Dinosaur

TEN MINUTE: Scared of being eaten by a dinosaur, Spencer refuses to leave her room.

Two monologues included in Applause's The Best Women’s Monologues from New Plays 2020
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Dinosaur

Recommended by

  • Ky Weeks:
    15 Jun. 2021
    A heartfelt and profoundly empathetic short, that guides our attention first towards the callous indifference towards rampant death and tragedy we're asked to feel from movies and television, and then relates it to the same thing being asked of us in real life. Hayet's writing takes a defiant stand towards that attitude, validating and accepting fear and sadness, while encouraging real support for those going through the same thing. As someone who is also disturbed by random deaths in action movies, this short definitely helped me feel less alone.
  • Emily McClain:
    10 Mar. 2020
    This short play that deals expertly with very big ideas. When Spencer makes the logical connection between the collateral damage of everyday citizens in superhero movies and the tacit acceptance in our society of horrific gun violence, it’s hard to find the hole in her argument. Her reactionary agoraphobia is never mocked, however the other character in the play also gently pushes her friend towards examining what’s really going on in her mind. Funny, snappy dialogue but also thoughtful, meaningful content. Would be an awesome scene competition piece! Great work!
  • Doug DeVita:
    10 Mar. 2020
    What is remarkable about this play — and there are many remarkable things about it, not the least of which is its expert mix of humor and fear — is its timelessness. From the fictional Miss Havisham to the all-too-real Ted Cruz, the inclination to self-quarantine for whatever reasons (fear, paranoia, insecurity, insanity...) is a universal occurrence, and there’s hardly an era in which there hasn’t been a reason and/or a desire to hide from the world. Hayet nails these impulses with smart and snappy dialogue and characters who are charming and relatable. A smart, funny, and frightening work.

Character Information

  • SPENCER
    mid 20’s / early 30’s,
    Female
  • JAMIE
    mid 20’s / early 30’s,
    Female

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Unidentified Stages
    ,
    2020
  • Reading
    ,
    Rough Magic Shakespeare Company
    ,
    2020

Production History

  • Community Theater
    ,
    Gaffney Little Theater
    ,
    2022
  • High School
    ,
    Northfield Mount Hermon School
    ,
    2022
  • Professional
    ,
    'Talking It Out' - A Virtual Play Festival
    ,
    2021
  • Professional
    ,
    Recover Me Project
    ,
    2021
  • Fringe
    ,
    Short+Sweet Sydney
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    Mad Apple Collective
    ,
    2019