Ape Leader

by Elizabeth Archer

Ape Leader is a play based on an old English belief that, upon dying, spinsters would spend eternity leading apes into hell. The play follows the journey of Enid, a 21st-century spinster ape-leader faced with a dilemma when her unrequited earthly love arrives in the underworld for her to lead to eternal damnation (in this underworld, humans qualify as apes). Enid’s strange and sweet cohort of fellow ape leaders...

Ape Leader is a play based on an old English belief that, upon dying, spinsters would spend eternity leading apes into hell. The play follows the journey of Enid, a 21st-century spinster ape-leader faced with a dilemma when her unrequited earthly love arrives in the underworld for her to lead to eternal damnation (in this underworld, humans qualify as apes). Enid’s strange and sweet cohort of fellow ape leaders from different continents and periods helps and hinders her journey, but she alone must decide her fate in the afterlife.

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Ape Leader

Recommended by

  • Ky Weeks: Ape Leader by Elizabeth Archer
    “

    In just about every moment here there's a kind of manic sweetness. Archer uses the central setting to tell a story that's dark, often bizarre, and unmistakably human. An excellent blend of touching and horrifying.

    In just about every moment here there's a kind of manic sweetness. Archer uses the central setting to tell a story that's dark, often bizarre, and unmistakably human. An excellent blend of touching and horrifying.

    ”
  • Robin Goldberg: Ape Leader by Elizabeth Archer
    “

    I ran across this play a couple of years ago, and it's still one of the coolest, most unusual plays I've ever read. I am so impressed by how the story tackles love and intimacy, female friendship, society's expectations for women, and women's hopes and expectations for themselves. The characters and their relationships are beautifully drawn and there's a real sense of care and empathy through the whole story. This is a deeply human play that very much deserves to be read and produced.

    I ran across this play a couple of years ago, and it's still one of the coolest, most unusual plays I've ever read. I am so impressed by how the story tackles love and intimacy, female friendship, society's expectations for women, and women's hopes and expectations for themselves. The characters and their relationships are beautifully drawn and there's a real sense of care and empathy through the whole story. This is a deeply human play that very much deserves to be read and produced.

    ”

Character Information

<html>
<body>
<h2>
</h2><p>* The Business Woman, the Old Woman, the Lost Woman, and one of the Buzzards should be played by the same actor.</p>
<h2>
</h2><p>* The Old Man, the Young Man, and one of the Buzzards should be played by the same actor.</p>
<h2>
</h2><p>*Mr. Pongo and one of the Buzzards should be played by the same actor.</p>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2>IF A SMALLER CAST IS REQUIRED</h2>
<h2>
</h2><p>*Jack and Mr. Pongo should be played by the same actor.</p>
<h2>
</h2><p>*Ari, the Business Woman, and the Old Woman should be played by the same actor.</p>
<h2>
</h2><p>*Hara and one of the Buzzards should be played by the same actor.</p>
<h2>
</h2><p>*Bub, the Old Man, the Young Man, and one of the Buzzards should be played by the same actor.</p>

</body>

</html>
  • Mr. Pongo
    British chimpanzee. Died in 2014.
    55
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Paloma
    Chilean spinster. Died in 1860.
    60+
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Haraldskaer (Hara)
    Danish spinster. Died in 490 BCE.
    40s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Bub
    A bad man.
    ?
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • The Buzzards Three
    Underworld Bouncers. Nasty folk.
    ?
    Any
    Any
  • Jack
    Married man. Died this year.
    38+
    Any (but probably white)
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Old Man
    Married man. Died this year.
    65+
    Any
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • The Business Woman
    Nice suit. Died this year.
    20+
    Any
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • The Young Man
    Stylish, cool. Died this year.
    20+
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male,
      Non-binary
  • Enid
    American Spinster. Died in 2010.
    30s
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • The Old Woman
    Sweet and grandma-ish. Died this year.
    70+
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • Kepari (Ari)
    Papua New Guinean spinster. Died in 1981.
    25+
    Polynesian/Pacific Islander
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary
  • The Lost Woman
    Terrifying. Died this year.

    Any
    Any
    Any
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading, Northwestern University, 2015

Awards

  • Emerging Playwrights Award
    DVRF
    Finalist
    2017