Outdoor Bird

by Megan Rivkin

A one-act, seven-character play about art, gender, unrequited love, and mental prisons. A writer makes her way through the dinner party she created for herself. Does she need it anymore?

A one-act, seven-character play about art, gender, unrequited love, and mental prisons. A writer makes her way through the dinner party she created for herself. Does she need it anymore?

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Outdoor Bird

Recommended by

  • Shaun Leisher: Outdoor Bird by Megan Rivkin
    “

    Really loved this play. Loved getting to spend time with the Protagonist and the characters that populate her brain. Such a unique play.

    Really loved this play. Loved getting to spend time with the Protagonist and the characters that populate her brain. Such a unique play.

    ”
  • Lila Marooney: Outdoor Bird by Megan Rivkin
    “

    Had the utmost pleasure of directing this play in the fall of 2021. First and foremost, these characters are so effervescently charming. While the story is no doubt surrealist and absurdly funny, Rivkin's writing pulls no punches in presenting a poignant and multifaceted meditation on the mental and emotional landmines of desire, control, and insecurity imbued into the choice to dedicate ones' time, effort, and livelihood to the process of creation. Megan was also an absolute joy to collaborate with as a playwright--I am determined to get my hands on any and everything they continue to write.

    Had the utmost pleasure of directing this play in the fall of 2021. First and foremost, these characters are so effervescently charming. While the story is no doubt surrealist and absurdly funny, Rivkin's writing pulls no punches in presenting a poignant and multifaceted meditation on the mental and emotional landmines of desire, control, and insecurity imbued into the choice to dedicate ones' time, effort, and livelihood to the process of creation. Megan was also an absolute joy to collaborate with as a playwright--I am determined to get my hands on any and everything they continue to write.

    ”
  • Oded Gross: Outdoor Bird by Megan Rivkin
    “

    An incredibly fun and absurdist comedy. What I particularly love about Megan Rivkin's writing is that it can be so wonderfully bizarre and yet I always felt like I was in good hands. And it makes me laugh!

    An incredibly fun and absurdist comedy. What I particularly love about Megan Rivkin's writing is that it can be so wonderfully bizarre and yet I always felt like I was in good hands. And it makes me laugh!

    ”
PROTAGONIST - Femme, a writer.
STEPHANIE - A woman. Incredibly glamorous, very loving, and also loud.
JAWLINE - A very attractive man. Endearing but oblivious.
TRADER JOE - Someone masc of center. The darker side of someone like Protagonist. Angry, awkward, destined to be an outcast. Makes people as uncomfortable as he feels.
OLLIE - A boy (or “boy-like”.) Very sweet. New to the world. Upbeat. Not quite sure what he’s doing in Protagonist’s mind yet.
OLD GREGORY - An older man. Used to being the relaxed head of the household and not thinking too hard about it. Happy to play the voice of Gd at home. The imaginary friend/guide who grew up and now has bad knees. “Bird-like.”
WISE NEIGHBOR - The worst. You know her. Says things so mean in such a flat way it takes you a second to realize how much they hurt.

Production History

  • University, Northwestern, 2021