Define “Friend”
A semi-autobiographical one-act structured as a dramatized academic essay, Jack looks back at his turbulent middle school years as he struggles to define “friend”. Told through a series of intermixed monologues and vignettes, he navigates and attempts to understand the ups and downs of complicated relationships with Aiden and Audrey. As they struggle through arguments, jealousy, peer pressure, and social immaturity, Jack unpacks the complex nature of nuanced friendships as his own relationships deteriorate and bloom.
Summary
Jack and Aiden are the only two boys in their private, Christian school that enjoy theatre and singing, so naturally, they become friends. Vignettes between Jack and Aiden depict significant moments in the mundanity of school life, such as early memories of awkward sexual exposure and bonding over a shared love of music, as well as lunchroom rejection, P.E. fatphobia, and Aiden asking if Jack is gay. Jack’s monologues are honest reflections on friendships, vengeful fantasies, homophobia, and his own flaws. The second half of the show depicts the real friendship Jack forms with Audrey, as she tries to navigate her feelings for Aiden and Jack tries to navigate his feelings towards both of them.
Quick Facts
Cast: 2 boys, 1 girl
Set: Unit, expandable
Run Time: 50 mins
Currently available for licensing!
Minimum Fee/Performance: $40
Perusal: $10
Received readings from IMPRINT Theatreworks, Our Productions Theatre Co., Resolute Theatre Project, and Fort Salem Theatre.
Optimal for educational and youth theatre programs, as well as professional productions for TYA audiences
Who is this for?
I believe that this show is perfect for high school theatre programs across the country, as well as professional companies wanting to produce prescient, contemporary theatre for young audiences. Stories have great universality in their specificity, and this show presents the complicated nuance in burgeoning grade-school relationships in a way few other plays do. I have often personally bemoaned the lack of well-drawn, three dimensional young characters in the theatre canon, but I hope this show provides one more addition to a small collection of plays that accurately portray and validate the experiences of young people today. I also hope this show inspires audience interaction beyond the performance, instigating needed conversations about social maturity, identity, friendship, faith and sexuality.
A Note on Content
This show does include several uses of profanity, including “ass”, “b*tch”, “piss”, “crap”, “d*ck”, and “sh*t”. However, the script includes a page of playwright-approved replacements for all such occurrences for school and youth groups, or companies performing for TYA audiences. These may (or may not) be used at the discretion of the director and school policy.
Read the First Ten Pages!
Read the First Ten Pages!
Interested in licensing this show for your theater?
Go to “Sheet Music” to order a complete perusal of the play!
Perusals: $9.99
Minimum Licensing Fee/Performance: $40
PDF Script Materials (upon licensing): $35
When you license this production, you will receive a PDF document of the script and express permission from the playwright to print and duplicate according to your needs. The unauthorized reproduction or sharing of this material is strictly prohibited.