Tiny Thin Woman Inside

by C. Meaker

After joining an office initiative to lose weight, Mickey vomits her Tiny Thin Woman Inside into existence. Inspired by the popular meme that there’s a tiny, thin woman inside every woman if she’d only stop eating “crap,” Tiny Thin Woman Inside explores the relationship women have with their bodies, media representations of weight loss, queer dating while fat, and general anxiety about the violence inherent in...

After joining an office initiative to lose weight, Mickey vomits her Tiny Thin Woman Inside into existence. Inspired by the popular meme that there’s a tiny, thin woman inside every woman if she’d only stop eating “crap,” Tiny Thin Woman Inside explores the relationship women have with their bodies, media representations of weight loss, queer dating while fat, and general anxiety about the violence inherent in trying to fit into a societal norm of size.

read more
  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

Tiny Thin Woman Inside

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher: Tiny Thin Woman Inside by C. Meaker
    “

    I hope this play gets produced very soon. It says some really interesting things about society's obsession with thinness. It's a black comedy about a woman wanting to be accepted no matter her size. Well-written and nuanced representation of queer love too.

    I hope this play gets produced very soon. It says some really interesting things about society's obsession with thinness. It's a black comedy about a woman wanting to be accepted no matter her size. Well-written and nuanced representation of queer love too.

    ”
  • Nick Malakhow: Tiny Thin Woman Inside by C. Meaker
    “

    This play is amazing! Meaker uses heightened theatricality so well to draw stark attention to the ways society pits women and femme folk against one another and themselves and their bodies in so many ways. They tackle body image, disordered eating, fatness/fitness, health provider gaslighting, and a lot more. They manage to do this in a play that is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking and scary--fine lines to straddle. I also appreciated the nuanced and complex and just so natural queer representation. I'd love to see this produced!

    This play is amazing! Meaker uses heightened theatricality so well to draw stark attention to the ways society pits women and femme folk against one another and themselves and their bodies in so many ways. They tackle body image, disordered eating, fatness/fitness, health provider gaslighting, and a lot more. They manage to do this in a play that is equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking and scary--fine lines to straddle. I also appreciated the nuanced and complex and just so natural queer representation. I'd love to see this produced!

    ”
  • Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn: Tiny Thin Woman Inside by C. Meaker
    “

    Mickey's monologue half-way through the play had me wiping away tears. It all felt so familiar while remaining a bit surreal. This dark comedy will stick with me for a while. We are constantly being told about the thin woman inside of us, if only we would let her out. But once she's out, what darkness or emptiness will take her place? And will this just be the first reveal in a never ending nesting doll of reaching for an unreachable ideal?

    Mickey's monologue half-way through the play had me wiping away tears. It all felt so familiar while remaining a bit surreal. This dark comedy will stick with me for a while. We are constantly being told about the thin woman inside of us, if only we would let her out. But once she's out, what darkness or emptiness will take her place? And will this just be the first reveal in a never ending nesting doll of reaching for an unreachable ideal?

    ”
View all 7 recommendations
MICKEY, not small fat, queer woman in her mid to late thirties
LITTLE MICKEY, young Mickey around 10-12, not played by an actual child
TINY THIN WOMAN, a tiny, thin woman who kinda looks like Mickey
JACKLYN, not fat, queer woman in her late twenties to early thirties
TINA and others, thin or small-fat woman
LINDA and others, thin or small-fat woman
JANE and others, thin or small-fat woman
DOCTOR and Host, Male Anchor, not small fat, any age

Padding is not to be used to make the characters appear fat.

LITTLE MICKEY should not be played by an actual child.

Casting for all but Doctor should be open to trans* actors.

Development History

  • Workshop, The Scratch Seattle , 2019
  • Reading, About Face Theatre, 2018
  • Reading, University of Iowa New Play Festival, 2017
  • Workshop, Sewanee Writers Conference, 2017

Awards

  • New Play Development Conference
    Playpenn
    Semi-Finalist
    2018
  • Bay Area Playwrights Festival
    Playwrights Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2018