Balancé

by Audrey Lang

Does life move on while you sit on the couch and watch "Dance Moms"? Ivy's mom Leigh, who used to be a vibrant high school drama teacher, lies in her bedroom all day most days, depressed after losing her job. But Ivy's starting to think that when she flicks through the channels mindlessly, it's not as different as she'd like to believe. While her best friends Kaley and Soph rehearse two ballet performances, and...

Does life move on while you sit on the couch and watch "Dance Moms"? Ivy's mom Leigh, who used to be a vibrant high school drama teacher, lies in her bedroom all day most days, depressed after losing her job. But Ivy's starting to think that when she flicks through the channels mindlessly, it's not as different as she'd like to believe. While her best friends Kaley and Soph rehearse two ballet performances, and her older sister Nicole pursues a romance, Ivy struggles to find something, anything, to grab onto--whether it's the hope of returning to dance class, the possibility of getting her driver's license, or the remote chance that maybe her mom will get better in time for next year's Nutcracker.

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Balancé

Recommended by

  • Syara Villarreal: Balancé by Audrey Lang
    “

    "Balancé" is a fantastic play that adequately portrays women's hardships at various stages of life. Lang writes each character with great care and shows the power of female friendships and relationships.

    "Balancé" is a fantastic play that adequately portrays women's hardships at various stages of life. Lang writes each character with great care and shows the power of female friendships and relationships.

    ”
  • Lainie Vansant: Balancé by Audrey Lang
    “

    This script treats the young women at its center with compassion and respect. Lang trusts the young actresses taking on these roles with complex questions and emotions. Plus, it offers some juicy scenes and monologues. Check it out!

    This script treats the young women at its center with compassion and respect. Lang trusts the young actresses taking on these roles with complex questions and emotions. Plus, it offers some juicy scenes and monologues. Check it out!

    ”
  • Noah Rose Keeling: Balancé by Audrey Lang
    “

    There isn’t a single young actress I know who wouldn’t love to be a part of telling this story. Lang expertly captures the pressure and struggles put on young girls both in the microcosm of the world this play focuses on (dance) and the world as a whole. Gorgeous all around.

    There isn’t a single young actress I know who wouldn’t love to be a part of telling this story. Lang expertly captures the pressure and struggles put on young girls both in the microcosm of the world this play focuses on (dance) and the world as a whole. Gorgeous all around.

    ”
View all 5 recommendations

Character Information

  • Ivy
    15-16, f, any ethnicity, a high school sophomore, a dancer
    15-16
    Any
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Kaley
    16-17, f, any ethnicity, a high school junior, one of Ivy's best friends, a dancer
    16-17
    Any
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Soph
    15-16, f, any ethnicity, a high school sophomore, Ivy's other best friend, Jewish, a dancer
    15-16
    Any,
    Jewish
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Nicole
    late 20s, f, any ethnicity, Ivy's older sister, a nurse
    late 20s
    Any
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Dallas
    late 20s, f, any ethnicity, Nicole's girlfriend/high school BFF, a doctor in her residency
    late 20s
    Any
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Leigh
    50s or 60s, f, any ethnicity, Ivy and Nicole's mother, depressed after being laid off
    50s or 60s
    Any
    Female-identifying
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female

Development History

  • Reading, Breaking & Entering Theatre Collective, dir. Sophia Egner, 2022
  • Workshop, Possibilities Theatre Company, dir. Sophronia Vowels, 2020

Awards

  • Judith Royer Excellence in Playwriting Award
    Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE)
    Semi-Finalist
    2023