A Real Boy by Stephen Kaplan

PRODUCTIONS: 59E59, Last Act Theater, This Is Water Theatre; SEMI-FINALIST: PlayPenn, Ashland New Play Festival, Dayton Playhouse FutureFest and MTWorks’ Newborn Festival.
Mary Ann and Peter Myers, both puppets, differ on how to best raise their kindergarten-bound human son, Max. When Max starts growing strings his human kindergarten teacher, Miss Terry, decides to take over as his parent to ensure he...
PRODUCTIONS: 59E59, Last Act Theater, This Is Water Theatre; SEMI-FINALIST: PlayPenn, Ashland New Play Festival, Dayton Playhouse FutureFest and MTWorks’ Newborn Festival.
Mary Ann and Peter Myers, both puppets, differ on how to best raise their kindergarten-bound human son, Max. When Max starts growing strings his human kindergarten teacher, Miss Terry, decides to take over as his parent to ensure he stays a real boy, igniting the Myers’ own sets of parenting beliefs and what is really best for Max.
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A Real Boy

Recommended by

  • Max Moline:
    24 Mar. 2023
    “ A Real Boy is a beautifully theatrical piece about family, diversity and the choices of children that jumps off the page and into your heart. This show is a director's, puppeteer's and designer's dream all in one! ”
  • Chelsea Frandsen:
    27 Jul. 2022
    “ Diversity and acceptance are topics that we are *finally* beginning to have real conversations about, and Kaplan's "A Real Boy" is a wonderfully artistic addition to those conversations. It's funny and heartfelt. And there are puppets! ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    8 Oct. 2021
    “ A super compelling and original satire that examines parenting, the school/teacher/parent relationship continuum, acceptance of difference and unconventional families, and much more. The use of puppets and puppeteers is bold and exciting, and it would be a treat to see it realized onstage. The extended metaphorical connection to LGBTQ families or other "outside the norm" family dynamics was brilliantly executed. Funny, poignant, and unique. ”
View all 12 recommendations

Character Information

In the world of this play, some humans have a puppet part of themselves that comes out at some point in their lives. The puppets we see are realistic-looking marionettes that look like their human counterpart (the puppeteer)…so PETER puppet resembles PETER puppeteer…etc.

  • Rebecca Landel
    30s-60s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    United States Congresswoman, District 7.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Principal Klaus
    30s-60s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    the principal of the school
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Peter Myers
    20s-50s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Max’s father. He is a puppet.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any adult age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Miss Terry
    20s-60s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    Max’s kindergarten teacher
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Max Myers
    5,
    Any
    ,
    Any
    While an actual 5-year-old could work great, having had a 5-year-old myself, this may not be the best choice - especially in light of what MAX needs to do as a puppeteer as the play progresses. I’ve seen the show work with an 11-year-old, an 8-year-old, and a 27-year-old who looked younger – but none of which was clearly a 5-year-old. All worked in their own unique ways.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Mary Ann Myers
    20s-50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    Max’s mother. She is a puppet.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Jilly Lambert
    20s-50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    The Myers’ family friend, a lawyer.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    State of Play Theare & Ivy Theatre Company
    ,
    2016
  • Reading
    ,
    Athena Theatre
    ,
    2014
  • Reading
    ,
    StrangeDog Theatre
    ,
    2014
  • Reading
    ,
    Dramatists Guild
    ,
    2013

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Last Act Theatre
    ,
    2018
  • Professional
    ,
    59E59 Theatre - Ivy Theatre Company & Athena Theater Company
    ,
    2017
  • Professional
    ,
    This Is Water Theatre
    ,
    2014

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
PlayPenn Development Conference
Semi-Finalist
,
MTWorks Newborn Festival
Semi-Finalist
,
Ashland New Play Festival
Semi-Finalist
,
Dayton Playhouse's FutureFest