Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go)

by Erin Considine

Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go) is a 2019 Eugene O'Neill Finalist.
We lose 22 soldiers a day to suicide. Twenty-Two: men and women who have fought and survived only to return home broken and abandoned. Twenty-Two is an exploration of one woman and one man, both struggling with the aftermath of this unspeakable choice, and the hope they find in each other.

Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go) is a 2019 Eugene O'Neill Finalist.
We lose 22 soldiers a day to suicide. Twenty-Two: men and women who have fought and survived only to return home broken and abandoned. Twenty-Two is an exploration of one woman and one man, both struggling with the aftermath of this unspeakable choice, and the hope they find in each other.

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Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go)

Recommended by

  • Bruce Linser, Jenny Connell Davis, & Palm Beach Dramaworks: Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go) by Erin Considine
    “

    Twenty-Two was one of five finalists that received readings during our annual New Year/New Plays Festival in January of 2021. A funny and moving two-hander about loss, love, war, mental health, and the unfailing hope of human connection. Intriguingly human characters in a beautiful story.

    Twenty-Two was one of five finalists that received readings during our annual New Year/New Plays Festival in January of 2021. A funny and moving two-hander about loss, love, war, mental health, and the unfailing hope of human connection. Intriguingly human characters in a beautiful story.

    ”
  • Tom Bruett: Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go) by Erin Considine
    “

    This is a brutal and gorgeous exploration of the effects of war on the human spirit. Was lucky enough to see a reading of this piece at Relative Theatrics and it brought about a lively discussion after the piece was over. It explores the huge mental health crisis that our vets are experiencing but with grace, humanity and even some humor and hope. Highly recommend this if you're looking for a small cast, high impact and beautiful piece for your audiences.

    This is a brutal and gorgeous exploration of the effects of war on the human spirit. Was lucky enough to see a reading of this piece at Relative Theatrics and it brought about a lively discussion after the piece was over. It explores the huge mental health crisis that our vets are experiencing but with grace, humanity and even some humor and hope. Highly recommend this if you're looking for a small cast, high impact and beautiful piece for your audiences.

    ”
  • Aly Kantor: Twenty-Two (Dragging Angels as They Go) by Erin Considine
    “

    Though this play takes plays within a single scene, the story remains in perpetual motion - the reveals, reversals, and moments of character growth come rapidly as we get to know the two grieving humans at the center of the play. I was really moved by Benning's assessment about the way people perceive soldiers and veterans so differently. I also loved how every moment in the piece seemed to be imbued with a sense of deep history. The characters were incredibly well-drawn. This is a difficult story, but I am glad it was told so beautifully and affectingly here!

    Though this play takes plays within a single scene, the story remains in perpetual motion - the reveals, reversals, and moments of character growth come rapidly as we get to know the two grieving humans at the center of the play. I was really moved by Benning's assessment about the way people perceive soldiers and veterans so differently. I also loved how every moment in the piece seemed to be imbued with a sense of deep history. The characters were incredibly well-drawn. This is a difficult story, but I am glad it was told so beautifully and affectingly here!

    ”
View all 6 recommendations

Character Information

1 Male, Any Race, 35+
1 Female, Any Race, 40+
  • Keegan
    Keegan’s natural state is earthy and real. She is fierce, organized, direct. Keegan is a military wife with all of the structural abilities that label implies. Her husband has just taken his own life, and Keegan has lost her footing. Her nerves are on end. She is having trouble communicating. There is no accounting for her reactions to anyone or anything.
    45+
    Any
    (assigned female at birth - plot relevant)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Benning
    Benning is a poet and a storyteller. He paints landscapes with words to distract himself from a broken and harsh reality. Benning has been friends with Keegan and her husband for years and years, a kind of close that only military families understand. He has returned from deployment with burns and a traumatic head injury to find his wife has left him; his impulse control and his sense of humor are both wearing thin.
    35+
    Any Race (BIPOC preferred)
    (assigned male at birth - plot relevant)
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

Awards