Harrison Young

Harrison Young

Harrison Young is the Tennessee Regional Rep for the Dramatists Guild of America and the Literary Manager for the Tennessee Stage Company. As a Theatre graduate from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Improvisation alum from the Peoples Improv Theater-NYC, he has performed in many comedies and new works which taught him how to write his own comedies. With this background, he started Next Rung...
Harrison Young is the Tennessee Regional Rep for the Dramatists Guild of America and the Literary Manager for the Tennessee Stage Company. As a Theatre graduate from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and Improvisation alum from the Peoples Improv Theater-NYC, he has performed in many comedies and new works which taught him how to write his own comedies. With this background, he started Next Rung Productions in 2019 -- an annual program built around mentoring a local playwright each year.

Writing credits for productions and readings* include: ONLINE FIGHTING (Game Play Festival with the Brick Theater, Living Room Theatre*, New Play Festival with the Tennessee Stage Company, Farragut High School, Gibbs High School, Wild Thyme Players); SECRET DISCLOSURES (series at the Treehouse Theater); GRANDMA'S DEATH DISH (Tiger Lily Theatre, Chance Residential Center); ASKING FOR A FRIEND (Santa Monica Theatre); NO PROPS (Tiger Lily Theatre); ALASKAN ASSASSINS (Tiger Lily Theatre); ASPHALT AND ASPHYXIATION (Tiger Lily Theatre); and THE INCONSEQUENTIAL CUPCAKE! (Bad Theater Fest at St. Paul's Theater). In addition, he wrote select scenes for THE GREAT VANISHING (Skeleton Rep) and co-wrote the play RAFT (Phoenix Theatre Company*, PRIDE at Home*, New Play Festival with the Tennessee Stage Company). His playwriting was most recently featured with a scene in LIVE FROM THE ANARCHIST JURISDICTION (One-Minute Play Festival with the Dramatists Guild of America).

Published article credits include The Dramatist magazine and Broadway Baby.

Performing credits include new plays like the world premieres of THE HUNGRY HEART (Carpetbag Theatre) and HOPPY'S TRUNK (New Play Festival with the Tennessee Stage Company). He also created new shows weekly with the Treehouse Theater's longform improv house-team VICE CREAM. He was most recently featured story-telling on the WORLD Channel in an episode of STORIES FROM THE STAGE, filmed at the Cumberland County Playhouse.

Plays

  • Afraid of the Storm by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: drama, experimental + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: Psychological exploration, Surreal + 8 more
    Genre: drama, experimental, horror
    Keyword: Psychological exploration, Surreal, storm, responsibility, pets, flashlights, stage combat, open ending, lead female role, child role
    AFRAID OF THE STORM is a psychological exploration about the guilt of responsibility. When Amber Dean's grandmother stops a search for her missing cat during a thunderstorm, this traumatizes her for the next fifty years. A workplace power outage sparks surreal visions toward her internal struggle: would Amber Dean make the same decision for her granddaughter that her grandmother made for her?
    ...
    AFRAID OF THE STORM is a psychological exploration about the guilt of responsibility. When Amber Dean's grandmother stops a search for her missing cat during a thunderstorm, this traumatizes her for the next fifty years. A workplace power outage sparks surreal visions toward her internal struggle: would Amber Dean make the same decision for her granddaughter that her grandmother made for her?

    Cast: four women, two men. Recommended production team: 60-year-old actress for lead role and 10-year-old actress, surrounding team who understands basic unarmed stage combat as well as understanding tensions regarding careers and families.
  • Alaskan Assassins [all-female cast] by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: police, wordplay + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, farce, melodrama, radio drama, verse
    Keyword: police, wordplay, rhymes, rhythm, assassin, Torture, Nebraska, Alaska
    ALASKAN ASSASSINS is a sensation about an investigation's interrogation at a police station. Cast: three women. Recommended production team: fans of wordplay. {{NOTE: also available is an all-male version. "Alaskan Assassins [all-male cast]" can be searched on NPX.}}
  • Alaskan Assassins [all-male cast] by Harrison Young
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: police, wordplay + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, farce, melodrama, radio drama, verse
    Keyword: police, wordplay, rhymes, rhythm, assassin, Torture, Nebraska, Alaska
    ALASKAN ASSASSINS is a sensation about an investigation's interrogation at a police station. Cast: three men. Recommended production team: fans of wordplay. {{NOTE: also available is an all-female version. "Alaskan Assassins [all-female cast]" can be searched on NPX.}}
  • Asphalt and Asphyxiation by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, flirting + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, romantic comedy
    Keyword: funny, flirting, one-on-one, murder, love, parking lot, cops, Marbles, Big River
    ASPHALT AND ASPHYXIATION is a flirty light-hearted piece that just so happens to take place under a hanging body. Andre and Georgia play Marbles after they hung their boss at their job's parking lot. They discover their passion for each other and wait for the police to find them.

    Cast: two men, one woman. Recommended production team: flirty people looking for something Southern Gothic.
  • Bless Her Heart by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    15
    ·
    Genre: comedy, young audiences
    ·
    Keyword: funny, family + 7 more
    Genre: comedy, young audiences
    Keyword: funny, family, single mother, religion, respect, free food, kids eat free, restaurant, Shoney's
    Chloe takes her eleven children to Shoney's in this comedy so her kids can eat free. When the free meals don't apply to all of her children, a stranger stands up from her table long enough to support this family. While Chloe is thankful, the stranger's brand of kindness quickly gets on their family's nerves.

    CAST: eight women, five men, two gender-blind roles. Recommended...
    Chloe takes her eleven children to Shoney's in this comedy so her kids can eat free. When the free meals don't apply to all of her children, a stranger stands up from her table long enough to support this family. While Chloe is thankful, the stranger's brand of kindness quickly gets on their family's nerves.

    CAST: eight women, five men, two gender-blind roles. Recommended production team: big group of people who can have fun with small parts.
  • Grandma's Death Dish by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    8–12
    ·
    Genre: comedy, young audiences
    ·
    Keyword: funny, cats + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, young audiences
    Keyword: funny, cats, dead, coffin, funeral, eulogy, food, family, pets, love
    Leonardo the cat has died and Marcy Angelo wants to give him a proper funeral. Her children and grandchild begrudgingly partake in this event where cats roam free, strangers take food, and preachers honor the fallen feline.

    Cast: four women, one man, one gender-blind human role, and at least two gender-blind cats. Recommended production team: woman-centric with a great fake sneezer.
  • Making It Up by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    12–15
    ·
    Genre: comedy, experimental + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, metatheatrical + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, parody/spoof, satire
    Keyword: funny, metatheatrical, twist, reality tv, improv, fake, cynicism, Play within a play, basketball, Duck Dynasty
    MAKING IT UP is a meta one-act play about a reality TV show based on improvisation. The actors struggle in and out of the script as they become the world's best improv-team on TV, led by the world's greatest coach -- Phil Jackson.

    Cast: at least eight men and three women (suggested twelve roles). Recommended production team: improv-fans with a commitment to versatility and disdain for reality TV.
  • No Props by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: comedy, commedia dell'arte + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, prop comedy + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, commedia dell'arte, movement/physical
    Keyword: funny, prop comedy, sight gags, visual humor, friends, family, backstage, business, fired, Starbucks
    NO PROPS is a comedy focused on prop-comedy and artist-producer relationships. When Fiorina snaps on Barbara for her low ticket-sales to her tour "Barbie and Box-Box," Barbara snaps back and gets herself fired. Before she receives her pink slip though, a fan comes backstage and asks for a personal encore -- complete with unique items coming out of her prop-box.

    Cast: four women....
    NO PROPS is a comedy focused on prop-comedy and artist-producer relationships. When Fiorina snaps on Barbara for her low ticket-sales to her tour "Barbie and Box-Box," Barbara snaps back and gets herself fired. Before she receives her pink slip though, a fan comes backstage and asks for a personal encore -- complete with unique items coming out of her prop-box.

    Cast: four women. Recommended production team: lovers of prop-comedy and sight-gags.
  • Online Fighting [full-length] by Harrison Young
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    8–23
    ·
    Genre: comedy, movement/physical + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, action + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, movement/physical, parody/spoof, romantic comedy
    Keyword: funny, action, video games, Street Fighter, fight, stage combat, swords, MILF, rivalry, Applebee's
    ONLINE FIGHTING is an action-comedy about two video gamers rekindling a feud. What starts off as fun and games online quickly becomes a battle of jealousy and redemption offline, especially once mothers and girlfriends get involved. Realism, absurdity, and stage combat blend together to create a story to entertain both young hardcore gamers and old non-gamers alike.

    Cast: at least five men and...
    ONLINE FIGHTING is an action-comedy about two video gamers rekindling a feud. What starts off as fun and games online quickly becomes a battle of jealousy and redemption offline, especially once mothers and girlfriends get involved. Realism, absurdity, and stage combat blend together to create a story to entertain both young hardcore gamers and old non-gamers alike.

    Cast: at least five men and three women (four lead roles + 19 supporting roles). Recommended production team: fans of video games and stage combat (features thirteen Street Fighter-type fights).


    {{NOTE: also available is a high school version (with cleaner word-choices and less alcohol) and a short version (variation of the first scene). "Online Fighting [high school, full-length]" and "Online Fighting [short]" can be searched on NPX.}}
  • Online Fighting [high school, full-length] by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    8–23
    ·
    Genre: comedy, movement/physical + 3 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, action + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, movement/physical, parody/spoof, romantic comedy, young audiences
    Keyword: funny, action, video games, Street Fighter, fight, stage combat, swords, MILF, rivalry, Applebee's
    ONLINE FIGHTING is an action-comedy about two video gamers rekindling a feud. What starts off as fun and games online quickly becomes a battle of jealousy and redemption offline, especially once mothers and girlfriends get involved. Realism, absurdity, and stage combat blend together to create a story to entertain both young hardcore gamers and old non-gamers alike.

    Cast: at least five men and...
    ONLINE FIGHTING is an action-comedy about two video gamers rekindling a feud. What starts off as fun and games online quickly becomes a battle of jealousy and redemption offline, especially once mothers and girlfriends get involved. Realism, absurdity, and stage combat blend together to create a story to entertain both young hardcore gamers and old non-gamers alike.

    Cast: at least five men and three women (four lead roles + 19 supporting roles). Recommended production team: fans of video games and stage combat (features thirteen Street Fighter-type fights).


    {{NOTE: also available is the standard version (with a few cuss words and more alcohol) and a short version (variation of the first scene). "Online Fighting [full-length]" and "Online Fighting [short]" can be searched on NPX.}}
  • Online Fighting [short] by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    5–10
    ·
    Genre: comedy, movement/physical + 2 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, action + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, movement/physical, parody/spoof, young audiences
    Keyword: funny, action, video games, Street Fighter, jokes, swords, fight, stage combat, MILF, rivalry
    ONLINE FIGHTING is an action-comedy about two video gamers rekindling a feud. What starts off as fun and games online quickly becomes a battle of jealousy and redemption offline, especially once mothers and girlfriends get involved. Realism, absurdity, and stage combat blend together to create a story to entertain both young hardcore gamers and old non-gamers alike.

    Cast: two men, one woman,...
    ONLINE FIGHTING is an action-comedy about two video gamers rekindling a feud. What starts off as fun and games online quickly becomes a battle of jealousy and redemption offline, especially once mothers and girlfriends get involved. Realism, absurdity, and stage combat blend together to create a story to entertain both young hardcore gamers and old non-gamers alike.

    Cast: two men, one woman, one voice-over, and two-six stage combatants (three lead "real human" roles + 6 supporting "video game fighter" roles and 1 voice-over). Recommended production team: fans of video games and stage combat (features three Street Fighter-type fights).


    {{NOTE: also available is the standard full-length version and a similar high school full-length version (the differences being a few word-choices and amount of alcohol featured). "Online Fighting [full-length]" and "Online Fighting [high school, full-length]" can be searched on NPX.}}
  • Raft [co-writer] by Harrison Young
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: raft, ocean + 8 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: raft, ocean, bouncy castle, pop culture, friends, two-person play, sexual tension, LGBTQ, open ending, hedgehog
    RAFT is a slice-of-life comedy co-written by Carlin Thomas and Harrison Young -- this is about two friends stranded on a bouncy castle in the Pacific Ocean. As they wait for an uncertain rescue, secrets make their way to the surface. Can their friendship survive their lies, sexual tension, and sun poisoning?

    Cast: two gender-blind roles.

    Recommended production team:
    ...
    RAFT is a slice-of-life comedy co-written by Carlin Thomas and Harrison Young -- this is about two friends stranded on a bouncy castle in the Pacific Ocean. As they wait for an uncertain rescue, secrets make their way to the surface. Can their friendship survive their lies, sexual tension, and sun poisoning?

    Cast: two gender-blind roles.

    Recommended production team:
    engaging despite minimal set-space, LGBTQ-friendly.
  • Those Girls by Harrison Young
    Cast: 
    10
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
    ·
    Keyword: funny, school + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, young audiences
    Keyword: funny, school, women, girls, confidence, morality, princess, Scooby Doo
    An all-female cast analyzes what makes them self-conscious about themselves as they explore the idea of what it means to be called one of "those" girls.

    Cast: ten women. Recommended production team: teachers and young women in need of confidence.