DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, a full-bodied absurdist comedy

by Arianna Rose

Casey has been struggling with emotional eating, food addictions and body dysmorphia her entire life. While making her umpteenth resolution to lose weight, a wild journey ensues that pits Casey against her ‘forbidden foods’, put on trial for condiment crimes, warring with well-being quick fixes, and every nightmare about food and being overweight thrown at her in one night. At odds with her former and future selves, she wonders if she’ll ever forge a path to wellness. An absurdist comedy about the pain we hold ourselves in by comparing our insides to other people’s outsides and not accepting and loving our bodies.

[NOTE: This is the full length play (80 to 90 minutes). A 40-minute one-act version for 6 to 14 actors also exists, as well as two ten-minute plays excerpted from this script: "Don't Play With Your Food" for 4, 5, or 6 actors; and "The Clean Plate Club" for four actors. All of these other versions are available on my New Play Exchange page. ]

Inquire About Rights
Recommend
Download
Save to Library

DON'T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, a full-bodied absurdist comedy

Character Information

Six actor character assignments and gender requirements:

(accounts for costume changes in or between scenes)

Actor 1: CASEY (FEMALE)

Actor 2: COOKIE, SALT, MONSTER MOTHER (ANY GENDER)

Actor 3: ICE CREAM, ANGEL OF WELL-BEING

Actor 4: CHIP, OIL, GLP-1, THUNDER THIGHS-JIGGLY ARMS, YOUNGER CASEY (FEMALE)

Actor 5: BIRTHDAY CAKE, SUGAR, FUTURE CASEY, WEIGHT LOSS COUNSELOR (FEMALE)

Actor 6: KALE, FLABBY BELLY, FOOD DEMON (ANY GENDER)

Any race or ethnicity for any of the characters.

A master chart with all the characters in each scene, page numbers, and minimum required actors in each scene is available upon request from the playwright.

CASEY

Struggling with food addictions and emotional eating

Character Age

20s to 50s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
YOUNGER CASEY

If the actor playing CASEY is in her 20s, you might want to cast YOUNGER CASEY as a tween.

Character Age

teen, around 16 to 18 years old

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  Child,
  
  Teens
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
FUTURE CASEY

A healthy future version of Casey

Character Age

Any Age older than CASEY

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
COOKIE

sweet, parental

Character Age

any age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
ICE CREAM

sweet at times, seductive other times

Character Age

any

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
BIRTHDAY CAKE

Knows they are the best.

Character Age

any age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
CHIP

salty, blunt, dismissive

Character Age

any age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
KALE

Tough, self-righteous, self-proclaimed hero

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
SALT

In charge, by the book

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
SUGAR

confident, enticing

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
OIL

Very fluid and snake-like

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
ANGEL OF WELL-BEING

Perhaps dressed like an athletic coach or annoying wellness guru, wears a headset

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
FOOD DEMON

Extremely good looking and sensual, evil

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
GLP-1

A syringe-like glistening Superstar ala Cher or Billy Porter

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
BOXING RING REFEREE (can be offstage voice)

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
THUNDER THIGHS

Can be combined with the character Jiggly Arms.

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
FLABBY BELLY

Alter ego/disguise of FOOD DEMON

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
JIGGLY ARMS

Can be combined with Thunder Thighs with some creative costuming

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
MONSTER MOTHER

Character Age

Any Age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

female or drag
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+
WEIGHT LOSS COUNSELOR

Toes the company line

Character Age

Any age

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s,
  
  60s,
  
  70s+