A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

hysterical

Short Play, Comedy  /  1w, 1m

One young woman's post break-up bender is interrupted when the the iconic mascot on the liquor bottle's label comes to life with advice.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    1w, 1m
  • Duration
    Duration
    30 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! 2012 LA Weekly Playwriting Award

Details

Summary
One young woman's post break-up bender is interrupted when the the iconic mascot on the liquor bottle's label comes to life with advice.

From very still & hard to see, a collection of short plays by the acclaimed playwright Steve Yockey – a magical, funny, and occasionally surreal creation that will take you on an exhilarating, visceral journey.

This second collection of short plays from Steve Yockey mixes comedic absurdity with raw heartbreak to unearth worlds populated by desperate people, mythical characters, faceless corporate masters, and at least one Slasher flick heroine. The second half of the collection is comprised of the work very still & hard to see. This short play cycle recounts the history of a cursed hotel and the unfortunate guests who stay there. From riding in an erratic elevator and dealing with possessive ghosts to managing an ever-expanding hole in the floor armed only with gleaning supplies, these encounters with the unkown chillingly collapse the distance between the real and the surreal and remind us that, sometimes, bad things do happen for a reason.
History
hysterical: a play that tastes like black licorice was commissioned and produced by Dad's Garage in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of Fingertips, which opened on July 10, 2009. It was directed by Matthew Meyers.
Keywords
ELIZABETH – a woman in her 20s with a penchant for strong alcohol and suppressing her feelings and reality
WHITE STAG – a white stag with impressive antlers
  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day, New Millennium/21st Century
  • Setting A bare stage with a stool or small table on one side. 
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Duration 30 minutes
  • Cautions
    • Alcohol

Media

"Steven Yockey's series of haunted tales is strung together with expert eeriness." - LA Weekly, Read More

"Yockey's new play is an eerie excusion into the surreal and supernatural" - Backstage, Read More

"...The theatrical equivalent of Disneyland’s Space Mountain, i.e. equal parts excitement, terror, and glee, Very Still And Hard To See provides thrills galore." -Stage Scene LA, Read More

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $55 per performance
    $90 with other plays in collection

Scripts

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Authors

Steve Yockey

Steve Yockey is a Los Angeles based writer with work produced throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. His plays Pluto, Bellwether, Afterlife, Octopus, Large Animal Games, CARTOON, Subculture, Very Still & Hard to See, The Fisherman’s Wife, Wolves, Disassembly, and Niagara Falls ...
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