Foot Wears House

by Laura Neill

Management is gearing up to cut pay again. Ellie, Alisha, and new kid Davy are figuring out if they can pull off a strike—as they help sixty customers at a time. Amid understaffing, gas leaks, and Management Being Cheerful TM!, shoeboxes cascade dangerously off of top shelves, and the alarm won't stop going off. Is the warehouse ghost unionizing, too? Or is this whole place just broken?

Management is gearing up to cut pay again. Ellie, Alisha, and new kid Davy are figuring out if they can pull off a strike—as they help sixty customers at a time. Amid understaffing, gas leaks, and Management Being Cheerful TM!, shoeboxes cascade dangerously off of top shelves, and the alarm won't stop going off. Is the warehouse ghost unionizing, too? Or is this whole place just broken?

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Foot Wears House

Recommended by

  • Premiere Stages at Kean University: Foot Wears House by Laura Neill
    “

    Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize Foot Wears House as a Semi-Finalist for the 2026 Premiere Play Festival. It rose through a competitive process to become one of 65 Semi-Finalists out of 894 submissions. The play is an imaginative and urgent exploration of labor rights and community-building in the face of adversity. Our panel of readers admired the play’s inclusive vision. Our congratulations & thanks to Laura.

    Premiere Stages, the professional Equity theatre in residence at Kean University, is pleased to recognize Foot Wears House as a Semi-Finalist for the 2026 Premiere Play Festival. It rose through a competitive process to become one of 65 Semi-Finalists out of 894 submissions. The play is an imaginative and urgent exploration of labor rights and community-building in the face of adversity. Our panel of readers admired the play’s inclusive vision. Our congratulations & thanks to Laura.

    ”
  • Anne G. Morgan: Foot Wears House by Laura Neill
    “

    I'm a big fan of this play! It strikes me as both ambitious in its theatrical goals and authentic in its engagement with unionization. The bays of shoes (and the ghost!), the doubling, the repetition of the sales rhythm are all elements that actors and directors could have a lot of fun with.

    I'm a big fan of this play! It strikes me as both ambitious in its theatrical goals and authentic in its engagement with unionization. The bays of shoes (and the ghost!), the doubling, the repetition of the sales rhythm are all elements that actors and directors could have a lot of fun with.

    ”

Character Information

ELLIE, 30s, she/they, white. Ten months in the store. Also plays NEW KID, new as of July.

ALISHA, 20s, she/her, Black. Most senior non-lead. Two years in the store.

DAVY, 30s, he/they, Latine. New as of May. Also plays NEW KID 2, new as of August.

AGNES, 50s, she/her, Asian American. Newer sales lead. Five years in the store. Also plays MARTY, 50s, he/him. Sales lead. Been at the store since it opened ten years ago. Also plays NEW KID 3, new as of August.

CLARK, 30s, he/him, Black. Six months in the store. Also plays BOZ, 20s, new as of June. Also plays NEW KID 4, new as of August.

MANAGERS (all played by one person, white): SANNE, 30s, she/her but she doesn't really “get” pronouns. Also plays BRAD, 30s, he/they, and ZACHARY, 20s, he/him. This actor also voices other managers on radio: MARJORIE, 40s, and the GM, CHAD, 40s; and voices a CUSTIE offstage.

Note: the roles of AGNES/MARTY and MANAGERS each require one actor to play across gender. Anyone of any gender can play these roles. Please ensure that cis men are not the majority of your cast (i.e. don't cast both Agnes/Marty and managers as cis men).
  • Ellie
    Also plays NEW KID
    20s/30s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Alisha
    20s/30s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Davy
    Also plays NEW KID 2
    20s/30s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • Clark
    Also plays BOZ, he/him, 20s, and NEW KID 4
    30s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • Agnes
    Also plays MARTY, 50s/60s
    50s/60s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Man,
      Non-binary
  • Managers
    All played by one person, white: SANNE, 30s, she/her but she doesn't really “get” pronouns. Also plays BRAD, 30s, he/they, and ZACHARY, 20s, he/him. This actor also voices other managers on radio: MARJORIE, 40s, and the GM, CHAD, 40s; and voices a CUSTIE offstage.
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Man,
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Workshop, Working Theater/Broadway Advocacy Coalition, dir. Sivan Battat, 2025
  • Reading, REI Soho Union, dir. Colm Summers, supported by Working Theater, 2024

Awards

  • Support for Artists - Theater Commission
    New York State Council for the Arts
    Winner
    2025