Spay by Madison Fiedler

Williamson, West Virginia has been aptly nicknamed “Pilliamson” as long as the Attridge sisters have called it home. In the wake of their mother’s overdose, the two sisters have taken very different paths. As Harper raises Noah’s child, vowing to tread new ground, Noah finds herself unable to break old cycles – until a stranger promises a way to do just that. Madison Fiedler’s new drama SPAY interrogates the...
Williamson, West Virginia has been aptly nicknamed “Pilliamson” as long as the Attridge sisters have called it home. In the wake of their mother’s overdose, the two sisters have taken very different paths. As Harper raises Noah’s child, vowing to tread new ground, Noah finds herself unable to break old cycles – until a stranger promises a way to do just that. Madison Fiedler’s new drama SPAY interrogates the question of autonomy in small-town Appalachia.
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Spay

Recommended by

  • Martha Wade Steketee:
    20 Dec. 2023
    “ This is a quiet, well crafted play about devastating social and political realities and the unrelenting nature of substance addiction. The horror and exhaustion of living adjacent to the situation -- family members of addicts, the Al-Anon world -- is delightfully, disturbingly well captured here. I was terrified by the scene of NOAH on the other side of a closed door, high and frustrated and alone with her young son. Terrifying, terrific writing. ”
  • Shaun Leisher:
    29 Jan. 2023
    “ A brilliant play about the opioid epidemic. A great character study about the repercussions of addiction that go beyond just the life of the user. PRODUCE THIS PLAY!!! ”
  • Jason Parrish:
    28 Oct. 2021
    “ SPAY is a powerful and human story about three remarkable women living the daily reality of the opioid crisis in the American South. This play kept me turning pages until the very end. Madison's given us amazing roles for three young women, and their voices need to be heard. Florida Rep was honored to include this play in its 2020 Virtual PlayLab. ”
View all 4 recommendations

Character Information

  • Noah
    20,
    White
    ,
    woman
    Swings between goofy sweetness and rage. Anxious, childlike. Fervently attached to people. An active user.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Jackson
    21,
    White
    ,
    Man
    Affable, playful, more vulnerable than he lets on.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Harper
    25,
    biracial, mixed-race Black and white
    ,
    woman
    Tough-love, intractable. Kind, not nice. Big on rules. A kindergarten teacher.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Aubrey
    late 40s-mid 50s,
    White
    ,
    woman
    Watchful, bright, ceaselessly polite. A Midwestern sensibility.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
    ,
    2022

Awards

Winner
,
M. Elizabeth Osborn Award
,
American Theatre Critics Association
,
2023
Finalist
,
Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award
,
American Theatre Critics Association
,
2023
Finalist
,
Jeff Award (Best New Work nominee)
,
Jeff Awards
,
2022
Runner Up
,
Princess Grace Playwriting Fellowship
,
New Dramatists
,
2021
Selection
,
Kilroys List
,
The Kilroys
,
2020