MARVEL-OUS MONICA; IN WHICH MONICA LEWINSKY IS A SUPERHERO HELL-BENT ON REVENGE

Developed at The O’Neill National Playwrights Conference... As Monica Lewinsky rehearses for her Talk, her PTSD keeps getting in the way, sending her spinning, literally, into an alternate universe. Will Marvel-ous Monica rescue The Pretty Young Coed from the Lecherous Professor? Will she learn the secret of Nasty-Woman, the mighty matriarchal superhero? And finally, will Monica be able to give her Talk by...

Developed at The O’Neill National Playwrights Conference... As Monica Lewinsky rehearses for her Talk, her PTSD keeps getting in the way, sending her spinning, literally, into an alternate universe. Will Marvel-ous Monica rescue The Pretty Young Coed from the Lecherous Professor? Will she learn the secret of Nasty-Woman, the mighty matriarchal superhero? And finally, will Monica be able to give her Talk by making peace with her traumatic past? Combining humor, fantasy and verbatim theater, MARVEL-OUS MONICA offers an overdue #MeToo look at the slut-shamed young woman at the center of a notorious political scandal.

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MARVEL-OUS MONICA; IN WHICH MONICA LEWINSKY IS A SUPERHERO HELL-BENT ON REVENGE

Recommended by

  • Diana Burbano: MARVEL-OUS MONICA; IN WHICH MONICA LEWINSKY IS A SUPERHERO HELL-BENT ON REVENGE

    This play hits so deeply, especially for those of us who were young women who made what we thought were good decisions about men. I know the bones of the history, but to delve into it in this tight, funny and female-centric way, I came away with a real reminder of the way the patriarchy seeks to divide us. Here's to Monica and to Sarah and to all of us.

    This play hits so deeply, especially for those of us who were young women who made what we thought were good decisions about men. I know the bones of the history, but to delve into it in this tight, funny and female-centric way, I came away with a real reminder of the way the patriarchy seeks to divide us. Here's to Monica and to Sarah and to all of us.

  • Cheryl Bear: MARVEL-OUS MONICA; IN WHICH MONICA LEWINSKY IS A SUPERHERO HELL-BENT ON REVENGE

    Sometimes you have no choice but to be a superhero when you're a woman. Constantly needing to defend yourself against villains with sheer courage and tenacity. Fantastic work!

    Sometimes you have no choice but to be a superhero when you're a woman. Constantly needing to defend yourself against villains with sheer courage and tenacity. Fantastic work!

  • Nick Malakhow: MARVEL-OUS MONICA; IN WHICH MONICA LEWINSKY IS A SUPERHERO HELL-BENT ON REVENGE

    A magnificent tour-de-force whose brazen theatricality is its biggest strength. At turns hilarious, informative, exciting, and heartbreaking, Tuft succeeds in both creating a parable about the ways women are silenced, abused, and oppressed, while also telling the very human story of Monica Lewinsky. Monica, in all of her permutations--superhero, TED talk presenter, and represented by a young college student--is a well-rounded, sympathetic, and compelling hero for us to root for. I really do hope to see this play produced far and wide in the near future.

    A magnificent tour-de-force whose brazen theatricality is its biggest strength. At turns hilarious, informative, exciting, and heartbreaking, Tuft succeeds in both creating a parable about the ways women are silenced, abused, and oppressed, while also telling the very human story of Monica Lewinsky. Monica, in all of her permutations--superhero, TED talk presenter, and represented by a young college student--is a well-rounded, sympathetic, and compelling hero for us to root for. I really do hope to see this play produced far and wide in the near future.

View all 15 recommendations

Character Information

Eight (5 F/ 3 M) actors play all 26 characters. Non-traditional, non-historically-accurate, diverse casting is recommended. Double-casting is central to the play's themes, which are best supported with the following division of roles:
ACTOR A: MONICA LEWINSKY, MARVEL-OUS MONICA
ACTOR B: STAGE MANAGER
ACTOR C: PRETTY YOUNG COED, YOUNG MONICA
ACTOR D: BERNIE LEWINSKY, BILL CLINTON, THE PROFESSOR, AGENT IRONS, REPORTER #1, JUROR #1
ACTOR E: MARCIA LEWIS, THE WIFE, REPORTER #2, NASTY-WOMAN, JUROR #2
ACTOR F: NEW YORK SUPERGAL FROM 1998, LINDA TRIPP, REPORTER #3, JUROR #3, TRICKY TRIPPSTER
ACTOR G: ASSOCIATE COUNSEL MIKE EMMICK, ANDY BLEILER
ACTOR H: ASSOCIATE COUNSEL KARIN IMMERGUT, KATE BLEILER, BLUE DRESS
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  • MARVEL-OUS MONICA
    A female superhero, fierce and fearless, smart and sassy, powerful and protective of young women
    Character Age
    41 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • STAGE MANAGER
    A man, single-minded, focused, not easily flustered but slightly impatient, a perfectionist who takes his job seriously
    Character Age
    30 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • THE PROFESSOR
    A man, a pompous, privileged Narcissist, self-importance belies a lack of self-worth, a weak man, capable of cruelty but cowardly, emotionally limited
    Character Age
    Early 50s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • ASSOCIATE COUNSEL KARIN IMMERGUT
    A woman, humorless, intolerant of weakness and ambitious, not loyal to any one political party but to her career instead
    Character Age
    38 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • THE WIFE
    A woman, progressive, intelligent and wise with tendencies towards cynicism
    Character Age
    Late 40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • JUROR #1
    A man, wants to root out the truth as it is explained to him
    Character Age
    40s-60s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • NEW YORK SUPERGAL FROM 1998
    A woman, author known for 1970s novels about female sexuality and liberation
    Character Age
    Mid-50s or older
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • JUROR #2
    A woman, African-American or Southern accent in keeping with cadence of dialogue… a religious woman trying to fulfill her duty but uncomfortable with what it demands of her
    Character Age
    40s-50s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • YOUNG MONICA
    A young woman, naïve, needy, in love, doesn’t realize she gives off sexy vibe when she really wants love
    Character Age
    22-25 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • JUROR #3
    A woman, thoughtful
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • MONICA LEWINSKY
    A woman, smart and poised, warm and witty, her practiced confidence belies years of shame and pain, suffers from PTSD flashbacks and fantasies
    Character Age
    41 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • LINDA TRIPP
    A woman, a moralist who believes herself to be on the side of righteousness, issues around money, the only thing she has faith in is that she will never get her fair share
    Character Age
    47-49 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • THE BLUE DRESS
    A female, romantically inclined, devoted, loyal, heartbroken
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • ASSOCIATE COUNSEL MIKE EMMICK
    A man, lead prosecutor for Office of the Independent Counsel, ambitious, believes in his pursuit of justice
    Character Age
    45 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • ANDY BLEILER
    A man, an obsequious, privileged Narcissist, “good guy” act belies a lack of self-worth, a weak man, capable of cruelty but cowardly, emotionally limited
    Character Age
    32 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • AGENT IRONS
    A man, a hardcore company man, doesn’t see anything wrong with bending the rules to get the job done (his name is historically accurate and some behaviors have been reported)
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • KATE BLEILER
    A woman, a moralist who believes herself to be on the side of righteousness, issues around money, the only thing she has faith in is that she will never get her fair share
    Character Age
    Late 30s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • PRETTY YOUNG COED
    A young woman, naïve, needy, in love, doesn’t realize she gives off sexy vibe when she really wants love
    Character Age
    College age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • REPORTER #1
    driven
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • TRICKY TRIPPSTER
    A female supervillian, the worst friend and most hated villainess of all time, a bitch witch cunt hag like so many cultural stereotypes of older woman
    Character Age
    47-49 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • BERNIE LEWINSKY
    A man, Monica Lewinsky’s father, Salvadoran-born radiation oncologist and researcher, protective of his daughter but also emotionally limited
    Character Age
    Late 40s to early 50s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • REPORTER #2
    persistent
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • MARCIA LEWINSKY
    A woman, Monica Lewinsky’s mother, author, progressive, intelligent and wise with tendencies towards cynicism and bitterness
    Character Age
    Early to late 40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female
  • REPORTER #3
    aggressive
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • BILL CLINTON
    A man, Arkansan… 42nd President of the United States
    Character Age
    52 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis male
  • NASTY-WOMAN
    A female superhero, regal and fierce but forever radioactive due to her husband’s character flaws… powerful, inspiring and dazzling, but also compassionate and wise
    Character Age
    67 years old
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Cis female

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization The O'Neill 2018 National Playwrights Conference, Year 2019
  • Type Workshop, Organization Valdez Last Frontier Theatre Conference PlayLab, Year 2018
  • Type Workshop, Organization IAMA Theatre Company, Year 2018
  • Type Reading, Organization The Women in The Arts Coalition & 365 Women A Year "Untold Stories of Jewish Women", Year 2018

Awards

  • Playwrighting Competition
    Austin Film Festival
    Semi-Finalist
    2018