Ms. Rice nails the ‘ah-ha’ moment that audiences love. The balancing act she’s perfected between outrageous humor and tender sentiment is an art form meant to be seen on stage again and again.
– Maureen Brady Johnson, educator, playwright (Ohio)
An old, old story that still rings far too true too often today.
Comedy-Drama.
3F; 2M.
Est. 90 min.
Flexible staging.
A savage comedy about dangerous truths. In ancient Greece, women are fed up with getting no recognition for their contributions to society. Maia reveals that she is the creator of all the famous sculptures credited to her husband (his name is Anonymous) in the last 10 years. Emboldened by Maia’s confession, her friends reveal their own secret successes in the fields of athletics and math.
Anonymous, distraught at finding out his wife has more talent than he does, has been drinking far too many wineskins of booze. He begins messing around with Kyamites, the Greek God of Beans, who has come to Earth for some fun.
When the glorious Discobolous sculpture is presented to Odysseus at his birthday celebration and Anonymous is crowned with a laurel wreath, Maia stands up and announces to the assembled crowd that she herself is the sculptor. Women cheer. Kyamites and Anonymous call on Zeus to strike Maia dead. Zeus obliges.
But Maia’s spirit rises and pronounces “Women know, as women do, what must be done. Women are accustomed to waiting. Women are patient. The time will come.”
“Oh yes! Back to Ancient Greece we go to tackle sexism and bias, where all the contributions were of men. The time has come to end that lie. And so funny! I loved being transported here! Brava!”
– Cheryl Bear, playwright
DEVELOPED in New York City at Michael Roderick’s Studio, Manhattan Oracles, New Ambassadors, Shop Talk and 29th Street Playwrights Collective. Public readings at Morningside Players and Episcopal Actors Guild Hall.
SCRIPT AVAILABLE to read at New Play Exchange. Full-length plays listed alphabetically first. Scroll down for one-acts, shorts and monologues.
FOR INQUIRIES AND TO OBTAIN SCRIPT: contact the playwright.
