Abigail, For Now

*FINALIST: Woodward/Newman Award 2023

FULL LENGTH. One act version adapted for middle school/high school performance or festivals available. UIL approved.

Abigail grapples with feeling like an outsider, and for good reason - she claims she is from another galaxy, here only to study human behavior. After her behavior intensifies, her parents place her in a psychiatric facility for...
*FINALIST: Woodward/Newman Award 2023

FULL LENGTH. One act version adapted for middle school/high school performance or festivals available. UIL approved.

Abigail grapples with feeling like an outsider, and for good reason - she claims she is from another galaxy, here only to study human behavior. After her behavior intensifies, her parents place her in a psychiatric facility for adolescents. Despite her best efforts to isolate herself, Abigail forms a connection with another patient which leads her on a journey of self-discovery. As Abigail begins to listen and share, she gains powerful insights about belonging and the complexities of being human. "Abigail, For Now" is a poignant and surprising exploration of mental health, identity, and the search for connection in a world that often feels unfamiliar.
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Abigail, For Now

Recommended by

  • Rebecca Kane:
    4 Sep. 2023
    The gripping set-up pulled me in, the interesting story kept me, and the fast, smooth dialogue moved the whole thing along at impressive speed. I couldn't stop reading once I started; I was so desperate to find out what happened to Abigail, who felt like a new, interesting friend by the end. Speaking of the ending -- goosebumps!!
  • Emma Goldman-Sherman:
    13 Jun. 2023
    This play quickly became unstoppable for me. I really enjoyed it and was deeply concerned for the characters. I'm also really torn up about the ending in a good way, as a spark for dialogue, and it's so theatrically fabulous, and there are so many ways to imagine it. A producible play about mental illness that is likable and feels so real. Well done!
  • Jarred Corona:
    23 May. 2022
    It is difficult, living. Confusing. Bitter, at times. Lonely. Alien.

    Abigail would hate that last word. She's not from Earth, or so she claims. People attempt to fix her, to ease her out of delusion. But Jackie Martin refuses to let us follow that well-worn path. Abigail's beliefs aren't her problem. She is lonely. She doesn't belong.

    But she does.

    "Abigail, For Now," filled with likeable characters discussing mental health without ever feeling like walking PSAs, brings us a single, unyielding hope. It is not reality that matters. It's connection. It's kindness. It's living. I very much enjoyed reading this.

Character Information

  • ABIGAIL
    teens,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • RONNIE
    40s-50s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • JAY
    40s-50s,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Abigail's father.
  • DR. BAYLOR
    40s or older,
    Any
    ,
    Any
    Written with he/him pronouns but this can be changed without permission from the playwright.
  • MARTA
    late 30s or older,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    Gender identity could be changed with permission and input from the playwright. Some rewrites would need to occur.
  • AUSTIN
    teens,
    Any
    ,
    Male
  • JEN
    teens,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • NAOMI
    teens,
    Any
    ,
    Female
  • SHAWN
    teens,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    written male but could be flexible.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Play Incubation Collective (formerly The Play Reading Co-op)
    ,
    2021
  • Reading
    ,
    Sandbox Student Productions
    ,
    2021

Production History

  • High School
    ,
    Cypress Ridge ISD
    ,
    2024
  • High School
    ,
    Newton South High School
    ,
    2024
  • High School
    ,
    Lee's Summit North High School
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    St. Teresa's Academy, Kansas City, MO
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    Young Women's Leadership Academy, San Antonio, TX
    ,
    2023
  • High School
    ,
    School of the Future, NYC
    ,
    2023

Awards

Finalist
,
Woodward/Newman Award
,
Constellation Stage and Screen
,
2023