A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Hyper-Focus

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  3w, 2m

Thomas Jefferson, a middle school student, can't seem to focus in school. He is told he has ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder, a condition that affects his ability to concentrate in class. Both educational and entertaining, Hyper-Focus features original songs by the author and provides great roles for young actors.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    40 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Theatre for Young Audiences
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for all audiences, Adult, Senior, Children (Age 6 - 10), Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Details

Summary

Thomas Jefferson, a middle school student, can't seem to focus in school. He is told he has ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder, a condition that affects his ability to concentrate in class. With his widowed mom, a caring teacher, and his first potential girlfriend, Thomas comes up with a very creative solution to deal with his condition.

Hyper-Focus was commissioned by the Playwrights Project in San Diego in 2004, and subsequently toured in the fall of 2004 at middle schools, high schools, rehabilitation centers, and libraries across Southern California. Both educational and entertaining, Hyper-Focus features original songs by the author and provides great roles for young actors.

History

October 24, 2004 – November 12, 2004. Commissioned and produced by The Playwrights Project. Performed at schools and community centers throughout San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

While the play was written to be performed by 5 adult actors for young audiences, there are many characters that each actor (other than TJ) plays. The play could have as many as 11 actors with full parts and the parts could be played by students as well as adults. More parts could be added to the ensemble of Distractions, also.

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes, Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Audience Participation/Interactive, Local Celebrity Cameo, No intermission, Physical Comedy, Play w/ Music
  • Duration 40 minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

REVIEWS

“Thought-provoking, funny, touching, informative, and provocative...Having myself worked with many young students with ADD, I was particularly impressed with how accurately Knable captured the intricacies of the problem, how it is perceived by others – and how it feels from the ‘inside.’ His song about competing stimuli fighting for attention inside the brain of his appealing protagonist was terrific!” - San Diego Theatre Scene’s Curtain Call

Music

  • Musical Style Folk
  • Vocal DemandsEasy
  • Chorus Size Small

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

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Authors

Jim Knable

Jim Knable's play SPAIN was professionally produced at MCC Theatre (dir. Jeremy Dobrish 2007), Summer Play Festival (2006), Woolly Mammoth Theatre (2001), Actor's Express in Atlanta, New Jersey Rep, Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey, Phoenix Theatre of Indianapolis, and vario ...
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