Plays

EVERYONE'S FINE WITH VIRGINIA WOOLF

Now published by Dramatists Play service and available for purchase here

A sharp-witted parody of a celebrated American drama, EVERYONE’S FINE WITH VIRGINIA WOOLF is, in turns, loving homage and fierce feminist take-down. Kate Scelsa’s incisive and hilarious reinvention of Edward Albee’s classic WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? slyly subverts the power dynamics of the original play’s not-so-happy couple. In the end, no one will be left unscathed by the ferocity of Martha’s revenge on an unsuspecting patriarchy.

Produced at Abrons Arts Center in June, 2018 and at the 2018 Dublin Theatre Festival by Elevator Repair Service. More info HERE.

“Bubbles with a love of theater at its most brazenly theatrical.” - The New York Times

"Scelsa's witty, trenchant parody of Albee's play packs a thesis-worth of critique on the way men perceive and portray skewed images of women through the distorted lens of the American patriarchy." – TheaterMania

"Scelsa has a take-no-prisoners approach to satire that sends deconstructionist theories of feminist and gender studies way up into the ether, where they flare and fizzle like fireworks." – The New York Times

“(A) breezily intertextual, polysexual, queer-feminist dance remix.” – Observer

"Kate Scelsa’s new riff on Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? tears up (the) template and sticks the pieces back together like a Dadaist poem." – Financial Times

"A wild and wonderful romp that will make your head spin (as well as your belly ache from laughing.)" – Theater Pizzazz

THE FAMILY

In a matriarchal religion where women take on multiple husbands, second husband Trevor has convinced the family to bring his high school friend Sam into the fold as husband number three, but finds himself conflicted about some old and unwelcome feelings when Sam arrives. As Trevor faces down the past, he is referred to the family's pastor and her controversial methods for self-control and continued devotion to the needs of the family above all else. A work of aggressive realism at the intersection of gender and power.

Seen in workshop at La Mama with Hunter Canning, Lecy Goranson, Eleanor Hutchins, Mike Iveson, Kimber Tai Monroe, and Christopher-Rashee Stevenson.

THE CRACK

“The Crack” is a dream play, a proto-feminist fantasy, an absurdist puzzle. Silne and her husband Davey have finally come to visit Silne’s step brother Ed in his new apartment. Ed and Silne's parents have died mysteriously, and there is a will to review. Ed's new apartment has a large crack running down the middle of it, a feature meant to keep the mind sharp. Also Silne’s husband Davey used to be an Adult Baby, and now he is an Adult Teenager.

The crack must be navigated, it must be protected, and above all nothing must go out it, or come in.

Seen in Little Theatre at Dixon Place with Amanda Villalobos, Gary Wilmes, Annie McNamara, and Gavin Price.

HUMAN HEART

A song cycle about love, heartache, and getting stuck on the astral plane. Concert-style, folk-rock storytelling brings lovers together and apart, dismantles a cult, and ends up somewhere in the energetic web above South America, searching for meaning in magic, and magic in anything at all.

Featuring a book by Kate Scelsa, with songs by Scelsa, Robert Johanson, and Gavin Price.

Hear songs from HUMAN HEART here, here and here

THE HAUNTED DOLL

A new musical about haunted dolls and feminist witches, developed as part of the New Georges Audrey Residency program, with songs by Mike Iveson. Fifteen-year-old Claire decides she wants to study to become a witch in order to help her mother, June, who suffers from a mysterious illness that seems to have been brought on during her time working at the Tree Time Doll Factory. Claire seeks out Morphena, an experienced practitioner who spends her days writing angry online reviews of her ex-girlfriend's exploitative witchcraft book. But it is one of the Visitors to the old Tree Time Doll Factory who may actually hold the key to June's illness and Claire's burgeoning mystical abilities. He just needs to stop collecting haunted dolls long enough to help them.

Hear a song from THE HAUNTED DOLL here

THE MOUSE PLAYS

The cast of “The Mouse Plays” has been called together for a final victorious New York run of their twelve hour long marathon theater experience. Will this secure their places in experimental theater history? Or will the hours spent stuck in the dressing room together cause them to go insane? Inspired by the author’s experience performing in the eight hour long production “Gatz” for nearly a decade, “The Mouse Plays” is an ode to the casualties of marathon theater.

Developed as part of the Bushwick Starr reading series and for Little Theatre at Dixon Place.

EMBERT (THE ROAST)

Cult-like religious institution "The Upstairs Congregation" is in for a surprise when the prodigal daughter of their leader returns home after years of revolutionary work, overthrowing patriarchal institutions around the world. Now she has her sights set on the king of her homeland, and the magical, possibly mythical, source of his power, a beast called the Embert. If she can catch it, she's going to eat it.

Developed and shown in residence at Dixon Place.

LIGHT KEEPERS

Photo by Hunter Canning

“Light Keepers” combines puppetry, stop-motion animation, and live music to tell the story of Jordan, an androgynous orphan taken in by the mysterious and impossibly ancient lighthouse keeper Isaac Small.

Created in collaboration with puppet artist Amanda Villalobos, developed at BAX, for Puppet Blok at Dixon Place, and in residence at the Henson Carriage house, and produced at Five Myles in January, 2015.