Theresa's Breasts

by Amber Palmer

Theresa wants to live one million lifetimes and believes the only way to do so is to leave their husband, but Husband wants to belong to Theresa, even if that means living forever. It's a reimagining the story as old as time, of wars waged over assassinations and the murder of constellations. A genderqueer love story based off of "The Breasts of Tiresias" by Guillaume Apollinaire.

Theresa wants to live one million lifetimes and believes the only way to do so is to leave their husband, but Husband wants to belong to Theresa, even if that means living forever. It's a reimagining the story as old as time, of wars waged over assassinations and the murder of constellations. A genderqueer love story based off of "The Breasts of Tiresias" by Guillaume Apollinaire.

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Theresa's Breasts

Recommended by

  • Leo Rose Rodriguez: Theresa's Breasts by Amber Palmer
    “

    The prose is beautiful and evocative. Both main characters offer complexity and give the actors ability to show their range.

    The prose is beautiful and evocative. Both main characters offer complexity and give the actors ability to show their range.

    ”
  • Jeffrey James Keyes: Theresa's Breasts by Amber Palmer
    “

    This is a wonderfully imaginative play. I'm really struck by this nuanced and complicated love story. I appreciated Palmer's creativity and carefully drawn dialogue and clever interpretation of a classic. Well done!

    This is a wonderfully imaginative play. I'm really struck by this nuanced and complicated love story. I appreciated Palmer's creativity and carefully drawn dialogue and clever interpretation of a classic. Well done!

    ”
  • Ky Weeks: Theresa's Breasts by Amber Palmer
    “

    Absolutely stunning. The rich beauty of the language draws us in to the love story, the complexities inherent to the characters' identity and desire, and the devastating ways they perceive each other. The contradictions and modes of thinking required in being genderqueer while existing in a binary society are handled with consideration and wisdom, yet still with a poetic sharpness. Palmer uses a classic to show a profound perspective

    Absolutely stunning. The rich beauty of the language draws us in to the love story, the complexities inherent to the characters' identity and desire, and the devastating ways they perceive each other. The contradictions and modes of thinking required in being genderqueer while existing in a binary society are handled with consideration and wisdom, yet still with a poetic sharpness. Palmer uses a classic to show a profound perspective

    ”
View all 5 recommendations

Character Information

NARRATOR: Nonbinary. Our storyteller. Something between the MC from Cabaret and Kermit the Frog. They should be performed by a member of the creative team.
THERESA: 20s-40s, Genderqueer or nonbinary, assigned female at birth.
HUSBAND/SPOUSE: 20s-40s, Genderqueer or nonbinary, assigned male at birth.
  • Theresa
    20s-40s
    genderqueer assigned female at birth,
    nonbinary assigned female at birth
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • Husband/Spouse
    20s-40s
    genderqueer assigned male at birth,
    nonbinary assigned male at birth
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • Narrator
    The narrator should be played by someone on the creative team. Recommendations for this role are the director, the stage manager or the artistic director.
    Nonbinary,
    genderqueer
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading, Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (Region 3), 2021
  • Reading, The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (National), 2021
  • Reading, , 2020

Production History

Awards

  • John Cauble One Act Play Regional Finalist
    Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
    Finalist
    2021