The Hummingbirds

by Garret Jon Groenveld

Been unemployed too long? Welcome to a very special office of the Unemployment Bureau! Here you will work with two very special unemployment counselors to place you into a job today. It may not be a job you are qualified to do, or a job that's safe for anyone to do, but you will have to do it. Because if you can walk, you can work!

The play also concerns domestic terrorism, strippers and weaponized...

Been unemployed too long? Welcome to a very special office of the Unemployment Bureau! Here you will work with two very special unemployment counselors to place you into a job today. It may not be a job you are qualified to do, or a job that's safe for anyone to do, but you will have to do it. Because if you can walk, you can work!

The play also concerns domestic terrorism, strippers and weaponized hummingbirds.

It can be performed by two actors of any age, race or gender.

The Hummingbirds won the 2012 Global Age Project and the 2012 Internationalists Global Playwrighting Prize (7 Presentations in 7 countries - US, Romania, Spain, Mexico, The Netherlands, Germany and Singapore).

The play received it's English language premiere at New Jersey Rep in 2022, and is on tour in Romania (in Romanian) and has been produced in Spanish in Zaragoza, Spain and two acclaimed productions in Mexico City, Mexico.

Also available in Spanish and Romanian.

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The Hummingbirds

Recommended by

  • Chandler Hubbard: The Hummingbirds by Garret Jon Groenveld
    “

    A wicked and whip-smart amalgamation of what makes theatre great - tragedy, comedy, parody, criticism, with crisp and delightful dialogue and a brutal ending.

    A wicked and whip-smart amalgamation of what makes theatre great - tragedy, comedy, parody, criticism, with crisp and delightful dialogue and a brutal ending.

    ”
  • Eric Marlin: The Hummingbirds by Garret Jon Groenveld
    “

    A delightfully smart play, that begins light and playful, then burrows and burrows to reveal a frightening underbelly.

    A delightfully smart play, that begins light and playful, then burrows and burrows to reveal a frightening underbelly.

    ”
  • Patricia Milton: The Hummingbirds by Garret Jon Groenveld
    “

    I attended a reading of this play and enjoyed it tremendously. It is quite powerful in summoning a dystopian future that's not too far off, using the audience in a clever way. The two characters may be any combination of genders, which is intriguing in terms of flexible casting.

    I attended a reading of this play and enjoyed it tremendously. It is quite powerful in summoning a dystopian future that's not too far off, using the audience in a clever way. The two characters may be any combination of genders, which is intriguing in terms of flexible casting.

    ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

Can be played by any two actors of any age race or gender.
  • Two
    This character is in a couple.
    Since the parts can be played by any actor of any race, age or gender, I suggest playing on those differences - please try to have at least two of the three different.
    Any Age
    Any
    Any gender
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
  • One
    This character is single.
    Since the parts can be played by any actor of any race, age or gender, I suggest playing on those differences - please try to have at least two of the three different.
    Any Age
    Any
    Any gender
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+

Development History

  • Reading, Theatre Resources Unlimited, 2015
  • Workshop, The Lark, 2014
  • Reading, The Internationalists - Zoetermeer, The Netherlands, 2013
  • Reading, Symmetry Theatre, 2013
  • Reading, The Red Fern Theatre Company, 2013
  • Reading, Aurora Theatre - Global Age Project, 2012
  • Reading, The Internationalists - Zaragoza, Spain, 2012
  • Reading, The Internationalists - Mexico City, Mexico, 2012
  • Reading, The Internationalists - Bucharest, Romania, 2012
  • Reading, The Internationalists - Berlin, German (English Theatre of Berlin), 2012
  • Reading, The Internationalists - New York, New York (Playwrights Horizons), 2012
  • Reading, Playwrights Foundation, 2012
  • Reading, Playwrights Foundation, 2011

Production History

  • Professional, New Jersey Rep, 2022
  • Professional, Doctor's Studio - in Bucharest Romania (in Romanian), 2018
  • Professional, Serres Communes, 2014
  • Professional, New International Theatre Exchange (Zaragoza, Spain), 2013
  • Professional, Serres Communes (Mexico City, Mexico), 2013
  • Professional, The Doctors Studio (Bucharest, Romania - in Romanian), 2012

Awards

  • Internationalists Global Playwrighting Prize
    The Internationalist
    Winner
    2012