Rare Birds by Adam Szymkowicz

FULL LENGTH, PUBLISHED. Sixteen-year-old Evan Wills is an avid bird watcher who wears colorful songbird shirts to school despite the constant antagonism it brings him. Evan’s mother just wants Evan to be normal, and happy—and normal—and get along with her new boyfriend. While Evan summons the courage to talk to Jenny Monroe (whose locker is next to his), troubled bully Dylan has something darker in mind. After...
FULL LENGTH, PUBLISHED. Sixteen-year-old Evan Wills is an avid bird watcher who wears colorful songbird shirts to school despite the constant antagonism it brings him. Evan’s mother just wants Evan to be normal, and happy—and normal—and get along with her new boyfriend. While Evan summons the courage to talk to Jenny Monroe (whose locker is next to his), troubled bully Dylan has something darker in mind. After some stupid choices and unexpected results, Evan learns that the worst thing you can do in high school is admit you love something.

This play is published: http://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=5678
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Rare Birds

Recommended by

  • Gina Femia:
    6 Jul. 2015
    “ A haunting and poignant coming of age story, this play is brutally honest and cuts straight to the heart. A real reflection of our time, capturing the reality of bullying in a way I haven't seen on stage. Saw a reading at LCT3 and couldn't stop thinking about it - it will stick to your mind for days. ”

Character Information

CAST OF CHARACTERS

EVAN WILLS-----------------------------------------------------16, small for his age, eccentric

MIKE MAKOWSKI----------------------------------------------16, bigger than Evan

DYLAN CORMER-----------------------------------------------16, bigger than Evan, troubled

JENNY MONROE------------------------------------------------17, popular but not unkind

JANET WILLS---------------------------------------------------Mid to late 30s, Evan’s mother

RALPH EMOND-------------------------------------------------40ish, Janet’s boyfriend

MRS. GERARD (voice only)

TEENAGERS (voice only)

TIME

Now.

SETTING

Colchester, CT, a small town south of Hartford.

Most of the stage is taken up by EVAN’s room, center. Small plaster birds hang from his ceiling and sit on every available surface. A window downstage right. Far right is the door to his room. There is a small hall area where you can see if someone is outside his door.

Stage left is a public high school’s hallway complete with lockers. Stage right is a table at a casino restaurant. The restaurant must also become an area in the woods where kids hang out. A cooler, a couple of milk crates.

  • Evan Wills
    16,
    Any
    ,
    Male Identifying
    small for his age
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Janet Wills
    mid to late 30s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    mother of Evan
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Mike Makowski
    16,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    big for his age
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Dylan Cormer
    16,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    bigger than Evan
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Jenny Monroe
    17,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    popular but not unkind
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Ralph Emond
    40ish,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    The Chance Theater
    ,
    2016
  • Reading
    ,
    Red Fern
    ,
    2015
  • Reading
    ,
    LCT3 (Lincoln Center)
    ,
    2014
  • Reading
    ,
    Primary Stages, NYC
    ,
    2013

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Red Fern Theater
    ,
    2017