Ward Kay

Ward Kay

Ward Kay is a playwright and Artistic Director of NOVA Nightsky Theater. He has had about 20 productions of his plays performed around the country. His play “The Bride in Blackout” won Best Playlab Production at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival. His short play “Three Times a Lady” has won awards from the NVTA and the Little Theatre of Alexandria. His full-length play “Silk Purse Project” was a finalist in the...
Ward Kay is a playwright and Artistic Director of NOVA Nightsky Theater. He has had about 20 productions of his plays performed around the country. His play “The Bride in Blackout” won Best Playlab Production at the Pittsburgh New Works Festival. His short play “Three Times a Lady” has won awards from the NVTA and the Little Theatre of Alexandria. His full-length play “Silk Purse Project” was a finalist in the Gerry Marshall Theater New Works Festival and a semi-finalist in the Screencraft Stage Play Competition. He is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild.

Plays

  • Cabana #8
    Four young, wealthy women are spending a spa vacation at a high-end resort in the Caribbean. They are enjoying the sun, the drinks, and having a cabana boy to serve them until the realities of island life arrive at their little spot of paradise. A play in 2 acts.
  • The Politics of White Bread
    Full-length. The richest man in a small Midwestern city decides to run for mayor. The problem is out-of-touch and comes across as an idiot. The dowager party chair is afraid he will drag the party's other candidates down, so she brings a couple of big-time political consultants to try to make him viable. He and his beauty-queen campaign manager don't want the help. When the incumbent mayor admits to...
    Full-length. The richest man in a small Midwestern city decides to run for mayor. The problem is out-of-touch and comes across as an idiot. The dowager party chair is afraid he will drag the party's other candidates down, so she brings a couple of big-time political consultants to try to make him viable. He and his beauty-queen campaign manager don't want the help. When the incumbent mayor admits to an affair (with him), the race becomes close leading to an election night surprise.
  • Oral Histories
    This a theater piece designed for the Capital Fringe Festival. Four actors on a basically blank stage. Three storytellers and a hostess -- talking about oral sex. Each story begins a provocative statement: "Getting head made me rich." "I found Jesus through oral sex." "A blow job saved my life." Each storyteller then takes ten to fifteen minutes to explain how oral sex made his or...
    This a theater piece designed for the Capital Fringe Festival. Four actors on a basically blank stage. Three storytellers and a hostess -- talking about oral sex. Each story begins a provocative statement: "Getting head made me rich." "I found Jesus through oral sex." "A blow job saved my life." Each storyteller then takes ten to fifteen minutes to explain how oral sex made his or her life better. Each story is funny, moving and emotional. The stories seem so real that some audiences members have thought the actors actually lived the experience. But these are works of fiction. To break up the storytelling, the hostess appears to give a little lesson on the effect of different foods on the taste of oral sex. Reviews Washington Post (July 22, 2016) “the show is fun and engaging, with capable performers who keep your attention. It’s a fun romp that never gets crude. Which, you know, is hard to do with a subject like this.” DC Theatre Scene (July 12, 2016) “Holy. Crap. “You don’t hear this kind of talk in the theatre. Let alone a Fringe show.” No, really. Holy crap. This might be the best Fringe show I’ve ever seen” Originally presented as a part of the 2016 Capital Fringe Festival, a program of the Washington, DC non-profit Capital Fringe.
  • After the Storm
    Tagline: The tornado destroyed their house; their home was already wrecked.
    When a tornado comes through, Mickey and Carolyn emerge from the storm cellar to find only debris where their house was. The son Kyle and daughter-in-law, Shannon arrive to help. Each person responds to the tragedy in their own way. Carolyn is devastated by the destruction of the house she put her life into. Mickey wants to...
    Tagline: The tornado destroyed their house; their home was already wrecked.
    When a tornado comes through, Mickey and Carolyn emerge from the storm cellar to find only debris where their house was. The son Kyle and daughter-in-law, Shannon arrive to help. Each person responds to the tragedy in their own way. Carolyn is devastated by the destruction of the house she put her life into. Mickey wants to salvage what he can. Kyle's lost of childhood home inspires him to get started with his own. Shannon tries to find the good in everything and annoys the rest of them. Mickey is a recovering alcoholic and former womanizer and must deal with his past as his wife is ready to leave now that her home is gone.
  • Leaving Bedrooms
    Full length: A play of romantic recovery. Marcus begins a journey where he is leaving bedrooms of various women. First, he leaves the bed room of Jen, his longtime cohabitating girlfriend. After establishing himself in a sublet apartment, Liz returns to reclaim her apartment after she breaks up with their mutual friend Eric. The third bedroom is Heather's, someone he has met on Tinder whose past is not...
    Full length: A play of romantic recovery. Marcus begins a journey where he is leaving bedrooms of various women. First, he leaves the bed room of Jen, his longtime cohabitating girlfriend. After establishing himself in a sublet apartment, Liz returns to reclaim her apartment after she breaks up with their mutual friend Eric. The third bedroom is Heather's, someone he has met on Tinder whose past is not something he can deal with. Finally, Marcus leaves a bedroom with a woman that he is ready to love.
  • Mr. Taken
    A Sex Comedy in Two Acts. The show starts with three couples: one couple just started dating, one couple just got engaged, and the other couple is just about to break-up in a explosive moment in front of their friends. The changing relationships have a devastating effect on the women's friendships, since everyone wants Mr. Taken.
  • Three Times a Lady
    Jake and his wife see a marriage counselor. She wants a divorce after he used another woman's name during sex. But the name he used was one of his wife's other personalities. He doesn't want her cured, he likes being married to woman with multiple personalities. One act: 30 minutes.
  • Looking for Love
    It's a meet market bar and Drew has brought his friend Gil to help him find a woman. Cathi and Paula have come to find someone new. While each tell friend their dating horror stories, they keep hoping for a match.
  • In the Cards
    (one act) The creative team at the greeting card company is put into disarray when the boss wants some of them to e-cards. Love is in the cards for this group.
  • The Bride in Blackout
    A major storm knocks out power before the wedding ruining the outdoor wedding and the catering. Amy questions if it is an act of a jealous god, or the fates telling her not to get married.
  • Ring Around the Rosary
    (10 minute) A festival's theme of "Lost and Found" inspired this short piece. Camilla loses the rosary her grandmother made on the day her grandmother's funeral and her roommate is pushing her to make a decision on the wrong day.
  • Henchmen
    They work security for an evil genius villain on a remote Pacific island. There is nothing to do and unlikely to be a threat. They are bored and tired and someone comes up with the idea to start a henchmen's union for better working conditions. 20-minute one act.
  • Analytics (or WAR, What Is Good For?)
    (10 minute) It's the off-season and the general manager is ready to deal. He brings in the old school manager and the young statistician for ideas. Analytics is the term for modern statistics that drive the game. In this case, for one of the most unorthodox moves -- that just may be old school after all.
  • The Ride Home
    (10 minute) Husbands Monty and Aiden both won playwriting awards. But in the limo on the way home, Monty is in a mood because he doesn’t feel the respect.
  • Scene: A Bedroom
    A Series of Short Plays on a Single Set. These seven plays at 10 minutes or less were originally conceived to be performed in the transition period at the end of COVID for social distancing rehearsals. Each play is two characters in a bedroom with ages from 20s to 70s. But it is not the same couple at different stages. In CONSENT, a young couple is about to have sex for the first time. THE WORDS is a middle of...
    A Series of Short Plays on a Single Set. These seven plays at 10 minutes or less were originally conceived to be performed in the transition period at the end of COVID for social distancing rehearsals. Each play is two characters in a bedroom with ages from 20s to 70s. But it is not the same couple at different stages. In CONSENT, a young couple is about to have sex for the first time. THE WORDS is a middle of the night break-up. THE ROCK has a couple discussing marriage. WOW, JUST WOW takes place in the bridal suite of the airport hotel immediately following the ceremony. YOUR TURN have young parents dealing with a crying baby. BREAKFAST IN BED occurs on Mother's Day for an empty nest couple. PERMISSION has a senior dealing with her husband dying in his sleep. (Some plays found separately on NPX.)
  • Consent
    (10 minute) In the 2020s, Consent is vital in sexual relationships. As the passion heats up for a couple, he asks her to record her consent on his phone video.
  • The Words
    (10 minute) Her crying wakes him. Its been weeks since she told him "I love you." He still hasn't said The Words.
  • The Rock
    (10 minute) Sean is afraid his girlfriend doesn’t love him as much as he loves her. When she doesn’t say “I love you” back, the conversation begins.
  • Breakfast in Bed
    (10 minute) It's Mother's Day, but Kimberly's only son joined the Army and is in Korea. She is in no mood to celebrate Mother's Day despite her husband's best efforts.
  • Permission
    Judy's husband Gary has died in his sleep. As she awaits the paramedics to arrive, she talks with him about their 40-year marriage of convenience.
  • RINO
    (10 minutes) A moderate Republican senator finds himself on the outside of his party. He wants to make himself relevant by proposing “radical moderate policy” including creative takes on the minimum wage. His friends at US Chamber of Commerce are not encouraging.
  • Silk Purse Project
    Full-length. The richest man in a small Midwestern city decides to run for mayor. The problem is out-of-touch and comes across as an idiot. The dowager party chair is afraid he will drag the party's other candidates down, so she brings a couple of big-time political consultants to try to make him viable. He and his beauty-queen campaign manager don't want the help. When the incumbent mayor admits to...
    Full-length. The richest man in a small Midwestern city decides to run for mayor. The problem is out-of-touch and comes across as an idiot. The dowager party chair is afraid he will drag the party's other candidates down, so she brings a couple of big-time political consultants to try to make him viable. He and his beauty-queen campaign manager don't want the help. When the incumbent mayor admits to an affair (with him), the race becomes close leading to an election night surprise.
  • Creative Wedding Financing
    (10 minutes) Lena and Jack want the perfect wedding but can’t afford it. Creative Wedding Financing can help – if they are willing to risk the exposure.
  • Dragons All the Way
    (10 minute) Cheerleading practice is disrupted when one of the girls reveals another girl has a crush on the third girl.
  • The Livonians: The Musical
    Lily White and the Livonians had one hit song in the late 1960s. In the early 2000s, they are reunited for a reunion show by a stage manager who has his own reason for wanting to get to this one-hit wonder band. The show contains both book songs within the story and canon songs which are songs the group sang back in the day.