Nebraska Avenue

by Fiona Rose Murphey

When Iris Henry Quinn—a queer, disabled musical theatre major from Dallas, TX—realizes she's trapped in her own mind after a car hits her on the way home from her college musical’s rehearsal one night, she thinks that medical situation would be her biggest worry. But soon, she finds the Specter—her subconscious personified—endlessly analyzing her memories of a falling out with her childhood friends. In this...

When Iris Henry Quinn—a queer, disabled musical theatre major from Dallas, TX—realizes she's trapped in her own mind after a car hits her on the way home from her college musical’s rehearsal one night, she thinks that medical situation would be her biggest worry. But soon, she finds the Specter—her subconscious personified—endlessly analyzing her memories of a falling out with her childhood friends. In this dreamy, sharp, musical disaster play, Iris reckons with love, grief, healing and interdependence, weaving a rich tapestry of all the friends we come to call family.

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Nebraska Avenue

- Elena and Iris are some kind of sapphic, Marie and Finn are some kind of queer, and Disabled actors should play Iris and her counterparts if at all possible. But aside from that, casting should reflect the spirit of gender-bending, queerness, diversity, subversive freedom and play of the college theatre department from which this story came. Feel free to double roles as needed/available.

- Iris, the Specter, and Young Iris were all written with specific mobility aids in mind—where Iris's life would be a lot easier if she chose to use a wheelchair (instead of clinging to walking as if it symbolizes independence). Tell the story, among other things, of her unpacking that internalized ableism. But most importantly: Cast disabled actors—and then work with them collaboratively. Do not rule out actors based on their mobility aids and defeat half the purpose for which this play was written.

* Where pronouns aren't noted, use the actor's choice and change the dialogue from the script's they/them default.