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...
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

  • Lainie Vansant:
    20 May. 2023
    “ 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:
    12 May. 2021
    “ 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. ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    20 Dec. 2020
    “ This is a wonderful ensemble piece whose characters are all nuanced and have exciting, clear arcs. Audrey's exploration of mental health (in a variety of ways) and familial/generational patterns concerning mental health feels fresh and necessary. Here, she centers narratives about/for/to be performed by young women that need telling. She does so in a way that honors the specificity of these intersectionally rich humans' lives while still having universally resonant messages about relationships, family, fear, anxiety, and coming of age. It's all so beautifully rendered with fine and nuanced brushstrokes. ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

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

Development History

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

Awards

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