AS YE SEW... (full length)

A story about secrets that can both immobilize and set us free. Agnes is haunted by something she did as a child. She has managed to bury this secret, even from herself. Her lover, Maddie, needs to finish her novel, but is hampered by a fear of her own. When Agnes' reality-challenged, gender-fluid sibling Bell appears, the stakes mount and Agnes' panic is triggered. Bell is suspended between life and...
A story about secrets that can both immobilize and set us free. Agnes is haunted by something she did as a child. She has managed to bury this secret, even from herself. Her lover, Maddie, needs to finish her novel, but is hampered by a fear of her own. When Agnes' reality-challenged, gender-fluid sibling Bell appears, the stakes mount and Agnes' panic is triggered. Bell is suspended between life and death and needs to know Agnes' secret to move forward. Maddie and Agnes travel together into the depths of a cave to find closure to Maddie's fear and to unearth Agnes' secret shame.
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AS YE SEW... (full length)

Recommended by

  • Jarred Corona:
    24 Aug. 2023
    Robin Rice has a way with language, staccato, lyrical, pressing, that drives her story through you. The argument builds and roils and all of a sudden, you've reached the end. Agnes yells back words said by other characters and the childish repetition is devastating. The twists are wonderful and dark. When we shroud ourselves so we might drown in our guilt, sometimes we need someone to tear up all that we've sewn. We need to rip up all our empty notebooks. We need to love and forgive. Isn't it funny how forgiving ourselves is so much harder than forgiving others?
  • Molly Ann Tucker:
    1 Sep. 2022
    A journey that will keep you guessing till the end. A beautiful exploration of both a romantic relationship being tested and a sibling bond being stripped away. The supernatural elements serve as a backdrop to the character-driven rollercoaster of Agnes, Maddie, and Bell's story. The language weaves rich symbolism and deep themes into a relatable and extraordinary story of love and grief.
  • Kim E. Ruyle:
    29 Jan. 2021
    An extraordinary journey of discovery as two women descend into the depths to confront the past and so much pain and brokenness that’s created or compounded by a sibling who appears, or seems to, or do they? Rich in symbolism and language, delicious roles for actors, and a set that’s a designer’s dream. Robin Rice rips the fabric to expose a fantastical world.

Character Information

  • Agnes
    27.,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    27. Gay. Vermont native. Waitress. Violence seething beneath unresolved guilt. Covers over what's ugly and what she doesn't want to remember. Very on edge. (she/her/hers)
  • Maddie
    30-35.,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    30-35. Gay. Agnes' lover. West Virginian. Writer. Spelunker. (she/her/hers)
  • Bell.
    21.,
    Any
    ,
    Gender-fluid
    21. Gender fluid. Agnes' sibling. Vermont native. Shape shifter. Truth-teller. Stuck between life and death. Spacey. Playful. Manipulative. (they/them/their)

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    29th Street Playwrights Collective NYC
    ,
    2018
  • Reading
    ,
    Venus Theatre, Laurel, MD (first reading of UNDERTOAD as a full-length play + one of 3 finalists for the Jane Chambers Award)
    ,
    2009
  • Workshop
    ,
    Bailiwick Repertory, Chicago (winner Lesbian Theatre Iniative award - as a one-act play)
    ,
    2005
  • Workshop
    ,
    This Woman's Work Theatre Company, NYC (at Chashama)
    ,
    2005
  • Reading
    ,
    New Georges, NYC (first reading of the play as a full-length)
    ,
    2004
  • Workshop
    ,
    Mae West Fest, Seattle (as a one-act play)
    ,
    2003