Abandon All Hope by Peter Fenton

FULL-LENGTH DARK COMEDY/DRAMA. When three college freshmen (a scrappy feminist, a naïve evangelical, and a cocky analyst) meet in Hell—which appears as a dorm room—they are forced to play a game with eternal stakes, which draws out each one's fatal flaws in their interactions with each other and a fun-loving demon. The winner will go to Heaven at the cost of the others' eternal torture. #4.
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Abandon All Hope

Recommended by

  • Joshua Piper:
    3 Apr. 2024
    “ If you rean Jean Paul Satre's "No Exit" and found the concept to be interesting then you need to read this play. Another reference would be if you like the musical "Ride The Cyclone" then this is also for you. Fenton expertly takes the idea of purgatory and riffs of it while tackling the topic of queer people in religous settings. I would love to see this on stage, you have to read it. Such an easy read too! ”
  • Rachel Feeny-Williams:
    1 Mar. 2024
    “ There are certain styles of play that not only have you debating what you're seeing but they also generate a NEED to know what's going to happen next. For me, "Abandon All Hope" is one of those plays. Presenting as a cross between an analysis of what 'hell' and the preservation from hell means to some people, coupled with an entertaining exploration of who these characters are that have found themselves in hell, all of that makes Abandon All Hope a play where audiences will be entertained as well as filled with a desire to know what happens next. ”
  • Kelly McBurnette-Andronicos:
    15 Jan. 2024
    “ Residing at the intersection of gay and godly, this four-person, post-death exploration takes us on the edifying journey of what we might learn about ourselves in the afterlife. Let’s just say - there’s hope in spite of the title! With a wink to Sarte’s “No Exit” and even a pinch of “The Wizard of Oz” self-discovery, these well-drawn characters rise to the occasion even with - or perhaps because of - their human flaws. I particularly appreciated the balanced structure of the play and the ample opportunities to incorporate multi-media. A solid choice for college-aged actors. ”
View all 20 recommendations

Character Information

For the cast of 4 as written,
TERESA doubles as AMY, BEGGAR WOMAN, KRISTA, and DANNI.
MELISSA doubles as RACHEL and SARAH.
SEAN doubles as ISAIAH and JUSTIN.
EVAN doubles as R.J. and ADAM.
...
For an expanded cast, remove doubling as seen fit. TERESA must double as AMY, BEGGAR WOMAN, and DANNI (she is not required to double as KRISTA if your production wants to use a larger cast). SEAN must be played by an East Asian actor, EVAN probably works best if he's white. All other roles are up to producer's discretion, diversity is encouraged.
...
RACHEL, R.J.*, KRISTA, and SARAH can be played by one or more actors. (F/20s/Any Ethnicity)
...
ISAIAH, JUSTIN, and ADAM can be played by one or more actors. (M/20s/Any Ethnicity)
...
*R.J. is written male but can be portrayed as any gender.

  • Teresa
    40s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    A fun-loving, strategic mastermind film noir femme fatale type assuming the role of a trickster demon. Despite her immortality, she has existential questions of her own. She was once human prior to working for the celestial bureaucracy. In life, she was a struggling actress in the golden age of Hollywood who never got her big break.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Melissa Jones
    19,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    Clever, politically ambitious sorority pledge with a strong internal bullshit detector. Her brash exterior is a defense mechanism against her deep longing to belong—anywhere.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American, Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American, Latinx/o/a or Hispanic, Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American, South Asian or South Asian American, White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Sean Liu
    19,
    East Asian American
    ,
    Male
    Quick-witted, cocky Ivy League student, expert in game theory and debate. His bravado hides a scared, sweet gay boy wanting to step away from his famous family’s spotlight.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Evan Daigle
    19,
    probably white
    ,
    Male
    Clean-cut, naive evangelical out to prove he truly is a man after God's own heart. Earnest in beliefs and genuinely kind, but often cluelessly, brutally judgmental.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic, White
    • Gender: 
      Male

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Ornithology Media
    ,
    2023
  • Reading
    ,
    Lambertville Hall
    ,
    2022
  • Workshop
    ,
    Ornithology Media
    ,
    2022
  • Reading
    ,
    Dewar-Fenton Group
    ,
    2021
  • Reading
    ,
    BraveMaker Media
    ,
    2020
  • Workshop
    ,
    byPeterFenton.com
    ,
    2020

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    Fenton Productions
    ,
    2024
  • Professional
    ,
    Rogue Theater Festival at Theatre Row (Off-Broadway)
    ,
    2023