Speckman
PLAYs
Full Lengths
Catch/Release
Finalist, Henley Rose Playwright Competition for Women
3M, 3F
SYNOPSIS
Jayne, a lifelong transient, is finally settling down in the small town of Sky, Minnesota, hoping to buy the building that hosts the town’s grocery store, which he manages. Margot, a girl of 14 ½, adopts him as her new companion and confidant. Not used to so much positive attention, Jayne finds himself charmed by her, and Todd, the local police chief, notices. As Jayne and Margot’s friendship grows, it becomes even more complicated when Caleb, a teen looking for the father he never knew, rolls into town and Jayne’s past may finally catch up to him.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Virtual Reading
Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
November 2020
Staged Reading
Theatre on the Square
Indianapolis, IN
July 2017
Workshop
Indiana Writers Center
Indianapolis, IN
2017
Workshop
Yale Writers' Conference,
New Haven, CT
June 2017
Clyt; or, The Bathtub Play
3M, 4F, unlimited number of ensemble
SYNOPSIS
Clytemnestra never launched a thousand ships, but that doesn't mean she couldn't have.
Clytemnestra has always felt a bit overshadowed, whether by her sister, Helen, her husband, or her children. She often finds solace while alone in her bath, but when her sister's abduction leads to unspeakable events, Clytemnestra's life is forever altered.
A darkly comedic, lyrical love letter to one of mythology's most misunderstood women.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Virtual Reading
The Skeleton Rep(resents) Spring Salon Series
New York, NY
March 20, 2021
Virtual Reading
The Bechdel Group Fall Reading Series
New York, NY
November 16, 2020
Workshop
WriteNow Workshop (29th Street Playwrights Collective)
New York, NY
2020
Reading (excerpt)
Phoenix Theatre
Indianapolis, IN
August 2019
Workshop
Phoenix Theatre ARC Playwriting Workshop
Indianapolis, IN
2019
Limberlost
In development
SYNOPSIS
A contemporary retelling of Gene Stratton-Porter's 1909 novel A Girl of the Limberlost. Elnora Comstock wants to go to high school, but her hardened mother Kate, who wants Elnora's help around the farm, won't help her raise the funds she needs. Elnora turns to the kindness of neighbors and the magic and secrets of the Limberlost swamp to find her way.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Workshop
Adaptation with Caridad Svich
ESPA
New York, NY
2021
Workshop
Scene Nights
Indiana Playwrights Circle
Indianapolis, IN
2021
Unnamed Apartment Play
In development
SYNOPSIS
Arthur's world is turned upside-down when his girlfriend of 9 months, an Egyptologist, leaves unexpectedly for Cairo. His father, Frank, who had been staying with the couple while recovering from surgery, is convinced Giulia fled town in order to break up with Arthur. Arthur has faith in his flame, however, but begins to question things when her younger sister, Maria, shows up to take her place in the apartment.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Workshop
Scene Nights
Indiana Playwrights Circle
Indianapolis, IN
2021
One Acts
Cindy/Ella
5M, 7F (doubling suggested)
SYNOPSIS
A modern Cinderella story: in reverse.
Princess Cynthia of Malibu has it all, yet she longs to be "normal." When the ever-present media breaks the news about her husband’s foot fetish after he forces women throughout town to try on her shoes, Cindy embarks on an adventure to find out who she truly is beneath the glitz and glam. Going incognito as Ella, Cindy seeks to discover what the world outside of celebrity culture really has to offer, and whether she can take care of herself for once. Meeting a host of characters while traversing across LA and (eek!) the Valley, Cindy discovers that what she's most been missing has been with her all along.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
IndyFringe Festival
IndyFringe Basile Theatre, Indianapolis, IN
August 16-25, 2018
Directed by Laura Baltz
PROMAPALOOZOOM!
(A Play for Virtual Theatre)
3M, 4F, 1NB
SYNOPSIS
This isn't your average Zoom conference call. This is PROM 2020.
When a group of high schoolers -- some friends, some strangers -- log in to their assigned "prom pod" for their senior prom, they try to make the best of the situation at hand.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Thatz Showbiz
Vaughan, ON, Canada
August 10, 2021
Directed by Sarah Magni
Brooklyn Prospect High School
Brooklyn, New York
June 8, 2021
McCallum Fine Arts Academy
Austin, TX
2020
Short Plays
4 Words of Advice
4-5 actors
SYNOPSIS
4 people provide advice 4 words at a time.
Suitable for Zoom.
An Elephant in the Room
1M, 1F, 1 any
SYNOPSIS
Herman, an elephant, pays Daphne and Daniel a visit.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
D.I.T.A. One-Act Play Festival
Burke Black Box, Denison University, Granville, OH
March 26-27, 2010
Directed by Jamie Merz
Bartleby & Bess
1M, 1F
SYNOPSIS
A man contemplates life, love, and airplane trips while anxiously awaiting the arrival of an old flame after 408 days of being apart.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Three x Three: Uprisings, Rough Magic Shakespeare Company
Facebook Live, Daytona, FL
July 9, 2020
Directed by Betty Mitchell
D.I.T.A. One-Act Play Festival
Burke Black Box, Denison University, Granville, OH
December 12-13, 2008
Directed by Becca McGlynn
Brothers on a Hotel Bed
2M
SYNOPSIS
Sam and James, having only just met each other, and tired after a long day of driving, enter their hotel room to discover there is only one bed.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
The Oregon One Act Festival
The Actors Conservatory
Portland, Oregon
May 21 & 23, 2021
Kentwood Players
New Playwrights' Virtual Theater Series
Los Angeles, CA
Crossroads Theatre Shed
Jerusalem, Israel
November 12, 2020
Directed by C.B. Davies
Acting Out INKFest, 2 Cents Theatre Group
The Hudson Theatres, Hollywood, CA
March 29-31, 2019
Directed by Matt Aaron Krinsky
Scripts Out of Hand
Miami University, Oxford, OH
March 1, 2013
Directed by Laura Ferdinand
Dead & Company
3M, 3F
SYNOPSIS
A young man is remembered. He dances along.
Disengaged Bedfellows
1M. 1F
SYNOPSIS
A couple wake in separate beds for the first time in seven years. They imagine what the other is doing.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Quaranteeny Play Festival, Fat Turtle Theatre Company
Facebook Live, Indianapolis, IN
May 2, 2020
Produced by Aaron Cleveland
Happy Holidays (or Bust)
2M, 2F
SYNOPSIS
New mom Claire is less than thrilled with her mother's choice of photo for the family Christmas card.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Spectrum 2021 Short Play Festival
First Run Theatre
St. Louis, MO
September 24-26 and October 1-3, 2021
LOVE IS BLIND
1M, 1F
SYNOPSIS
On their wedding day, Timothy seeks to give Kay the day of her dreams, as best he can, given the circumstances.
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Yale Writers Conference
Mary Pickford First Breaks Her Silence
1M, 1F
SYNOPSIS
Mary Pickford is filming a silent film. She breaks her silence.
Mementos
3F
SYNOPSIS
Three women sit atop piles of trash. They contemplate their past and how they define themselves.
Milo & Murphy
1M, 1F, 1 any
SYNOPSIS
In a rehabilitation hospital hallway, a young woman approaches a man. Coming on strong with dated movie references and sass, will she find the connection she secretly seeks, or end up instead revealing more than she meant?
PRODUCTION HISTORY
10 Minute Play Festival, Indiana Writer's Center
IndyFringe Basile Theatre, Indianapolis, IN
May 4-6, 2018
Directed by Katie Horwitz for Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis
My Heart is a Kaleidoscope
(Waiting to be Turned)
5-7 actors
SYNOPSIS
A poetic performance piece for actors. Ensemble piece.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Quaranteeny Play Festival, Fat Turtle Theatre Company
Facebook Live, Indianapolis, IN
May 2, 2020
Produced by Aaron Cleveland
D.I.T.A. One-Act Play Festival
Burke Black Box, Denison University, Granville, OH
December 12-13, 2008
Directed by Gonzalo Tuesta
NAIL BITER (A Play for Virtual Theatre)
2F
SYNOPSIS
KARA calls her best friend JANICE to give her the bad news about her being unable to attend JANICE's first-ever girl-boy party tonight.
Nights from Now On
2M, 1 optional any gender
SYNOPSIS
In the not-so-distant future of 2045, a boy and his father contend with strict guidelines in the hopes of saving the near-extinct firefly.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Short Play Festival
Northland Pioneer College
Show Low, AZ
November 13-28, 2021
ZIP ZAP ZOOM Short Play Festival
Dallas College Mountain View Campus
Dallas, TX
April 8-10, 2021
Directed by Nick Leos
NIXIN' NIXON
1M, 2F
SYNOPSIS
Jane, a college student, comes home with exciting news: her longtime crush is coming over. Tonight. Her one problem? Her roommate Maggie's preferred bathroom decor. Will Jane convince Maggie to redecorate before it's too late?
PRODUCTION HISTORY
16th Annual ISU Theatre 10 Minute Play Festival
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
May 3-4, 2021
Directed by Abbigail Markus
SWAN DAY Festival, Play Club West
Los Angeles, CA
April 11, 2021
Directed by Sarah Hunter
"Love and..." Showcase, Digital Dramatists
Chicago, IL
February 12-14, 2021
Directed by Jacob David Lang
The Masked Collective
Facebook Live, Harrisonburg, VA
October 24, 2020
Directed by Taylor Autumn
OUT BY THE CREEK
1M, 1F
SYNOPSIS
Lorraine runs home to tell her Daddy about a man she and Johnny saw out by the creek.
Potholes & Potluck
1M, 1F
SYNOPSIS
Frank Stone has had it with the pothole on Barkhurst. His wife, Vivian, worries over her holiday potluck. Their daughter, Sara, hasn't emerged from her room in days. Frank comes up with a creative solution to fill the hole and ends up lifting everyone's spirits in the process.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Chancellor High School
Fredericksburg, VA
2020
Rudy! And the Feast
3M, 2F
SYNOPSIS
Newlyweds Kenny and Tina Leigh Sherwood won an appearance on Rudy! And the Feast, a popular cooking show helmed by larger-than-life personality Rudy Caliente. When Rudy begins to take an interest in Tina Leigh, things get a bit hot in the kitchen.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
D.I.T.A. One-Act Play Festival
Burke Black Box, Denison University, Granville, OH
March 25-26, 2011
Directed by Scot Fenton
Shoelaces
1M, 1F
SYNOPSIS
Union Station, Washington, D.C. A young girl lies about her age to a man waiting for a train, but is she the only one who's lying?
PRODUCTION HISTORY
2nd Virtual Theatre Festival
Crossroads Theatre Shed
Jerusalem, Israel
in collaboration with CHICKENSHED UK
February 24, 2021
Directed by C.B. Davis
10 Minute Play Festival, Fat Turtle Theatre Company
YouTube, Indianapolis, IN
August 22, 2020
Directed by Aaron Cleveland
About Love Festival, Tomo Suru Players
Havana Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
November 20-24, 2018
Directed by Alina Quarin
One Act Weekend, Carrollwood Players
Tampa, Florida
May 18-20, 2018
Directed by Chris McDermott
Scripts Out of Hand
Miami University, Oxford, OH
March 1, 2013
Directed by Keith Arcuragi
D.I.T.A. One-Act Play Festival
Burke Black Box, Denison University, Granville, OH
December 11-12, 2009
Directed by Jamie Merz
The Pumpkin Pact
2F
SYNOPSIS
Two middle school girls in the fall of 2004 make a powerful pact in a cornfield.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Short Play Festival
American Lives Theatre
Indianapolis, Indiana
October 14-17, 2021
Directed by Chelsea Anderson
Fright Night: An Evening of Horrors
Emerson Arts
Hamilton, ON, Canada
October 22-31, 2020
The Rude Mechanicals Theatre Company
Richland, WA
Directed by Dr. Emily Rollie
October 27, 2020
Reading, Green Buffalo Productions
Buffalo, NY
June 19, 2020
These aren't meant to be worn
2 actors
SYNOPSIS
A poetic performance piece for 2 actors and art. Two childhood friends meet, years after jealousy and puberty tore them apart.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Chancellor High School
Fredericksburg, VA
2020
Three Tons of Earth (This is a Mother)
6-10 actors
SYNOPSIS
A group of people share the one about the 51 year old woman...
Monologues
Continued on Page 12
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by the New York Times' front page May 24, 2020.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
featured in Hindsight 2020
Department of Drama, UNC-Asheville
Asheville, NC
March 5-6, 2021
The COVID Monologues, Vol. 1
Youtube Live, Oxford, England, UK
August 22, 2020
Performed by Tessa Walker
featured in Spirit and Place Festival
"What Was and What Will Be: Life in the Time of Covid-19"
Dance Kaleidoscope
Indianapolis, IN
November 8-22, 2020
Choreographed and performed by Aleksa Lukasiewicz
Eliana
SYNOPSIS
A young mother reflects on her own childhood boundaries and those of her son during the time of coronavirus.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
New Moon Monologues
Queens of Cups Productions
Zoom, London, England, UK
September 17, 2020
Produced by Grace O'Keefe and Erin Holland
Theatre is the Cure -- Worldwide Event
Zoom, San Diego, CA
May 1, 2020
Directed by Jeneffa Soldatic
Fiery Hope
SYNOPSIS
LILLIAN WALD (35) discusses the importance of a new venture with nurse Lina Rogers at Henry Street Settlement.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Put a Woman on a Pedestal: StatueFest
New Shokan Kitchen Island Project
New York, NY
April 16, 2021
Directed by Gwynn MacDonald
Icebox
SYNOPSIS
Hugh, an American researcher on a base in Antarctica, prepares for the day (and days) ahead while in COVID-19 quarantine.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Theatre is the Cure -- Worldwide Event
Zoom, San Diego, CA
May 22, 2020
Directed by Ryan Thornhill
IOU
SYNOPSIS
Amy reflects on her losses and whether ignorance really is bliss after her mother's passing.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Digital Dramatists
May 24, 2021 - Postponed
Chicago, IL
Talking Horse Productions
Columbia, MO
May 19, 2021
Performed by Kathleen Johnson
Theatre is the Cure -- Worldwide Event
Zoom, San Diego, CA
July 3, 2020
Directed by Kandace Crystal
I Have Never Met Matthew Weaver But Here's A Play About Him Anyway
SYNOPSIS
A woman admits she has never met Matthew Weaver.
MAKE IT KNOWN
SYNOPSIS
Sally, a high school student, uncovers a conspiracy when she is assigned an unknown playwright for a drama class project.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
featured in Madwomen Monologues
Baggage Productions
Melbourne, AU
Mercy Otis Warren at the Pilgrim Hall Museum, 2028
SYNOPSIS
Mercy Otis Warren visits the Pilgrim Hall Museum in 2028 on the 300th anniversary of her birth.
Mother Ever After
SYNOPSIS
A woman composes a letter to an imagined daughter.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
featured in 50in50: Letters to Our Daughters
Curatorial Statement by MacArthur Genius
Dominique Morisseau
Presented by The Billie Holiday Theatre
Kumbel Theater, Long Island University, Brooklyn, NY
March 9, 2019
Directed by Indira Etwaroo
50in50: Letters to Our Daughters West Coast Premiere
WACO Theatre Center, Los Angeles, CA
March 16, 2019
Starting Small
SYNOPSIS
A domestic violence survivor reflects and advises.
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Showcase of Monologues for Domestic Violence Awareness
Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus
Columbus, IN
October 2020
Performed by Megan Ann Jacobs
Suburban Buffalo Sighting
SYNOPSIS
It's exactly what it sounds like...or is it?
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Bare E-ssentials 5: Far From Home, Encompass Productions
London, England
September 30, 2020
Directed by Rachael Owens
Talking Horse Productions
Facebook Live, Columbia, MO
September 25, 2020
Performed by Mary Shaw
Three x Three: Uprisings, Rough Magic Shakespeare Company
Facebook Live, Daytona, FL
July 9, 2020
Directed by Rip Pellaton
Quaranteeny Mono Festival, Fat Turtle Theatre Company
Facebook Live, Indianapolis, IN
June 13, 2020
Produced by Aaron Cleveland
the humans are
all wearing muzzles now
SYNOPSIS
Dog observes. Dog worries. Dog focuses on what dog can control.