Samantha Marchant

Samantha Marchant

Samantha Marchant is a playwright and director based in Rochester, NY. She graduated from Spalding University’s MFA Program in Creative Writing with a concentration in Playwriting. Her work has been produced on both US coasts and has had readings all across the country and in Canada. Her plays have been produced or developed with Inkwell Lab, Workshop Theater, The Pulp Stage, The Skeleton Rep(resents), Theater...
Samantha Marchant is a playwright and director based in Rochester, NY. She graduated from Spalding University’s MFA Program in Creative Writing with a concentration in Playwriting. Her work has been produced on both US coasts and has had readings all across the country and in Canada. Her plays have been produced or developed with Inkwell Lab, Workshop Theater, The Pulp Stage, The Skeleton Rep(resents), Theater Three, TMDT, Post Industrial Productions, Skull and Dagger, Alleyway Theatre, and Route 66, among others. Her writing has been published in The Louisville Review, Sick Lit Magazine and Women Writing Letters Season 3 and 4. She is a Todd McNerney Playwriting Contest Finalist, a B Street Theatre New Comedies Festival Semi-Finalist and a proud member of the Dramatist Guild, Queen City Playwrights and BAWG Playwrights. She longs for what's weird and a good laugh.

Plays

  • Stintz Milestrip Center by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 4
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    Cast: 
    10
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    Genre: comedy, experimental + 2 more
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    Keyword: Promenade, Strip Mall + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental, immersive, movement/physical
    Keyword: Promenade, Strip Mall, Yarn, female ensemble, Open Mic, customer service, Relationships, coffee
    A pentaptych of plays to be performed simultaneously.

    The space is divided into two areas: the playing space and the audience promenade.

    The playing space consists of 5 distinct sets representing 5 stores of a strip mall. A YARN SHOP, AN OFFICE SUPPLIES STORE, A SALON, A NEWLY LEASED STOREFRONT, and A CAFÉ. The facade of each store is open, so that the audience can see and listen...
    A pentaptych of plays to be performed simultaneously.

    The space is divided into two areas: the playing space and the audience promenade.

    The playing space consists of 5 distinct sets representing 5 stores of a strip mall. A YARN SHOP, AN OFFICE SUPPLIES STORE, A SALON, A NEWLY LEASED STOREFRONT, and A CAFÉ. The facade of each store is open, so that the audience can see and listen in.

    There are long benches separating the playing space from the audience promenade. Maybe the benches are made to look like parking blocks and the promenade looks like a parking lot. The audience has free-range of the promenade throughout. They may sit or stand. They may choose to stick to watching one set, follow a certain character to different stores, or float between multiple plays, as they wish.

    These plays explore connections and disconnections, Thursday night at the strip mall.
  • And the Four Last Things by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 6
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    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 4 more
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    Keyword: angels, devil + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, experimental, faith-based, fantasy
    Keyword: angels, devil, souls, afterlife, Bosch, sin, judgement, music, art, authenticity
    EARLY DRAFT - FULL LENGTH - An angel and a devil weigh the soul of a man by reenacting his four last acts on earth with his corpse.

    New Draft Uploaded 6/8/21
  • Firewater by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 6
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    Cast: 
    5
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: mythology, fire + 7 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, fable/folktale, fantasy
    Keyword: mythology, fire, family, Trickster, PRometheus, self-worth, myth, Step-parents, Sisters
    FULL LENGTH - A reimagining of the Prometheus myth told from the point of view of fire and her sister. We meet a family living in a time after the Gods abandoned humankind. The Gods took with them their knowledge of fire, halting the progress of civilization. But this family holds a secret. A spark of divine fire burns within the younger sister. A prophecy foretells the wrath to come if fire ever returned...
    FULL LENGTH - A reimagining of the Prometheus myth told from the point of view of fire and her sister. We meet a family living in a time after the Gods abandoned humankind. The Gods took with them their knowledge of fire, halting the progress of civilization. But this family holds a secret. A spark of divine fire burns within the younger sister. A prophecy foretells the wrath to come if fire ever returned to all of mankind. The family does what it can to hide her, fire, but do they act to protect her or themselves?

    Draft 5 uploaded 11/14/21
  • Liquidation by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: drama, experimental
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    Keyword: friendship, Relationships + 8 more
    Genre: drama, experimental
    Keyword: friendship, Relationships, meaning of life, furniture, mind, suicide, coping, collage, love, loss
    FULL LENGTH - Set in Manny's mind, which greatly resembles a closeout furniture store, we follow as he slips in and out of daydreams, memories, and reality. His interactions with his old friend, Lane, his sister, Alexis, his college roommate, Trapper, and his girlfriend, Jazz, explore his relationship with relationships.
  • Balconies: A Vertical Play by Samantha Marchant
    Cast: 
    7
    ·
    Genre: comedy, farce
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    Keyword: memes, internet + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, farce
    Keyword: memes, internet, misunderstanding, florida, mink, coworkers, lies, balcony, hotel, Sex
    FULL LENGTH - Internet Meme Company, Commandeering Mink, has taken over the top two floors of a hotel in Florida somewhere off of State Road 597 in order to host a fund-raiser dinner. Employee Heather, aka perfection princess, is determined to make the night run smoothly and bag a lot of investors, in order to make up for a recent work faux pas, that she hopes to keep on the down-low. When her eccentric...
    FULL LENGTH - Internet Meme Company, Commandeering Mink, has taken over the top two floors of a hotel in Florida somewhere off of State Road 597 in order to host a fund-raiser dinner. Employee Heather, aka perfection princess, is determined to make the night run smoothly and bag a lot of investors, in order to make up for a recent work faux pas, that she hopes to keep on the down-low. When her eccentric boyfriend, Brody, with an unfavorable past with her boss, Michael, shows up uninvited, Heather recruits coworker, Reggie to help keep the two men apart. Little does Heather know that Michael is desperate for mayoral candidate, Jack’s, money so he can pay off his soon to be ex-wife, Tillie, who has arrived in Florida out of the blue threatening to take away and destroy Michael and his company. Michael is so desperate in fact, that he may agree to marry, Lisbet, Heather’s not so smart coworker and Jack’s daughter. Secrets, lies and misunderstandings pile high as Heather hilariously improvises her way through a not so perfect fundraiser night and we see it all through stolen moments out on the hotel’s balconies.
  • Turtle Play (The Play About the Turtle) by Samantha Marchant
    Cast: 
    4
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
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    Keyword: family, love + 8 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: family, love, Love-Child, affair, Mother-in-Law, turtles, death, wwf, Screen Porch, coffee
    FULL LENGTH - Set on the screen porch of Cedar (and formerly Ash) Webster’s home, where things and people collect. Shortly after her husband’s premature passing, Cedar finds herself with two new tenants. The first, Dawn, is her mother-in-law. Ash was supposed to ease his mother into this new transition, but now the task is left to Cedar. The second is Reed Talon, a paying lodger, who brings with him a lot...
    FULL LENGTH - Set on the screen porch of Cedar (and formerly Ash) Webster’s home, where things and people collect. Shortly after her husband’s premature passing, Cedar finds herself with two new tenants. The first, Dawn, is her mother-in-law. Ash was supposed to ease his mother into this new transition, but now the task is left to Cedar. The second is Reed Talon, a paying lodger, who brings with him a lot of baggage- most metaphorical, except for the turtle, Ambrose. The three must learn how to cohabit while Cedar prepares to bring yet another member into the household, an adopted baby.

    Turtle Play (The Play About the Turtle) is a story of how important it is to feel loved. It shows how love doesn’t have to come from those that you think are supposed to love you, but it can come from unexpected and wonderful places.
  • 1st Impressions by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    2–4
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    Genre: comedy, experimental
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    Keyword: fringe, pet + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, experimental
    Keyword: fringe, pet, choose your own adventure, strangers, tarot, reality tv, train, interactive
    Two strangers meet—
    at a pet adoption home visit…
    entering the house on a reality TV show…
    as two strangers on a train...
    What happens next is up to you.

    In this theatrical comedy, three shorts will play out using a branching story telling structure. The actors will poll the audience at key moments, Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Style.

    Will these first...
    Two strangers meet—
    at a pet adoption home visit…
    entering the house on a reality TV show…
    as two strangers on a train...
    What happens next is up to you.

    In this theatrical comedy, three shorts will play out using a branching story telling structure. The actors will poll the audience at key moments, Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Style.

    Will these first impressions go down in history as the ultimate meet cute or as a run-in with the stranger from hell? You decide.
  • Stickers Over My Eye by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: drama, fable/folktale + 3 more
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    Keyword: voice, lizard + 8 more
    Genre: drama, fable/folktale, fantasy, radio drama, tragedy
    Keyword: voice, lizard, fairy tale, statue, art, sticker, love, betrayal, Garden, dialouge only
    A fairy tale of love and betrayal told through voice.
  • Checking In by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, zoom
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    Keyword: work, shelter-in-place + 8 more
    Genre: comedy, zoom
    Keyword: work, shelter-in-place, old house, dogs, toddler, plumbing, chaos, woof, wifi, a short Zoom play
    Mads has a lot on her plate. She's given up her downtown condo for a 1800's farmhouse on the
    outskirts of town - two towns over. The added space is great. It's why she agreed to move during
    quarantine. They'll have to buy more stuff to fill the place up, but each day comes with a new
    DIY project. Her partner chips in but there are a lot of distractions with the crying...
    Mads has a lot on her plate. She's given up her downtown condo for a 1800's farmhouse on the
    outskirts of town - two towns over. The added space is great. It's why she agreed to move during
    quarantine. They'll have to buy more stuff to fill the place up, but each day comes with a new
    DIY project. Her partner chips in but there are a lot of distractions with the crying baby or
    whimpering puppy. Not to mention the Internet's spotty. Let's hope the connection holds on
    during today's video call with Sal. Mads has only met Sal, the VP of Mads' company's parent
    organization, once before. And all the meeting invite says is "Checking In."
  • You Before Me by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: adaptation, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: Greek mythology, Persephone + 8 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, fantasy
    Keyword: Greek mythology, Persephone, Demeter, mother, Daughter, Earth Day, new beginnings, plants, summer, past revisited
    SHORT PLAY - Seph (who is Persephone, but not exactly) comes home to Deme (who is Demeter, but not exactly), but the visit is not what either are hoping for.
  • Stephanie. From the Posters. by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 7
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    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: halloween, parenthood + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, holiday
    Keyword: halloween, parenthood, trick or treat, dad, mother, teenagers, candy, runaway
    TEN MINUTE - Mike and Paul are both fathers of teenage girls. Paul wants to ask Mike if his daughter, Stephanie, can stay at Mike's house and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters with Mike's daughter and her friends, but something is holding him back. An examination on parenthood and how scary real life can be.
  • Return to Mother's Nest by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 3 more
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    Keyword: home, house + 8 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, fantasy, horror, mystery/thriller
    Keyword: home, house, family, mother, daughters, Cults, worms, unfinished, absence, tiny house
    TEN MINUTE - A young adult attempts to return home after a long absence. Her mother takes her to an unfinished house to explain how things have changed and her new beliefs.
  • Zoe or Zoe by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 3
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: Shakespeare, scansion + 6 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: Shakespeare, scansion, school, class, assignment, young women, students, poetry
    TEN MINUTE - Three Women, with conflicting personalities and skill levels, prepare for a class Shakespeare presentation.
  • dr(ELLA)'s Underwear and the Meaning of Friendship by Samantha Marchant
    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, experimental
    ·
    Keyword: Underwear, friendship + 7 more
    Genre: dark comedy, experimental
    Keyword: Underwear, friendship, death, rhythm, department store, model, satisfaction, Andy Warhol, fluid
    dr(ELLA), searching for the perfect pair of underwear, meets O'MALLEY, a salesmen, and K.J., an aspiring model, in a department store in another time and another space.
  • An Apple for a Telegram by Samantha Marchant
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, docudrama/historic
    ·
    Keyword: Mother Jones, apple + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, docudrama/historic
    Keyword: Mother Jones, apple, Telegram, History, Rights, working class, lessons
    A ten-minute play about the great Mother Jones
  • Starting Out Strong by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    ·
    Keyword: cute, meet cute + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy
    Keyword: cute, meet cute, coffee, sea side, strangers, proposal
    FIVE MINUTES - Barry goes big when he meets Melinda.
  • A Quick 15 by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 4
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    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: comedy
    ·
    Keyword: time clock, work + 4 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: time clock, work, retail, ice cream, hourglass, Pokemon Go
    Barb tries to take a peaceful 15 minute break.
  • Good Boy by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    ·
    Keyword: dogs, pets + 6 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama
    Keyword: dogs, pets, man's best friend, family, backyard, storm, couples, fatherhood
    ONE MINUTE - A man buries the family dog before the storm comes in.
  • Steam by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: cats, pets + 5 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, satire
    Keyword: cats, pets, radio, ryan renoylds, shower, date, bad date
    ONE MINUTE - A radio, some cat puke and woman trying to get ready for a date.
  • Burning the Candle at Both Ends by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    2
    ·
    Genre: dark comedy, experimental
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    Keyword: routine, crossing paths + 4 more
    Genre: dark comedy, experimental
    Keyword: routine, crossing paths, crossed wires, missed connections, affair, couples
    ONE MINUTE - Two men walk away, and into, similar lives.
  • She Sells Sea-Shells by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 2
    ·
    Cast: 
    3
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    Genre: comedy, fable/folktale
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    Keyword: tounge twister, seashore + 6 more
    Genre: comedy, fable/folktale
    Keyword: tounge twister, seashore, seashell, summer, vacation, Childhood, memories, fading memories
    10 MINUTE - Logan tries to return to childhood by returning to an old vacation haunt.
  • Red Ball Jet Organ by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: adaptation, comedy + 2 more
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    Keyword: star wars, organ + 6 more
    Genre: adaptation, comedy, drama, fantasy
    Keyword: star wars, organ, music, career, love, jedi, dreams, band
    10 Minute - Star Wars inspired. Two Pa'lowicks deal with the Red Ball Jett Organ taking up their living space.
  • BIKE FOR $ALE!!! GREAT PRI¢E!!! by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    1
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: Craigslist, bike + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, horror
    Keyword: Craigslist, bike, sale, basement, creepers, creepy
    Monologue - Gary wants to show you the bike he's selling down in the basement.
  • Three Characters in Search of They Know Not What by Samantha Marchant
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    3
    ·
    Genre: adaptation, drama + 1 more
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    Keyword: Pirandello, Six Characters + 2 more
    Genre: adaptation, drama, tragedy
    Keyword: Pirandello, Six Characters, affair, emotional affair
    Inspired By Six Characters in Search of An Author By Luigi Pirandello