Lily Ineffable by Audrey Lang

[JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT FINALIST 2022] In the last two weeks of her run in the kids' ensemble of "Matilda," Lily makes the amulet of the Jewish mythological figure Lilith for a social studies project. She feels a kinship with Lilith that she can't explain to her friends, her sister, or her sister's girlfriend--a kinship she doesn't understand herself until she learns that Adam, the...
[JEWISH PLAYS PROJECT FINALIST 2022] In the last two weeks of her run in the kids' ensemble of "Matilda," Lily makes the amulet of the Jewish mythological figure Lilith for a social studies project. She feels a kinship with Lilith that she can't explain to her friends, her sister, or her sister's girlfriend--a kinship she doesn't understand herself until she learns that Adam, the adult cast member she used to have a crush on, is coming back to "Matilda" as an emergency sub.
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Lily Ineffable

Recommended by

  • Jewish Plays Project:
    19 May. 2021
    “ Jewish Plays Project is thrilled that LILY INEFFABLE was a Semi-Finalist for the 10th annual Jewish Plays Contest. Our Semi-Finalists went through a rigorous process in the summer & fall of 2020 where a community of readers searched for plays that spoke to them about Jewish identity in a way that’s bold and challenging, as well as theatrically innovative. After reading 250 plays, LILY INEFFABLE rose to the top 20, and we hope that this play swiftly finds collaborators and opportunities to reach new audiences. ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    27 Jun. 2020
    “ A moving, surprising, and potent exploration of adolescence, trauma, friendship, and faith. Lily's journey is compelling throughout, and I found her grappling with the guilt, shame, fear, and anger of what happened to her incredibly poignant and directly but sensitively handled. I appreciated Lang's exploration Lily and Shea's specific challenges and experiences as young professional actors--the way the business commodifies you and complicates your relationship to adolescence, growing up, and finding and cultivating relationships and allies. Jordan and Chelsea's conversation with Lily at the end of the play is telling and heartbreaking, but gestures towards healing. Moving and powerful! ”
  • Shaun Leisher:
    18 Jun. 2020
    “ This play went places that I never expected and I am so glad Lang went there. This is an issue in theatre that needs to be addressed and the way Lang approaches it from a place of powerful magic and almost exclusively through the eyes of children is so impactful. I hope this play gets around in the Broadway community. ”

Character Information

  • Lily Louise Sutton
    14 but probably looks a little younger,
    Any race / ethnicity, Jewish
    ,
    Female-identifying
    14 but probably looks a little younger, female, any ethnicity, Jewish. A child actor currently in the ensemble of Matilda on Broadway, but finishing her run this week with no next show on the horizon. She knows how the business works.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Chelsea Sutton
    32,
    Any race / ethnicity, Jewish
    ,
    Female-identifying
    32, female, any ethnicity, Jewish. Lily's big sister and guardian, an assistant district attorney in New York City. Casey Novak if she had a little sister to take care of and was an out lesbian.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Jordan Kingsley
    32,
    Any race / ethnicity
    ,
    Female-identifying
    32, female, any ethnicity. Chelsea's girlfriend, she plays Miss Honey in Matilda on Broadway. A confidante for Lily much more often than Chelsea is, radiant and kind of a quintessential real-life Miss Honey.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Shea Chua-Cohen
    16 but probably looks a little younger,
    Asian-American, Jewish
    ,
    Female-identifying
    16 but probably looks a little younger, female, Chinese-American, Jewish. Lily's best friend, they met while performing in Matilda together. Also a child actor, currently playing Jean in August: Osage County on Broadway. Grateful for her time in Matilda but also relishes having moved on to what she considers a more "mature" show.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American, South Asian or South Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Jess Chapman
    14,
    Any race / ethnicity
    ,
    Female-identifying
    14, female, any ethnicity. Lily's "school best friend." She probably has better friends and so does Lily. They will probably go to different high schools next year and that's probably okay.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Lilith
    Any Age, 5-10 years older than Lily, Teens-20s,
    Any race / ethnicity, Jewish
    ,
    Female-identifying
    Female, any ethnicity. Maybe she's a performer who looks like Lily but 5-10 years older. Maybe she's each of the other actors taking turns. A mythological Jewish witch and demon, Adam's first wife.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary

Development History

Awards

Finalist
,
Downtown Urban Arts Festival
,
2021