Mad Girls

by Evalena Lakin

Eileen and Ruthie have always been different. Growing up Jewish smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt tends to do that to a person. But Eileen survives her torturous adolescence, escaping to Chicago the first chance she gets, while Ruthie stays behind. Eileen blossoms and blooms in her new life, but Ruthie remains the same, stuck firmly in the past. As we jump about in time and space, we see Eileen finally...

Eileen and Ruthie have always been different. Growing up Jewish smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt tends to do that to a person. But Eileen survives her torturous adolescence, escaping to Chicago the first chance she gets, while Ruthie stays behind. Eileen blossoms and blooms in her new life, but Ruthie remains the same, stuck firmly in the past. As we jump about in time and space, we see Eileen finally return to her hometown on the day of a family tragedy, only to discover that her sister is no longer the ally she thought she was.
A play about madness. About hermit crabs. About grief.

  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Mad Girls

Recommended by

  • Chris Vanderark: Mad Girls

    This play made me laugh a lot and also filled me with a lot of sadness. I love plays about unconventional families because nothing is predictable and nothing is a given. Mad Girls is part Ghost Story and part Tragedy - - with a hopeful ending that deals with grief and how we handle it. A great two-hander for two young actors.

    This play made me laugh a lot and also filled me with a lot of sadness. I love plays about unconventional families because nothing is predictable and nothing is a given. Mad Girls is part Ghost Story and part Tragedy - - with a hopeful ending that deals with grief and how we handle it. A great two-hander for two young actors.

  • Brian James Polak: Mad Girls

    I just saw Mad Girls in a workshop production in Chicago. It's a moving play about grief, loss, love, and the struggle to find your true self in the madness of life. Mad Girls shows us there is no one way to cope with death and trauma, but it's the trying that matters and that is what I found to be so powerful.

    I just saw Mad Girls in a workshop production in Chicago. It's a moving play about grief, loss, love, and the struggle to find your true self in the madness of life. Mad Girls shows us there is no one way to cope with death and trauma, but it's the trying that matters and that is what I found to be so powerful.

Character Information

  • Ruthie
    Character Age
    15
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    African American / Black
    Character Gender Identity
    Cisgender Female
  • Eileen
    Character Age
    17-26
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White/Jewish
    Character Gender Identity
    Cisgender Female
  • Voice
    Character Age
    30+
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Chicago Dramatists, Year 2019
  • Type Reading, Organization Northeastern University, Year 2017
  • Type Workshop, Organization Silver Masque Theatre Company, Year 2016