THE CINDY VARIATIONS – COMING OF AGE COMEDY
The Cindy Variations is a 95-minute, two-act coming of age comedy about a young woman’s search for love, happiness, professional recognition and, well — love. The play uses a multi-ethnic cast of six (3w, 3m) to play about 45 roles, requires virtually no set and utilizes generally contemporary costumes. There are no unusual technical specifications; simple projections are suggested but lobby cards or the like may be substituted. Its language is very mild and suitable for any community, although the piece is recommended for mature audiences.
The play is narrated by CINDY PESHEK (f: 26) whose story we follow from age eight to the present day. Cindy wants two things out of life: to be taken seriously as an actress and a person, and to be loved. Her problems are two-fold: She is tiny — five feet tall or shorter — with a childlike face — and body: She is “underdeveloped,” about which she is extremely self-conscious. That leads to her second problem: a lack of self-confidence where her relationships with boys (as a girl) and men (as she matures) are concerned. How she learns to overcome that lack, to accept herself and to acknowledge she can be loved, is the play’s throughline.
There is music used in the play available on request. Other full length plays by this acclaimed playwright: The Easy Lovin’ Blues – a drama.
Reviews:
‘In addition to being rather entertaining, The Cindy Variations by Patterson Dempsey Valdez Starring Cindy Peshek as Herself is also a contender for the longest play name in history. It’s an unorthodox bit of theater, less of a play and more of a monologue paused briefly so other people can talk. It’s quirky, it’s often silly and it does succeed in making you laugh, largely because of the talent of the lead actress.’ – Red Publication, 2016
Development/Award history
READINGS: Sundog Theatre (Staten Island, NY) (2015)
John Tyler Community College (Richmond, VA)
SART (Mars Hill, NC) ScriptFest (2013)
Rose of Athens Theatre (Athens, GA) (2012)
Chicago Dramatists (2011)
Cone Man Running Productions, Houston (2016)
HONORS: Selected for SART ScriptFest (2013)
Third Place, Ohio State University-Newark Competition (2013)
Semi-finalist, 2013 Centre Stage (Greenville, SC) New Play competition
Author: Evan Guilford Blake
Type: Two-act play
Genre: Coming of age comedy. Interactive theatre, black box theatre
Cast: 3M 3F – other than Cindy, each character plays multiple roles. There is scope for groups with addtional actors to cast them in these smaller parts.
Ages of the actors: Cindy is 26, the rest are adults to middle aged.
Suitable for: Adults to perform and watch
Length: 95 minutes
Set: Black box theatre – blank stage with Cindy who interacts with the audience to set the scene and tell her story
Level of difficulty: 8/10 – a lovely piece with scope for multiple actors to play different roles and challenge their skills. Great for monologues too.
Read a Sample of the Script
Cost is $10 for this honours play
Contact Off the Wall Plays with any queries about The Cindy Variations
Copyright © June 2015 Guilford-Blake corporation
Other black box and interactive type comedies:
Madrababes – black box one act madrigal musical.
My child – one act drama about a yougn girl with an unwanted pregnancy and a woman desperate for a baby
Dislocations – one act black box American drama about a young man lost in the wrong part of town
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