Bell at the Back of Her Throat

by C. Meaker

Cass wakes up from a dream to find her hands are burnt having seen a vision of Greenville engulfed in flames. No one believes her, but smoke is on the horizon. People are leaving, never to be heard from again. Two little girls are taking action into their own hands by causing terror through their magic. Meanwhile, the Director of Tourism is determined to keep tourists out of the town for this year’s founders...

Cass wakes up from a dream to find her hands are burnt having seen a vision of Greenville engulfed in flames. No one believes her, but smoke is on the horizon. People are leaving, never to be heard from again. Two little girls are taking action into their own hands by causing terror through their magic. Meanwhile, the Director of Tourism is determined to keep tourists out of the town for this year’s founders festival so she can impress Sean, Cass’ best friend and the town’s de-facto leader. But Sean only has eyes for Cass. Bell at the Back of Her Throat is an examination of patriarchy, witchcraft, and xenophobia through the Cassandra myth, and is kind of like Our Town, but in hell.

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Bell at the Back of Her Throat

Recommended by

  • Chandler Hubbard: Bell at the Back of Her Throat by C. Meaker
    “

    Through relationships both delicate and hardened, Meaker deftly weaves a classical but modern tale of sisterhood, isolation and horrific violence. Frightening and all-too-real.

    Through relationships both delicate and hardened, Meaker deftly weaves a classical but modern tale of sisterhood, isolation and horrific violence. Frightening and all-too-real.

    ”
  • Eric Marlin: Bell at the Back of Her Throat by C. Meaker
    “

    Meaker is an absolutely top-notch writer, who combines high-concept world building with psychologically complex characters. "Bell at the Back of Her Throat" is high tragedy filtered through horror and suspense, a bracing condemnation of the insidious creep of misogyny. A gorgeously theatrical cry from the heart, as intelligent as it is frightening.

    Meaker is an absolutely top-notch writer, who combines high-concept world building with psychologically complex characters. "Bell at the Back of Her Throat" is high tragedy filtered through horror and suspense, a bracing condemnation of the insidious creep of misogyny. A gorgeously theatrical cry from the heart, as intelligent as it is frightening.

    ”
  • John Bavoso: Bell at the Back of Her Throat by C. Meaker
    “

    In this eerie play, Meager has managed to create a world that feels both sprawling and claustrophobic at once. It is imbued with a sense of foreboding that builds and creeps up on you. While it’s like a mashup of the Cassandra myth and the Salem witch trials, this play still has a lot to say about feminism, isolationism, and borders in the present. I’d love to see an ambitious company take this on!

    In this eerie play, Meager has managed to create a world that feels both sprawling and claustrophobic at once. It is imbued with a sense of foreboding that builds and creeps up on you. While it’s like a mashup of the Cassandra myth and the Salem witch trials, this play still has a lot to say about feminism, isolationism, and borders in the present. I’d love to see an ambitious company take this on!

    ”
CASS* – female, mid-thirties, woman of color, married to Bev

BEV* – female, mid-thirties, any race/ethnicity, married to Cass

CAMILLE* – female, early-forties, woman of color, married to Roderick

DR. J – genderqueer, trans, non-binary, or masculine-of-center actor, any age, any race/ethnicity

POLLY* – female, nine years old, but shouldn’t necessarily be played by an actual child, woman of color, Sean’s daughter

PATRICIA* – female, nine years old, but shouldn’t necessarily be played by an actual child, any race/ethnicity, Hank’s daughter

DIRECTOR OF TOURISM (Lucy) – female, younger than Cass, white

SEAN – male, same age as Cass, white, Cass’ best friend, Polly’s father

HANK – male, older than Cass, any race/ethnicity, Patricia’s father

RODERICK – male, same age as Camille, any race/ethnicity


NOTES

Families are not carbon copies of each other. All roles that are *asterisked above are open to trans/non-binary actors with slight alterations to text if non-binary. All roles should be cast as diversely as possible including race and ethnicity, gender presentation, and body type.

Development History

  • Workshop, University of Iowa New Play Festival, 2019
  • Reading, University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop, 2018

Production History

  • University, University of Iowa New Play Festival, 2019

Awards

  • Shortlist International Playwriting Competition
    Theater503
    Honorable Mention
    2023
  • Seven Devils Playwrights Conference
    id Theater
    Finalist
    2020