THE STORYTELLER by Sara Jean Accuardi

"I have done nothing but in care of thee,
Of thee, my dear one—thee my daughter," - William Shakespeare, The Tempest

[full length] 17-year-old Randy has lived her entire life off the grid with her dad on an old rotting houseboat, and she’s sick of it. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, this play explores the magic and power of the narratives we create. Winner of the Oregon...
"I have done nothing but in care of thee,
Of thee, my dear one—thee my daughter," - William Shakespeare, The Tempest

[full length] 17-year-old Randy has lived her entire life off the grid with her dad on an old rotting houseboat, and she’s sick of it. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, this play explores the magic and power of the narratives we create. Winner of the Oregon Book Award for drama, the International Thomas Wolfe Playwriting Competition, and a finalist for the O'Neill Center's National Playwrights Conference.
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THE STORYTELLER

Recommended by

  • Cam Torres:
    30 Mar. 2021
    “ Wow. A masterful retelling of one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. This play has the perfect balance of love, magic, and mystery. I will be keeping my eye out for more of Accuardi’s work. Bravo! ”
  • Audrey Lang:
    28 Feb. 2021
    “ Accuardi has written a magical adaptation with "The Storyteller." Growing up is hard for the person doing the growing, but it's hard for those around her, too, and this play represents that so well. ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    23 Jan. 2021
    “ Masterful storytelling that captures the magnitude of life in it's uncertainty, struggle and memories. Well done. ”
View all 8 recommendations

Character Information

3w, 3m

  • RANDI
    17,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    A little bit lost, a little bit plain, a little bit magical. A daughter.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • PAPS
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Kind of lost too. Has more charisma than magic. A father.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • TIFF
    30s - 50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    Took a wrong turn somewhere. A friend.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • JIMMY
    40s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Broken. A loner.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • SPENCER
    18,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Normal. A nice young boy.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • THE LADY
    30s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    She tells stories.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Seven Devils New Play Foundry
    ,
    2022
  • Reading
    ,
    PlayMakers Repertory Company
    ,
    2020
  • Reading
    ,
    Something Marvelous (Chicago, IL)
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Fertile Ground Festival of New Work
    ,
    2018

Awards

Winner
,
Angus Bowmer Award in Drama, Oregon Book Awards
,
Literary Arts
,
2023
Winner
,
International Thomas Wolfe Playwriting Competition
,
Playmakers Repertory Company
,
2020
Selection
,
The Something Marvelous Festival of Magical Realism
,
2019
Finalist
,
Seven Devils Playwrights Conference
,
2018