Girl Becomes Bone

by Callan Stout

***looking for further development***

Girl Becomes Bone is about religion. In the future. In outer space. It’s a human play about the unknown. It’s also about trust, love and believing with every fiber of your existence. Set on a distant future planet where Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem’s Duino Elegies are the seminal religious text, a young woman – also named Rainer - commits to the ultimate expression of faith...

***looking for further development***

Girl Becomes Bone is about religion. In the future. In outer space. It’s a human play about the unknown. It’s also about trust, love and believing with every fiber of your existence. Set on a distant future planet where Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem’s Duino Elegies are the seminal religious text, a young woman – also named Rainer - commits to the ultimate expression of faith; to return to a dead Earth and audio record reflections on the Elegies while self-mummifying. Rainer’s mother’s own failed attempt twenty-six years prior left her feeling abandoned and betrayed. Will Rainer’s own faithless journey bring her peace or will she too disintegrate into Earth’s dust?

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Girl Becomes Bone

Recommended by

  • Jen Browne: Girl Becomes Bone by Callan Stout
    “

    The world of this play has been carefully constructed and presented. I felt very taken care of moving through and gathering details of this future world still so taken with the old. A poetic exploration of religion, loss, and moving forward.

    The world of this play has been carefully constructed and presented. I felt very taken care of moving through and gathering details of this future world still so taken with the old. A poetic exploration of religion, loss, and moving forward.

    ”
  • Darcy Parker Bruce: Girl Becomes Bone by Callan Stout
    “

    I love the way Callan's brain works and I love this play. GIRL BECOMES BONE is an expansive and intimate look at a world and its promise left behind. Callan writes characters you invest yourself in, and the language of this play is so lovely and specific and poetic. I love it, and I hope it's read and produced widely.

    I love the way Callan's brain works and I love this play. GIRL BECOMES BONE is an expansive and intimate look at a world and its promise left behind. Callan writes characters you invest yourself in, and the language of this play is so lovely and specific and poetic. I love it, and I hope it's read and produced widely.

    ”
  • Aeneas Sagar Hemphill: Girl Becomes Bone by Callan Stout
    “

    A meditative, philosophical, space opera. It reminds me of 2001 or Solaris in its use of the genre to reflect back at, or probe the depths of humanity and spirituality.

    A meditative, philosophical, space opera. It reminds me of 2001 or Solaris in its use of the genre to reflect back at, or probe the depths of humanity and spirituality.

    ”
View all 5 recommendations

Character Information

The two actors playing Guardian and Gaspara should be used in the temple scenes of act 1 to fill out the crowd.

Although Acolyte and Guardian have unspecified genders I would encourage any production to cast women or to cast more fluidly along the gender spectrum.
  • Guardian
    Care taker on the spaceship, has been secluded from society and has not set foot on solid ground for at least 35 Earth years.
    Over 60 Earth years old
    Mixed
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • Gaspara
    From Quadrant 8, bubbly, kind and unquestioningly dedicated to the religion
    27 Earth years old
    Mixed
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • The Lover
    A recorded voice and a mummified body on display in the temple in Quadrant 23
    unknownable
    Mixed
    No gender
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
  • Emma
    childhood friend with Rainer and Linos, rich, spoiled, generous, used to getting what she wants
    30 Earth years old
    Mixed
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Tobias
    Rainer's father, a hard worker with a deep sadness in his spirit, but he's good at continuing to go forward
    over 55 Earth years old
    Mixed
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Linos
    childhood friend with Emma and Rainer, easy go lucky, was once probably the class clown, but "adulthood" has set in a little
    about 30 Earth years old
    Mixed
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Rainer
    childhood friend with Emma and Linos, being smart comes easy to her, skeptical and harsh on her friends, because she has high expectations for them, only because she loves them deeply
    about 30 Earth years old
    Mixed
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Acolyte
    Care taker of the temple in Quadrant 23, facilitates the religious practices, rituals and ceremonies at the temple
    Any Age
    Mixed
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American

Development History

  • Reading, Ampersand Theatre Company, 2019
  • Workshop, Pipeline Theatre Company, 2016