ALiEN8 (with Kate Brennan) by David Lee White

In a small Midwestern town, a tornado touches down on prom night, leaving devastation in its wake—and a third of the town gone. Appearing amidst the rubble is a stranger—who identifies only as "8." 8 communicates through a unique gestural language and begins to acquire English by reading novels like The Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies and The Grapes of Wrath. But when the students start to learn...
In a small Midwestern town, a tornado touches down on prom night, leaving devastation in its wake—and a third of the town gone. Appearing amidst the rubble is a stranger—who identifies only as "8." 8 communicates through a unique gestural language and begins to acquire English by reading novels like The Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies and The Grapes of Wrath. But when the students start to learn 8's language, they threaten to unearth a dark secret that the town’s adults would rather keep buried. Past sins and future hopes collide in this musical about the parts of ourselves we alienate to get by—and the parts we risk for a chance to connect.
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ALiEN8 (with Kate Brennan)

Recommended by

  • Peter Fenton:
    21 Mar. 2023
    “ I saw the production of this play by the Bucks County Playhouse professional youth company last summer! This was an incredible story about accepting others and dealing with the heavy secrets we carry. It really was a great production from top to bottom and it's a show I hope to see regularly performed by schools and professional companies alike! ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    12 Apr. 2021
    “ A fascinating discovery as a third of the town disappears and an alien comes. In the process, will the secret the town prefers hidden come to light and how can we connect if we don't reconcile it all? Well done. ”
  • Max Gallagher (they/them):
    22 Sep. 2020
    “ I acted as 8 in Drexel’s production of “ALiEN8” and had an absolutely delightful time doing it! The language is highly rhythmic and it’s easy to find a path right into the heart of the story. After one of the shows, I shared an interaction with an audience member — they were crying, trying to find their words — and all they could say was “thank you”. Thank you, David, for the words you’ve shared with the internet and beyond! ”

Character Information

There are 13 principle roles in the show, with a number of small roles for an ensemble.

  • 8
    ?,
    Genderless
    Character has no gender. Can be played by any gender. May or may not be an alien.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Anna
    17,
    Female, possibly gay
    Daughter of Pastor Warren and Janet. Abby's older sister
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Zach
    17,
    Male, possibly asexual
    Whatever his sexuality is, he hasn't figured it out yet.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Emily
    17,
    Gay female
    Bit of a goth-chick
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Ethan
    17,
    a cis Male
    Bit of an internet conspiracy theorist
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Haley
    17,
    Straight Female
    Ambitious. Straight-A student
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Alex
    17,
    Non-binary
    A dancer. The new kid in school.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Abby dancer
    13,
    non-binary or trans
    Double-cast with Alex
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Michael Brasfield
    30s-50s,
    Straight Male
    High School guidance counselor. Tries to do the right thing. Misses the boat sometimes.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Erica Tanner
    30s-50s,
    Straight Female
    Literature teacher. Well-liked by students
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Pastor Warren
    40s-50s,
    Straight Male
    The moral compass of the town of Festial, MO.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Janet Warren
    50s-60s,
    Straight Female
    Pastor Warren's wife and Anna's mom. Doesn't always like the message her husband preaches.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Ray Berry
    50s-60s,
    Straight Male
    Zach's father. Used to be a semi-famous pop star.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Linda Foster
    40s-60s,
    Female
    Principal of the school.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Ignition Arts, Oklahoma City
    ,
    2018
  • Workshop
    ,
    McCarter Theater Center - Education Program
    ,
    2017

Production History

  • University
    ,
    Drexel University/Ignition Arts
    ,
    2019

Awards

Selection
,
Mandell Professionals in Residence Project
,
Drexel University
,
2019