The Fencers

2019 Semi-finalist - Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Maddie is broke and unemployed, with a chronically ill kid who needs surgery. She has one thing going for her: she’s an extraordinary fencer, and she just turned 50, so she can try out for the Veterans’ World Championships. When Maddie makes the controversial decision to give custody of her son to his deadbeat dad so she can train, she is knocked out of the...
2019 Semi-finalist - Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Maddie is broke and unemployed, with a chronically ill kid who needs surgery. She has one thing going for her: she’s an extraordinary fencer, and she just turned 50, so she can try out for the Veterans’ World Championships. When Maddie makes the controversial decision to give custody of her son to his deadbeat dad so she can train, she is knocked out of the qualifiers by Donna, a transgender woman. “It's not fair!” other fencers argue, but Maddie says, “Maybe we just need to pick up our game.” Donna, realizing Maddie’s extraordinary skill, bribes another woman to quit the team, so Maddie can take her place. Bold in their defiance of expectations, resolute in their struggle against injustice, and mentally programmed to win, Donna and Maddie become compatriots and confidants in fencing and in life. They help each other navigate discrimination, motherhood, and the mistakes they made in the past, and carry Team U.S.A. to victory.
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The Fencers

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    18 Aug. 2019
    An inspiring and beautiful story of perseverance and friendship. Wonderful to see humanity triumph over competition. Well done!

Character Information

  • Maddie Perez
    50ish,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • Donna Cruthers
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Transgender Woman
  • Jason
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
  • Petie
    11/12,
    Any
    ,
    Male
  • Sue Navar
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • Cindy Robinson
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • Damion
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
  • Gretchen Schneider
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • Saba/Norbut/Randy/Referee
    50s,
    Any
    ,
    Any
    Must speak in French at times

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    ART HOUSE PRODUCTIONS
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Jersey City Theatre Center
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    South Orange Performing Arts Center
    ,
    2018
  • Workshop
    ,
    Writers Theatre of New Jersey
    ,
    2017

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
Bay Area Playwrights Festival
,
Playwrights Foundation
,
2019