that you feel like the characters are old friends both with each other and yourself, and you wonder how you could possibly reach the same level of familiarity with the next set of characters only to find yourself wrapped up in their stories yet again. It is the fact that these women’s stories are told with such sensitivity for honesty, unanswered questions, questionable motives, and simple compassion that the whole performance leaves you aching for more.”Final play in ‘Season of Eric’
Standard Examiner
By Amy Nicholson
“If good things come in threes, Eric Samuelsen’s “3” is great…It is a phenomenon in Mormonism where people will take someone who is struggling and make them their project. This is about that. It asks the question, do they really help her? I don’t think it answers it. [I don’t think it is supposed to.] I think the purpose to drama, the best experiences, are not watching it in the theater, but talking about it with friends on the way home.”
PERUSAL MATERIALS:
- A copy of the PERUSAL SCRIPT (in PDF format) which contains half of the script of the play is available, (it also has an extensive Author’s Note.): 3 PERUSAL
PRODUCTION/REHEARSAL MATERIALS:
(Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account?), email us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Do not purchase rehearsal materials or pay for royalties until you have performance clearance.)
- Script in PDF format — Order #2027a : $25.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2027d : $70
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2027e : $60
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
- EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.
PRODUCTIONS
- Premiered (as “3”) by Plan-B Theatre Company, Salt Lake City, Utah in 2014
- Premiered (as “Three Women”) at the Little Brown Theatre, Springville, Utah, 2001
PRODUCTION PHOTOS: Plan-B Theatre Company
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
3
Three Plays for Three Women
by
Eric Samuelsen
NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play. (In a press release all type, will of course, be the same size.)
ALSO:
THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“3 is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”
From the catalog of
