Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man

Regina (Reggie) runs a femme-centric feminist bookstore in Tucson, AZ. Artemis Books is a safe space for queer people, free expression, and womxn of all kinds. When her boss unexpectedly jumps ship, Reggie is stuck with a new-hire: straight, white, cisgender JJ. Workplace romances, existential anxieties, and some questionable spell casting abound as Reggie tries to reclaim her safe space. Does identity have to...
Regina (Reggie) runs a femme-centric feminist bookstore in Tucson, AZ. Artemis Books is a safe space for queer people, free expression, and womxn of all kinds. When her boss unexpectedly jumps ship, Reggie is stuck with a new-hire: straight, white, cisgender JJ. Workplace romances, existential anxieties, and some questionable spell casting abound as Reggie tries to reclaim her safe space. Does identity have to influence ideology? Does colonialism ever stop? And what in the actual hell is a “good guy”?
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Artemis Books & the Well-Meaning Man

Recommended by

  • Samantha Marchant:
    30 Jun. 2021
    Each character is so we'll formed. I enjoyed getting to know them and Artemis Books. The dialogue flowed and the ending shocked. Well done!
  • Shaun Leisher:
    30 Apr. 2020
    A true ensemble piece that goes places you really don’t see coming. I’m a big fan of workplace narratives and the relationships made between co-workers. Really enjoyed spending time in this bookstore with these complicated characters and really hope this play gets many productions.
  • Nick Malakhow:
    19 Apr. 2020
    I had a blast getting to know all of the characters in this funny, smart, and offbeat play. Reggie, Emerson, and Asha's relationships to one another, the bookstore, their identities, and activism were portrayed with complexity and nuance. The disarming presence of JJ began as absolutely hilarious before taking more tense and distressing turns. The use of Greek myth evoked tragedy and fate for me, which mirrored the conversations about the social inevitability of oppressive patriarchal structures, even if tempered, growing malignant. I love how this piece proposes a way out that's vicious because it needs to be.

Character Information

  • Regina
    late 20s,
    Latinx
    ,
    Woman OR Femme/NB
    Only wears a jean jacket, because she'd never admit she was cold. It probably has pins on it.
  • Emerson
    mid-20s,
    White
    ,
    Femme
    She hates the cold, but loves the excuse to wear a scarf. Knows your sign before you do.
  • Asha
    early 20s,
    African American / Black
    ,
    Femme
    The cold doesn't bother her. She loves talking to you, but she'd rather be painting.
  • JJ
    30s,
    White
    ,
    Masc
    JJ is like a ham & swiss croissant: a little cheesy and incredibly layered.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    The Story Theatre
    ,
    2019
  • Commission
    ,
    The Story Theatre
    ,
    2018

Awards

Selection
,
Favorite Staged Readings of 2019
,
The Michael & Mona Heath Fund
,
2019