Learning Curve

by C.J. Celeiro

SECOND-ROUND ADVANCEMENT (FINAL STATUS PENDING): PLAYWRIGHTS' REVOLUTION, CAPITAL STAGE
FINALIST: SPARKFEST '26, AMPHIBIAN STAGE

"Interesting, ambitious, immersive."
"As a former HS teacher of 10+ years, I deeply related to this play."

Learning Curve unfolds over the course of a single, chaotic day in a moderately well-funded public charter high school where teachers, students, and administrators all try to...

SECOND-ROUND ADVANCEMENT (FINAL STATUS PENDING): PLAYWRIGHTS' REVOLUTION, CAPITAL STAGE
FINALIST: SPARKFEST '26, AMPHIBIAN STAGE

"Interesting, ambitious, immersive."
"As a former HS teacher of 10+ years, I deeply related to this play."

Learning Curve unfolds over the course of a single, chaotic day in a moderately well-funded public charter high school where teachers, students, and administrators all try to keep control of their classrooms, their emotions, and their sense of purpose.

When a small classroom incident escalates into a disciplinary crisis involving Conrad, a normally good student exhibiting withdrawn behavior, and Tyler, a combative equalist, the day spirals toward confrontation and consequence. The school day continues to trudge on as teachers and students navigate a myriad of obstacles facing the American education system: understaffing, micromanagement, artificial intelligence, and impossible expectations.

Learning Curve exposes how justice, empathy, and burnout collide inside institutions designed for control rather than care. Combining dark satire, brutal honesty, and audience immersion, Learning Curve serves as a portrait of survival based on real experiences in the American education system.

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Learning Curve

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Amphibian Stage : Learning Curve by C.J. Celeiro

“

“Interesting, ambitious, immersive… Explores the complex daily life of high school teachers in public schools & how little the bureaucratic education system does to truly support the realities students face… What struck me the most here is its creative interactivity with the audience. As the play's conflict begins to build, the audience gets cast as students in the classroom.” “As a former HS teacher of 10+ years, I deeply related to this play.” Recommendation by readers for SparkFest ‘26.

“Interesting, ambitious, immersive… Explores the complex daily life of high school teachers in public schools & how little the bureaucratic education system does to truly support the realities students face… What struck me the most here is its creative interactivity with the audience. As the play's conflict begins to build, the audience gets cast as students in the classroom.” “As a former HS teacher of 10+ years, I deeply related to this play.” Recommendation by readers for SparkFest ‘26.

”

Character Information

Please, this cannot be an all-white cast. The students and staff must reflect racial diversity.

MS. LEONE

English teacher. ELA Department Chair. She’s noticeably pregnant. Painfully sarcastic, yet somehow also a straight shooter. A veteran teacher. She dominates any room.

Character Age

Late 30s-Early 40s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
MS. KELSEY

Early 20s. Student teacher, English. Sweet, young, unsuspecting. A total fish out of water, but hopefully not for long. There’s hope, but there’s a lot of work to be done.

Character Age

Early 20s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
MS. WILLOW

Drama teacher. Fine Arts Department Chair. Bubbly and comedic, a lot of fun, but can struggle with regaining control.

Character Age

Late 20s-Early 30s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
PRINCIPAL WATERS

40s-50s. The principal. Any gender. Regimented, dare I say stoic, but not heartless. If only things were different.

Character Age

40s-50s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Any
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  40s,
  
  50s
SRA. SANTIAGO

30s-40s, maybe even 50s. Spanish teacher. Engaging and with a huge heart, yet easily stressed. Things can spiral around her.

Character Age

30s-50s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Latino,

Hispanic,

Latino,

Latino,

Latino

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  30s,
  
  40s,
  
  50s
- Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
  
  Latinx/o/a or Hispanic
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
TYLER

A basketball player. Not the best or brightest. Temperamental.

Character Age

16

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Male
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  Teens,
  
  20s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man
AMELIA

She doesn’t fit into a clique, but she’s a good student. You know that kid.

Character Age

16

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  Teens,
  
  20s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
BETH

An overachiever, sometimes insufferable, but she’s hard to hate. She’ll run for president one day, or at least try.

Character Age

16

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  Teens,
  
  20s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman
CONRAD

Normally a good kid. A football player. This is not his day.

Character Age

16

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Male
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  Teens,
  
  20s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man
DEAN ELLIOT

A behavioral dean. He doesn’t reveal much of his personality to the
students.

Character Age

30s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Male
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man
MR. WRIGHT

Art teacher. A very good teacher and excellent at leading class activities, but he can get worrisome. Nevertheless, empathetic and good natured.

Character Age

Late 20s-Early 30s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Male
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  20s,
  
  30s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man
MR. MASTERSON

U.S. History teacher. Social Studies Department Chair. A bit scatterbrained, but great in front of the class. Already got some burn out.

Character Age

Late 30s-Early 40s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Male
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  30s,
  
  40s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Man
TISH

Tyler’s mother. A concerned parent. Tough, but reasonable.

Character Age

40s-50s

Character Race/Ethnic Identity

Any

Character Gender Identity

Female
Can be played by:
- Actor Age
  
  40s,
  
  50s
- Actor Gender Identity
  
  Woman

Awards

SparkFest '26

Amphibian Stage

Finalist

2026