SHIP

by Douglas Williams

Fresh out of rehab, Nell returns to her hometown of Mystic, CT with two goals: track down her former classmate who tried and failed to grow the longest fingernails in the world, and be promoted to the most high profile job in town: tour guide at the Seaport. With the help and hindrance of her older sister, Nell grabs at her chance for hometown glory – but it’s not as easy as it looks.

Fresh out of rehab, Nell returns to her hometown of Mystic, CT with two goals: track down her former classmate who tried and failed to grow the longest fingernails in the world, and be promoted to the most high profile job in town: tour guide at the Seaport. With the help and hindrance of her older sister, Nell grabs at her chance for hometown glory – but it’s not as easy as it looks.

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SHIP

Recommended by

  • Martha Wade Steketee: SHIP

    These unique and quirky characters are fresh and potent. A distinct and funny and smart playwriting voice. Here he builds spare worlds in which his characters live with rich and raucously lived presences. I feel these lives — not that i lived these lives in particular but i love the relatable yearning and resistance to expectations, and sibling love-but-judgment.

    These unique and quirky characters are fresh and potent. A distinct and funny and smart playwriting voice. Here he builds spare worlds in which his characters live with rich and raucously lived presences. I feel these lives — not that i lived these lives in particular but i love the relatable yearning and resistance to expectations, and sibling love-but-judgment.

  • Cheryl Bear: SHIP

    A moving story of addiction and recovery, our relationships and the power dreams have in our lives. Well done.

    A moving story of addiction and recovery, our relationships and the power dreams have in our lives. Well done.

  • Nick Malakhow: SHIP

    Incredibly written, hilarious, and human piece that explores addiction and loneliness. The ways Nell's struggles are compared to and contrasted with Jeremiah's journey are nuanced and subtly detailed. Williams really conjures a sense of place in these people, and the town of Mystic is surprisingly well-rendered through the eyes of this small cross-section of people. All three characters are multi-dimensional and I loved getting to know them. I also appreciated how all of the dramatic action was based on these small tremors and shifts in lieu of "louder" theatrics. Beautiful, well-observed work...

    Incredibly written, hilarious, and human piece that explores addiction and loneliness. The ways Nell's struggles are compared to and contrasted with Jeremiah's journey are nuanced and subtly detailed. Williams really conjures a sense of place in these people, and the town of Mystic is surprisingly well-rendered through the eyes of this small cross-section of people. All three characters are multi-dimensional and I loved getting to know them. I also appreciated how all of the dramatic action was based on these small tremors and shifts in lieu of "louder" theatrics. Beautiful, well-observed work.

View all 13 recommendations

Character Information

  • Nell
    Character Age
    Early 20's
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female or genderqueer
  • Caitlin
    Character Age
    Late 20's, Early 30's
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female or genderqueer
  • Jeremiah
    Character Age
    Early 20's
    Character Gender Identity
    Male

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization Great Plains Theatre Conference, Year 2018
  • Type Reading, Organization Azuka Theatre, Year 2018
  • Type Workshop, Organization Bristol Riverside Theatre, Year 2016

Production History

  • Type University, Organization Baylor University, Year 2024
  • Type Professional, Organization Void Theatre Co. , Year 2023
  • Type Professional, Organization Jobsite Theater, Year 2022
  • Type Professional, Organization Azuka Theatre, Year 2020

Awards

  • M. Elizabeth Osborn New Play Award
    American Theatre Critics Association
    Winner
    2021
  • Steinberg/ATCA Award
    The American Theatre Critics Association
    Finalist
    2020
  • NAPSeries
    Normal Ave
    Semi-Finalist
    2018
  • New Dramatists
    New Dramatists
    Semi-Finalist
    2018
  • Play Group
    Ars Nova
    Finalist
    2018
  • National Playwrights Conference
    The Eugene O'Neill Center
    Semi-Finalist
    2019
  • Stage Play Contest
    ScreenCraft
    Runner Up
    2018